What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium Myreth Sulfate
Cleansing
Urea
Buffering
Decyl Glucoside
CleansingSodium Lactate
BufferingSodium Cocoamphoacetate
CleansingCoco-Glucoside
CleansingLaureth-9
EmulsifyingPEG-200 Hydrogenated Glyceryl Palmate
Cleansing
Glyceryl Oleate
Emollient
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Polyquaternium-10
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Sodium Salicylate
Preservative
Sodium Chloride
Masking
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Urea
Buffering
Hydrogenated Coco-Glycerides
Emollient
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Octyldodecanol
Emollient
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Lactate
BufferingGlyceryl Stearate Se
Emulsifying
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Arginine Hcl
Skin ConditioningSodium PCA
Humectant
Cholesterol
Emollient
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Alanine
MaskingCarnitine
CleansingGlycine
Buffering
Sodium Chloride
Masking
Dimethicone
Emollient
Tapioca Starch
Chondrus Crispus Extract
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Cetearyl Sulfate
Cleansing
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingDecylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Pentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningWater, Glycerin, Cetearyl Alcohol, Urea, Hydrogenated Coco-Glycerides, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Octyldodecanol, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Sodium Lactate, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Ceramide NP, Lactic Acid, Arginine Hcl, Sodium PCA, Cholesterol, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Alanine, Carnitine, Glycine, Sodium Chloride, Dimethicone, Tapioca Starch, Chondrus Crispus Extract, Sodium Cetearyl Sulfate, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Decylene Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Pentylene Glycol
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Lactic Acid is another well-loved alpha hydroxy acid (AHA). It is gentler than glycolic acid but still highly effective.
Its main role is to exfoliate the surface of the skin by loosening the âglueâ that holds dead skin cells together. Shedding those old cells leads to smoother, softer, and more even-toned skin.
Because lactic acid molecules are larger than glycolic acid, they donât penetrate as deeply. This means theyâre less likely to sting or irritate, making it a great choice for beginners or those with sensitive skin.
Like glycolic acid, it can:
Lactic acid also acts as a humectant (like hyaluronic acid). It can draw water into the skin to improve hydration and also plays a role in the skin's natural moisturizing factor (NMF) in the form of sodium lactate.
Studies show it can boost ceramide production to strengthen the skin barrier and even help balance the skinâs microbiome.
To get results, choose products with a pH between 3-4.
Lower strengths (5-12%) focus on surface exfoliation; higher strengths (12% and up) can reach deeper in the dermis (deeper, supportive layer) to improve skin texture and firmness over time.
Though it was originally derived from milk, most modern lactic acid used in skincare is vegan. It is made through non-dairy fermentation to create a bio-identical and stable form suitable for all formulations.
When lactic acid shows up near the end of an ingredient list, it usually means the brand added just a tiny amount to adjust the productâs pH.
Legend has it that Cleopatra used to bathe in sour milk to help reduce wrinkles.
Lactic acid is truly a gentle multitasker: it exfoliates, hydrates, strengthens, and brightens. It's a great ingredient for giving your skin a smooth, glowing, and healthy look without the harshness of stronger acids.
Read more about some other popular AHA's here:
Learn more about Lactic AcidChances are, you eat sodium chloride every day. Sodium Chloride is also known as table salt.
This ingredient has many purposes in skincare: thickener, emulsifier, and exfoliator.
You'll most likely find this ingredient in cleansers where it is used to create a gel-like texture. As an emulsifier, it also prevents ingredients from separating.
There is much debate on whether this ingredient is comedogenic. The short answer - comedogenic ratings don't tell the whole story. Learn more about comegodenic ratings here.
The concensus about this ingredient causing acne seems to be divided. Research is needed to understand if this ingredient does cause acne.
Scrubs may use salt as the primary exfoliating ingredient.
Learn more about Sodium ChlorideSodium Lactate is the sodium salt of lactic acid, an AHA. It is a humectant and sometimes used to adjust the pH of a product.
This ingredient is part of our skin's NMF, or natural moisturizing factor. Our NMF is essential for the hydration of our top skin layers and plasticity of skin. NMF also influences our skin's natural acid mantle and pH, which protects our skin from harmful bacteria.
High percentages of Sodium Lactate can have an exfoliating effect.
Fun fact: Sodium Lactate is produced from fermented sugar.
Learn more about Sodium LactateUrea is also called carbamide and is the diamide of carbonic acid. In cosmetics, urea is used to hydrate the skin. It also provides exfoliation in higher concentrations.
As a humectant, urea helps draw moisture from the air and from deep within the skin. This helps hydrate your skin. Studies show urea is an effective moisturizer for dry skin conditions. 40% urea is typical in medications for treating eczema and other skin conditions.
Urea has the strongest exfoliation effect in concentrations higher than 10%. It is a keratolytic agent, meaning it breaks down the keratin protein in the top layer of skin. This helps remove dead skin cells and flaking skin.
In medicine, urea has been shown to help increase the potency of other ingredients, such as fungal treatments.
Humans and animals use urea to metabolize nitrogen-containing compounds. Urea is highly soluble in water. Once dissolved, it is neither acidic nor alkaline.
Learn more about UreaWater. 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. Stay hydrated!
Learn more about Water
