What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium Cocoyl Glutamate
Cleansing
Sodium Citrate
BufferingSodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate
CleansingCapryloyl Glycine
CleansingCoco-Betaine
Cleansing
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Zinc Gluconate
Skin Conditioning
Propanediol
Solvent
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Laminaria Digitata Extract
Skin Protecting
Coco-Glucoside
Cleansing
Glyceryl Oleate
Emollient
Carnosine
Skin Conditioning
Disodium Adenosine Triphosphate
Skin ConditioningCitric Acid
Buffering
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Hydrogenated Palm Glycerides Citrate
Emollient
Water, Sodium Cocoyl Glutamate, Sodium Citrate, Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate, Capryloyl Glycine, Coco-Betaine, Lactic Acid, Zinc Gluconate, Propanediol, Potassium Sorbate, Laminaria Digitata Extract, Coco-Glucoside, Glyceryl Oleate, Carnosine, Disodium Adenosine Triphosphate, Citric Acid, Tocopherol, Hydrogenated Palm Glycerides Citrate
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium Lauryl Glucose Carboxylate
CleansingLauryl Glucoside
CleansingGlycerin
Humectant
Sodium Citrate
BufferingCitric Acid
Buffering
Caprylyl/Capryl Glucoside
CleansingParfum
Masking
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningAcacia Concinna Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningCoco-Glucoside
Cleansing
Glyceryl Oleate
Emollient
Maris Aqua
HumectantSodium Phytate
Sorbic Acid
Preservative
Gypsophila Paniculata Root Extract
Skin ConditioningPhenethyl Alcohol
MaskingLaminaria Digitata Extract
Skin Protecting
Saponins
CleansingPotassium Sorbate
Preservative
Chlorella Vulgaris Extract
Skin ConditioningSaccharide Isomerate
Humectant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Hydrogenated Vegetable Glycerides Citrate
EmollientWater, Sodium Lauryl Glucose Carboxylate, Lauryl Glucoside, Glycerin, Sodium Citrate, Citric Acid, Caprylyl/Capryl Glucoside, Parfum, Sodium Benzoate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Acacia Concinna Fruit Extract, Coco-Glucoside, Glyceryl Oleate, Maris Aqua, Sodium Phytate, Sorbic Acid, Gypsophila Paniculata Root Extract, Phenethyl Alcohol, Laminaria Digitata Extract, Saponins, Potassium Sorbate, Chlorella Vulgaris Extract, Saccharide Isomerate, Tocopherol, Hydrogenated Vegetable Glycerides Citrate
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 AcidCoco-Glucoside is a surfactant, or a cleansing ingredient. It is made from glucose and coconut oil.
Surfactants help gather dirt, oil, and other pollutants from your skin to be rinsed away.
This ingredient is considered gentle and non-comedogenic. However, it may still be irritating for some.
Learn more about Coco-GlucosideGlyceryl Oleate is the monoester of glycerin and oleic acid. It is a skin-conditioning emollient that also helps form emulsions.
What makes glyceryl oleate special is its "re-fatting" effect.
When you wash your hair and skin with a surfactant-based cleanser, the surfactants grab onto everything. This includes your skin's natural lipids, or the fats that live in your skin barrier and sebum. Once you rinse these surfactants away, it leaves your skin feeling tight, dry, and clean (in a not-good way).
Re-fatting is essentially putting some of these lipids back. Glyceryl oleate deposits a thin layer of emollient lipids back on the skin or hair surface reduce some of the barrier damage.
Also, glyceryl oleate isn't a foreign molecule to your skin. It's chemically identical to something your skin already produces and manages naturally. This is why it tends to be well-tolerated with low risk of irritation.
Typical use levels range from 0.5-5%.
Glyceryl Oleate has a function of "perfuming" in the CosIng database. This just means that the ingredient has some scent character that can contribute to the product's overall smell.
The scent of this ingredient is described as "waxy".
As an ester of oleic acid, this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe. This is because oleic acid falls into the carbon-chain length that Malassezia can use as a substrate.
Learn more about Glyceryl OleateLaminaria Digitata Extract comes from the dark brown seaweed, Laminaria Digitata. It is a potent antioxidant, which also provides soothing and hydrating benefits.
Many studies show the antioxidant components of Laminaria Digitata to help with anti-inflammation.
This ingredient is rich in amino acids, proteins, sugars, and vitamins. Small amounts of minerals such as phosphorous, iron, potassium, and copper are also found the seaweed.
These components help hydrate and nourish your skin's natural barrier. Having a healthy skin barrier leads to more youthful looking skin and may help reduce the signs of aging.
Laminaria Digitata is found in the northern Atlantic Ocean.
What's the difference between algae and seaweed?
Algae is a broad term that includes seaweed. Not all algae is seaweed.
Potassium Sorbate is a preservative used to prevent yeast and mold in products. It is commonly found in both cosmetic and food products.
This ingredient comes from potassium salt derived from sorbic acid. Sorbic acid is a natural antibiotic and effective against fungus.
Both potassium sorbate and sorbic acid can be found in baked goods, cheeses, dried meats, dried fruit, ice cream, pickles, wine, yogurt, and more.
You'll often find this ingredient used with other preservatives.
Learn more about Potassium SorbateSodium Citrate is the sodium salts of citric acid. In skincare, it is used to alter pH levels and acts as a preservative.
Its main functions are to maintain the pH of a product and neutralize metal ions.
The acidity of our skin is maintained by our glands and skin biome; normal pH level of skin is slightly acidic (~4.75-5.5).
Being slightly acidic allows our skin to create an "acid mantle". This acid mantle is a thin barrier that protects our skin from bacteria and contaminants.
Learn more about Sodium CitrateTocopherol is a fat-soluble antioxidant known as Vitamin E.
You'll find this ingredient in the vast majority of skincare (for good reason). It works to neutralize free radicals, or unstable molecules generated by UV exposure, pollution, and other environmental stressors, before they can cause oxidative damage to your skin cells.
Topically applied tocopherol has been shown to protect against UV damage by ramping up the skin's own natural defense enzymes.
It also acts as a skin conditioning agent; some studies show that regular topical use can improve the skin's water-binding capacity over 2-4 weeks.
This ingredient is especially loved for being a team player. When combined with Vitamin C, the photoprotective effect of both ingredients roughly doubles and the combo also helps reduce UV-induced DNA damage.
This ingredient has some brightening potential but it's more of a prevention ingredient than spot-fader. Cell studies show it can slow down melanin production but it's worth noting that it's not the most powerful brightener out there.
In formulations, it also serves as a stabilizer that helps protect other oxidation-prone ingredients from degrading.
Concentrations usually range from 0.1-1% in most leave-on products.
Learn more about TocopherolWater. 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
