What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Gluconolactone
Skin Conditioning
Polysorbate 80
Emulsifying
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Lactobionic Acid
Buffering
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate
Antioxidant
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Chondrus Crispus Extract
Skin Conditioning
Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract
Emollient
Citrus Grandis Peel Oil
Masking
Citric Acid
Buffering
Arginine
Masking
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Disodium EDTA
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Water, Butylene Glycol, Gluconolactone, Polysorbate 80, Propylene Glycol, Lactobionic Acid, Tocopheryl Acetate, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Chondrus Crispus Extract, Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract, Citrus Grandis Peel Oil, Citric Acid, Arginine, Polysorbate 20, Sodium Hydroxide, Caprylyl Glycol, Disodium EDTA, Chlorphenesin, Phenoxyethanol
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Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Gluconolactone is a PHA. PHAs are a great gentle alternative to traditional AHAs.
When applied, Gluconolactone has the same affect on skin as AHAs such as lactic acid. It helps dissolve the dead skin cells in the top layer of your skin. This improves texture and brightens the skin.
PHAs are more gentle than AHAs due to their larger structure. They do not penetrate as deeply as AHAs and take a longer time to dissolve dead cells. Studies show PHAs do not cause as much irritation.
Gluconolactone has some interesting properties:
In a 2004 study, Gluconolactone was found to prevent UV damage in mouse skin cells and has not been found to increase sun sensitivity. However, we still recommend wearing SPF daily.
This ingredient is is an created by reacting gluconic acid with an alcohol.
Learn more about GluconolactonePhenoxyethanol 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.
Sodium Hydroxide is also known as lye or caustic soda. It is used to adjust the pH of products; many ingredients require a specific pH to be effective.
In small amounts, sodium hydroxide is considered safe to use. However, large amounts may cause chemical burns due to its high alkaline.
Your skin has a natural pH and acid mantle. This acid mantle helps prevent harmful bacteria from breaking through. The acid mantle also helps keep your skin hydrated.
"Alkaline" refers to a high pH level. A low pH level would be considered acidic.
Learn more about Sodium HydroxideWater. 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
