What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningSimmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Polysorbate 80
Emulsifying
Glycerin
Humectant
Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil
Masking
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Citric Acid
Buffering
Retinyl Palmitate
Skin Conditioning
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingTripeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningHexapeptide-9
Skin Conditioning
Acetyl Hexapeptide-7
Skin Protecting
Acetyl Hexapeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Aluminum Acetate Solution
AstringentHexapeptide-35
Skin Conditioning
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Ascorbic Acid
Antioxidant
Collagen
Moisturising
Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5
Skin Conditioning
Aluminum Diacetate
Antimicrobial1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Hexapeptide-2
Bleaching
Acetyl Hexapeptide-8
Humectant
Copper Tripeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Acetyl Tetrapeptide-5
Humectant
Water, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Polysorbate 80, Glycerin, Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil, Sodium Hyaluronate, Butylene Glycol, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Citric Acid, Retinyl Palmitate, Propylene Glycol, Polysorbate 20, Carbomer, Tripeptide-1, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Hexapeptide-9, Acetyl Hexapeptide-7, Acetyl Hexapeptide-1, Aluminum Acetate Solution, Hexapeptide-35, Tocopherol, Ascorbic Acid, Collagen, Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5, Aluminum Diacetate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Hexapeptide-2, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Copper Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Acetyl Tetrapeptide-5
Water
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
Solvent
Glycerin
Humectant
Gellan Gum
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Sodium Anisate
AntimicrobialSodium Levulinate
Skin ConditioningSalicylic Acid
Masking
Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate
Antioxidant
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
Masking
Sodium Phytate
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Camellia Sinensis Extract
Antioxidant
Citric Acid
Buffering
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Water, Propanediol, Glycerin, Gellan Gum, Niacinamide, Sodium Anisate, Sodium Levulinate, Salicylic Acid, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Lactic Acid, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Sodium Phytate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Camellia Sinensis Extract, Citric Acid, Potassium Sorbate
Reviews
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 AcidGlycerin (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 GlycerinSodium Hyaluronate is the salt form of hyaluronic acid. It is a long sugar chain that is naturally found in your skin, joints, and connective tissue that maintains hydration and elasticity.
In skincare, it works as a humectant. It pulls water from the environment and deeper layers of skin and binds it to the surface.
Interestingly, the size of the molecule affects its behavior:
Some clinical evidence links low molecular weight versions to improved wrinkle depth, elasticity, anti-inflammatory effects, and barrier repair.
Many serums use a blend of both weights so you can get surface hydration plus longer-lasting and deeper effects.
You'll typically see concentrations between 0.1-2% for this ingredient.
Learn more about Sodium HyaluronateWater. 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
