What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningHouttuynia Cordata Extract
Skin Conditioning
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
Bleaching
Eclipta Prostrata Extract
Skin Conditioning
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Water
Masking
Citric Acid
Buffering
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Powder
Glycerin
Humectant
Betaine
Humectant
Acrylates Crosspolymer
AbsorbentCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Saururus Chinensis Extract
Skin ConditioningLauryl Hydroxysultaine
Cleansing1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Potassium Cocoyl Glycinate
Surfactant
Decyl Glucoside
Cleansing
Disodium EDTA
Potassium Laureth Phosphate
EmulsifyingCoco-Glucoside
Cleansing
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningC10-30 Alkyl Acrylate
Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Fruit Extract
MaskingTromethamine
BufferingMalt Extract
Skin ProtectingFragaria Indica Extract
Skin ConditioningWater, Houttuynia Cordata Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Eclipta Prostrata Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Water, Citric Acid, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Powder, Glycerin, Betaine, Acrylates Crosspolymer, Caprylyl Glycol, Saururus Chinensis Extract, Lauryl Hydroxysultaine, 1,2-Hexanediol, Potassium Cocoyl Glycinate, Decyl Glucoside, Disodium EDTA, Potassium Laureth Phosphate, Coco-Glucoside, Ethylhexylglycerin, C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Fruit Extract, Tromethamine, Malt Extract, Fragaria Indica Extract
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium Cocoyl Isethionate
Cleansing
Glycerin
Humectant
Hydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate
Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate
Cleansing
Propanediol
Solvent
Potassium Cocoyl Glycinate
Surfactant
Acrylates Copolymer
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Potassium Cocoate
Emulsifying
Sorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Salicylic Acid
Masking
Glycol Distearate
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Citric Acid
Buffering
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Glyceryl Caprylate
EmollientCentella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Disodium EDTA
Water, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Glycerin, Hydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate, Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate, Propanediol, Potassium Cocoyl Glycinate, Acrylates Copolymer, Cetearyl Alcohol, Potassium Cocoate, Sorbitan Olivate, Salicylic Acid, Glycol Distearate, Glyceryl Stearate, Citric Acid, Caprylyl Glycol, Butylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Glyceryl Caprylate, Centella Asiatica Extract, Disodium EDTA
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
1,2-Hexanediol is a synthetic liquid and another multi-functional powerhouse.
It is a:
- Humectant, drawing moisture into the skin
- Emollient, helping to soften skin
- Solvent, dispersing and stabilizing formulas
- Preservative booster, enhancing the antimicrobial activity of other preservatives
Caprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.
Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.
Because it is not a free-fatty acid, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolCitric 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 AcidDisodium EDTA is a chelating agent. It grabs onto and deactivates metal ions that sneak into your products from water, packaging, or air.
This ingredient mainly works behind the scenes and helps with:
On top of that, this ingredient can counteract the effects of hard water by binding to the minerals in it.
One thing worth knowing is that Disodium EDTA has been shown to be a mild penetration enhancer. It can help other ingredients absorb into skin more effectively which can be a double-edged sword (great for actives, but can also make the active too strong if you have sensitive skin).
Clinical patch testing showed no significant skin irritation at typical use concentrations and minimal dermal absorption.
You'll most likely see this ingredient near the end of an ingredient list. It's typically found in concentrations less than 1%.
Learn more about Disodium EDTAGlycerin (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 GlycerinPotassium Cocoyl Glycinate is an amino acid-based surfactant and cleaning agent. This ingredient can be derived from animals or plants. It may also be synthetically created from fatty acids of the coconut and glycine.
Potassium Cocoyl Glycinate is a gentle surfactant. Surfactants help gather the dirt, oil, and other pollutants from your skin to be rinsed away. It is a mild cleanser and naturally produces foam.
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
