What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningPoloxamer 184
EmulsifyingAmmonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate
Emulsion StabilisingDecyl Glucoside
Cleansing
Sodium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate
Emulsion StabilisingGlycerin
Humectant
Polyglyceryl-3 Cocoate
Emulsifying
Polyglyceryl-4 Caprylate/Caprate
Polyglyceryl-4 Laurate/Sebacate
SolventPolyglyceryl-6 Caprylate
EmulsifyingPolyglyceryl-6 Ricinoleate
Emulsifying
Sorbitan Sesquioleate
Emulsifying
Citric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Phytate
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Synthetic Fluorphlogopite
Tin Oxide
Abrasive
Titanium Dioxide
Cosmetic Colorant
Water, Poloxamer 184, Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Decyl Glucoside, Sodium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Glycerin, Polyglyceryl-3 Cocoate, Polyglyceryl-4 Caprylate/Caprate, Polyglyceryl-4 Laurate/Sebacate, Polyglyceryl-6 Caprylate, Polyglyceryl-6 Ricinoleate, Sorbitan Sesquioleate, Citric Acid, Sodium Phytate, Phenoxyethanol, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Tin Oxide, Titanium Dioxide
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Decyl Glucoside
Cleansing
Ammonium Lauryl Sulfate
Cleansing
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningLactic Acid
Buffering
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Olea Europaea Leaf Extract
Perfuming
Lycium Barbarum Fruit Extract
Astringent
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Camellia Sinensis Extract
Antioxidant
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Maltodextrin
Absorbent
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingSodium Benzoate
Masking
Citric Acid
Buffering
Cucumis Sativus Oil
Emollient
Water, Glycerin, Decyl Glucoside, Ammonium Lauryl Sulfate, Xanthan Gum, Ethylhexylglycerin, Lactic Acid, Tocopherol, Panthenol, Phenoxyethanol, Olea Europaea Leaf Extract, Lycium Barbarum Fruit Extract, Potassium Sorbate, Camellia Sinensis Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Maltodextrin, Sodium Hydroxide, Sodium Benzoate, Citric Acid, Cucumis Sativus Oil
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Citric Acid is an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) naturally found in citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, and limes.
Like other AHAs, citric acid can exfoliate skin by breaking down the bonds that hold dead skin cells together. This helps reveal smoother and brighter skin underneath.
However, this exfoliating effect only happens at high concentrations (20%) which can be hard to find in cosmetic products.
Due to this, citric acid is usually included in small amounts as a pH adjuster. This helps keep products slightly more acidic and compatible with skin's natural pH.
In skincare formulas, citric acid can:
While it can provide some skin benefits, research shows lactic acid and glycolic acid are generally more effective and less irritating exfoliants.
Most citric acid used in skincare today is made by fermenting sugars (usually from molasses). This synthetic version is identical to the natural citrus form but easier to stabilize and use in formulations.
Read more about some other popular AHA's here:
Learn more about Citric AcidDecyl Glucoside is a plant-derived surfactant and emulsion stabilizer. It is created by reacting glucose with the fatty acids from plants.
Like all surfactants, it works by lowering the surface tension between water and oil. This makes it so that dirt, sebum, and makeup can be lifted off your skin and rinsed away. It also produces a dense and creamy foam.
Because it has a neutral charge, it is compatible with a wide range of ingredients and stays stable across a broad pH range/water hardiness conditions.
Patch testing has shown it to have the lowest irritation potential among common cleansing surfactants (like SLS).
Typical use levels range from 5-20% in rinse-off cleansers.
One thing worth knowing: The American Contact Dermatitis Society named the parent family, alkyl glucosides, "Allergen of the Year" in 2017. The prevalence of allergy is pretty low but be sure to patch test if you've reacted to "gentle" or sulfate-free cleansers before.
This ingredient is fungal acne safe because the fatty alcohol portion of this ingredient is below the C11-24 chain length that Malassezia can metabolize.
Learn more about Decyl GlucosideGlycerin (or glycerol) is a compound naturally found in your skin. It's a powerhouse humectant that pulls water into the stratum corneum.
Topically, glycerin does several things at once:
Your skin makes glycerin on its own (mostly from sebaceous oil breakdown) and shuttles it to your outermost layer of skin, or your epidermis, via aquaporin-3.
Aquaporin-3 is a transporter that is essential for normal skin hydration, elasticity, and repair. Interestingly, mice lacking in AQP3 have dry and less elastic skin that can be fully corrected with glycerin.
This ingredient is non-irritating, plays well with almost every ingredient, and works across all skin types. Typical use is anywhere between 3-10% but can go up to 79% in some leave-on products.
Just know very high concentrations (>40%) can feel tacky in low humidity.
Glycerin is the name for this ingredient in American English. British English uses Glycerol/Glycerine.
Learn more about GlycerinPhenoxyethanol is a preservative that has germicide, antimicrobial, and aromatic properties. Studies show that phenoxyethanol can prevent microbial growth. By itself, it has a scent that is similar to that of a rose.
It's often used in formulations along with Caprylyl Glycol to preserve the shelf life of products.
Water. It's the most common cosmetic ingredient of all. You'll usually see it at the top of ingredient lists, meaning that it makes up the largest part of the product.
So why is it so popular? Water most often acts as a solvent - this means that it helps dissolve other ingredients into the formulation.
You'll also recognize water as that liquid we all need to stay alive. If you see this, drink a glass of water. Remember to stay hydrated!
Learn more about Water
