What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningTriethyl Citrate
Masking
Cellulose
Absorbent
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Parfum
Masking
Glyceryl Stearate Citrate
Emollient
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Polyglyceryl-3 Caprylate
EmulsifyingPropanediol
Solvent
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSodium Gluconate
ChelatingZinc Gluconate
Skin Conditioning
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Dehydroacetic Acid
Preservative
Citric Acid
Buffering
Glyceryl Caprylate
EmollientGlycerin
Humectant
Lactococcus Ferment Extract
Skin ConditioningCamellia Sinensis Flower Extract
Perfuming
Decyl Glucoside
Cleansing
Geraniol
Perfuming
Citral
Perfuming
Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone
Perfuming
Limonene
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Water, Triethyl Citrate, Cellulose, Pentylene Glycol, Parfum, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Cetyl Alcohol, Polyglyceryl-3 Caprylate, Propanediol, Hydroxyacetophenone, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Gluconate, Zinc Gluconate, Allantoin, Dehydroacetic Acid, Citric Acid, Glyceryl Caprylate, Glycerin, Lactococcus Ferment Extract, Camellia Sinensis Flower Extract, Decyl Glucoside, Geraniol, Citral, Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone, Limonene, Linalool
Reviews
Alternatives
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.
Rosacea skin has a lower threshold for acids generally, with 62.5% of rosacea subjects in one study reacting to lactic acid in a sting test. This is why we mark citric acid as a potential rosacea trigger.
However, this ingredient shows up as a pH adjuster or chelator at roughly 0.1-1% in many products. These low levels are unlikely to be an issue for rosacea skin and becomes a potential trigger at exfoliating concentrations (20%). Because everybody's skin is unique, we recommend a patch test if you are unsure.
Learn more about Citric AcidWe don't have a description for Lactococcus Ferment Extract yet.
Triethyl Citrate comes from citric acid. It has masking, perfuming, and solvent properties. As a solvent, this ingredient helps disperse ingredients evenly in skincare.
One manufacturer claims this ingredient can:
According to perfume manufacturers, this ingredient is almost odorless but has a mild fruity, wine and plum scent. It can be used to mask the scent of other ingredients.
This ingredient can be plant-sourced or synthetic; it can naturally be found in cabbage and white wine.
Learn more about Triethyl CitrateWater. 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 WaterZinc gluconate has antibacterial and wound healing properties. It is particularly effective against fighting inflammatory acne.
This ingredient is the zinc salt of the PHA gluconic acid. PHAs are gentle cousins to AHAs.
