What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium Laureth Sulfate
Cleansing
Acrylates Copolymer
Lauramidopropyl Betaine
CleansingGlycerin
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Sucrose
Humectant
Lilium Tigrinum Extract
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Arginine
Masking
Tyrosine
MaskingGlutamic Acid
Humectant
Aspartic Acid
Masking
Histidine
Humectant
Glycine
Buffering
Lysine
Skin ConditioningThreonine
Valine
MaskingProline
Skin Conditioning
Leucine
Skin ConditioningAlanine
Masking
Isoleucine
Skin ConditioningSerine
Masking
Phenylalanine
Masking
Caffeine
Skin Conditioning
Citrullus Lanatus Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Lens Esculenta Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningPyrus Malus Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Anthemis Nobilis Flower Extract
Masking
Lavandula Angustifolia Oil
Masking
Laminaria Saccharina Extract
Skin ProtectingSodium PCA
Humectant
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Methyldihydrojasmonate
MaskingGlucose
Humectant
Sodium Lactate
Buffering
Glucose Oxidase
StabilisingLactoperoxidase
StabilisingDisodium Cocoamphodiacetate
CleansingSodium Chloride
MaskingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPotassium Hydroxide
BufferingPolysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Citric Acid
Buffering
Polyquaternium-7
Potassium Phosphate
BufferingLinalool
Perfuming
Disodium EDTA
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
CI 19140
Cosmetic ColorantCI 17200
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Acrylates Copolymer, Lauramidopropyl Betaine, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Sucrose, Lilium Tigrinum Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Arginine, Tyrosine, Glutamic Acid, Aspartic Acid, Histidine, Glycine, Lysine, Threonine, Valine, Proline, Leucine, Alanine, Isoleucine, Serine, Phenylalanine, Caffeine, Citrullus Lanatus Fruit Extract, Lens Esculenta Fruit Extract, Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract, Anthemis Nobilis Flower Extract, Lavandula Angustifolia Oil, Laminaria Saccharina Extract, Sodium PCA, Caprylyl Glycol, Methyldihydrojasmonate, Glucose, Sodium Lactate, Glucose Oxidase, Lactoperoxidase, Disodium Cocoamphodiacetate, Sodium Chloride, Xanthan Gum, Potassium Hydroxide, Polysorbate 20, Citric Acid, Polyquaternium-7, Potassium Phosphate, Linalool, Disodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, CI 19140, CI 17200
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Saccharomyces/Grape Ferment Extract
Skin Conditioning
Propanediol
Solvent
Coco-Betaine
Cleansing
Disodium Cocoyl Glutamate
Cleansing
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingChondrus Crispus Powder
Abrasive
Cellulose
Absorbent
Luffa Cylindrica Fruit Powder
Abrasive
Citric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Levulinate
Skin ConditioningSodium Cocoyl Glutamate
Cleansing
Phospholipids
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl/Capryl Glucoside
CleansingParfum
Masking
Hippophae Rhamnoides Oil
Emollient
Sodium Anisate
AntimicrobialGlucose
Humectant
Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate
Antimicrobial
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Glyceryl Caprylate
EmollientMaltodextrin
Absorbent
Moringa Oleifera Seed Extract
Skin Conditioning
Maclura Cochinchinensis Leaf Prenylflavonoids
Polyglyceryl-6 Oleate
Emulsifying
Sodium Surfactin
CleansingHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialLimonene
Perfuming
Water, Glycerin, Saccharomyces/Grape Ferment Extract, Propanediol, Coco-Betaine, Disodium Cocoyl Glutamate, Xanthan Gum, Chondrus Crispus Powder, Cellulose, Luffa Cylindrica Fruit Powder, Citric Acid, Sodium Levulinate, Sodium Cocoyl Glutamate, Phospholipids, Caprylyl/Capryl Glucoside, Parfum, Hippophae Rhamnoides Oil, Sodium Anisate, Glucose, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Glyceryl Caprylate, Maltodextrin, Moringa Oleifera Seed Extract, Maclura Cochinchinensis Leaf Prenylflavonoids, Polyglyceryl-6 Oleate, Sodium Surfactin, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Limonene
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 AcidGlucose is a simple sugar (a monosaccharide). In skincare, it is mostly a humectant and skin conditioning agent.
Mechanistically, it has multiple hydroxyl groups that hydrogen-bond to water. This pulls moisture into the upper layers of skin to keep the surface soft and hydrated.
It's worth knowing sugars are already a natural component of the skin's NMF (natural moisturizing factor) so it's a molecule that your stratum corneum is well-acquainted with.
Just so you know, glucose is hydrophilic (water-loving) and the stratum corneum is a strong barrier to hydrophilic compounds. This just means penetration is slow and most of the action is happening on the surface.
Gram-to-gram, glucose is not as efficient as a humectant as glycerin. This is why you'll likely see glycose paired with stronger humectants for a bigger hydration payoff.
In skincare, glucose is typically derived from corn or other starch sources.
Learn more about GlucoseGlycerin (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 WaterXanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.
On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.
Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.
Learn more about Xanthan Gum
