What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Pumice
Abrasive
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycolic Acid
Buffering
Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate
CleansingLactic Acid
Buffering
Dimethicone
Emollient
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingPalmitic Acid
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialSorbitol
Humectant
Colloidal Oatmeal
Absorbent
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Chrysanthemum Parthenium Extract
Skin ConditioningCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
Bleaching
Salix Nigra Bark Extract
Skin ProtectingBisabolol
Masking
Hydrogenated Coconut Acid
Emollient
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSteareth-20
CleansingSteareth-21
CleansingMyristic Acid
Cleansing
Sodium Isethionate
CleansingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate
Antimicrobial
EDTA
Pumice, Water, Glycolic Acid, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Lactic Acid, Dimethicone, Stearic Acid, Cetearyl Alcohol, Sodium Hydroxide, Palmitic Acid, Glycerin, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Sorbitol, Colloidal Oatmeal, Tocopherol, Chrysanthemum Parthenium Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Salix Nigra Bark Extract, Bisabolol, Hydrogenated Coconut Acid, Xanthan Gum, Steareth-20, Steareth-21, Myristic Acid, Sodium Isethionate, Phenoxyethanol, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, EDTA
Sucrose
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Silica
Abrasive
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Citrus Paradisi Peel Oil
Masking
Cocos Nucifera Shell Powder
Abrasive
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Oenothera Biennis Oil
Emollient
Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil
Masking
Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil
Emollient
Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin Conditioning
Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil
Masking
Persea Gratissima Oil
Skin Conditioning
Retinyl Palmitate
Skin Conditioning
Ascorbic Acid
Antioxidant
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Water
Skin ConditioningParfum
Masking
Sorbic Acid
Preservative
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
CI 14700
Cosmetic ColorantCI 15510
Cosmetic ColorantSucrose, Glycerin, Polysorbate 20, Silica, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Citrus Paradisi Peel Oil, Cocos Nucifera Shell Powder, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Oenothera Biennis Oil, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil, Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil, Persea Gratissima Oil, Retinyl Palmitate, Ascorbic Acid, Lactic Acid, Water, Parfum, Sorbic Acid, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol, CI 14700, CI 15510
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Glycerin is already naturally found in your skin. It helps moisturize and protect your skin.
A study from 2016 found glycerin to be more effective as a humectant than AHAs and hyaluronic acid.
As a humectant, it helps the skin stay hydrated by pulling moisture to your skin. The low molecular weight of glycerin allows it to pull moisture into the deeper layers of your skin.
Hydrated skin improves your skin barrier; Your skin barrier helps protect against irritants and bacteria.
Glycerin has also been found to have antimicrobial and antiviral properties. Due to these properties, glycerin is often used in wound and burn treatments.
In cosmetics, glycerin is usually derived from plants such as soybean or palm. However, it can also be sourced from animals, such as tallow or animal fat.
This ingredient is organic, colorless, odorless, and non-toxic.
Glycerin is the name for this ingredient in American English. British English uses Glycerol/Glycerine.
Learn more about GlycerinLactic 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 AcidPhenoxyethanol 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. Stay hydrated!
Learn more about Water
