What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Gluconolactone
Skin Conditioning
Lactobionic Acid
Buffering
Polysorbate 80
Emulsifying
Triethanolamine
BufferingMandelic Acid
Antimicrobial
Arginine
Masking
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Retinyl Palmitate
Skin Conditioning
Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate
Antioxidant
Chondrus Crispus Extract
Skin Conditioning
Citric Acid
Buffering
Hydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingDisodium EDTA
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Methylparaben
Preservative
Parfum
Masking
Limonene
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Citral
Perfuming
Water, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Gluconolactone, Lactobionic Acid, Polysorbate 80, Triethanolamine, Mandelic Acid, Arginine, Tocopheryl Acetate, Retinyl Palmitate, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Chondrus Crispus Extract, Citric Acid, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Disodium EDTA, Propylene Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Chlorphenesin, Methylparaben, Parfum, Limonene, Linalool, Citral
Water
Skin ConditioningLactic Acid
Buffering
Glycerin
Humectant
Sorbitol
Humectant
Gluconolactone
Skin Conditioning
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Phyllanthus Emblica Extract
Skin ConditioningLeuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate
Antimicrobial
Arctium Lappa Root Extract
Skin Conditioning
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Sambucus Nigra Flower Extract
RefreshingVaccinium Myrtillus Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder
Skin Conditioning
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Citric Acid
Buffering
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingWater, Lactic Acid, Glycerin, Sorbitol, Gluconolactone, Niacinamide, Phyllanthus Emblica Extract, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Arctium Lappa Root Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Sambucus Nigra Flower Extract, Vaccinium Myrtillus Fruit Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder, Phenoxyethanol, Citric Acid, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Sodium Hydroxide
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 AcidGluconolactone 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 GluconolactoneGlycerin (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 GlycerinPhenoxyethanol 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.
Water. 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
