What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Volcanic Soil
Skin Conditioning
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
CI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantSodium Palmitate
CleansingKaolin
Abrasive
Mica
Cosmetic ColorantCharcoal Powder
Abrasive
CI 77499
Cosmetic ColorantCapryloyl Salicylic Acid
Exfoliating
Lactobionic Acid
Buffering
Mandelic Acid
Antimicrobial
Beta-Glucan
Skin Conditioning
Jojoba Wax PEG-120 Esters
Surfactant
PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Aroma
Methyl Lactate
Perfuming
Verbascum Thapsus Extract
Skin ConditioningSaccharide Isomerate
Humectant
Rhamnose
HumectantPropylene Glycol
Humectant
Glyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer
HumectantPvm/Ma Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningWater, Glycerin, Volcanic Soil, Butylene Glycol, CI 77891, Sodium Palmitate, Kaolin, Mica, Charcoal Powder, CI 77499, Capryloyl Salicylic Acid, Lactobionic Acid, Mandelic Acid, Beta-Glucan, Jojoba Wax PEG-120 Esters, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Aroma, Methyl Lactate, Verbascum Thapsus Extract, Saccharide Isomerate, Rhamnose, Propylene Glycol, Glyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer, Pvm/Ma Copolymer, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin
Water
Skin ConditioningLactic Acid
Buffering
Glycerin
Humectant
Gluconolactone
Skin Conditioning
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycolic Acid
Buffering
Mandelic Acid
Antimicrobial
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Succinic Acid
BufferingSalicylic Acid
Masking
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Tranexamic Acid
Astringent
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingVaccinium Myrtillus Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningAllantoin
Skin Conditioning
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Arginine
Masking
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Saccharum Officinarum Extract
MoisturisingDisodium EDTA
Aloe Barbadensis Extract
Skin Conditioning
Centella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Triethylene Glycol
Masking
Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Fruit Extract
MaskingCitrus Limon Fruit Extract
Masking
Acer Saccharum Extract
Skin ConditioningArtemisia Vulgaris Extract
Skin Conditioning
Citric Acid
Buffering
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Water, Lactic Acid, Glycerin, Gluconolactone, Butylene Glycol, Glycolic Acid, Mandelic Acid, Pentylene Glycol, Succinic Acid, Salicylic Acid, Sodium Hydroxide, Phenoxyethanol, Tranexamic Acid, Xanthan Gum, Vaccinium Myrtillus Fruit Extract, Allantoin, Panthenol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Arginine, Propylene Glycol, Saccharum Officinarum Extract, Disodium EDTA, Aloe Barbadensis Extract, Centella Asiatica Extract, Triethylene Glycol, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Fruit Extract, Citrus Limon Fruit Extract, Acer Saccharum Extract, Artemisia Vulgaris Extract, Citric Acid, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Butylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:
Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient that works well with other ingredients.
Though this ingredient works well with most skin types, some people with sensitive skin may experience a reaction such as allergic rashes, closed comedones, or itchiness.
Learn more about Butylene GlycolGlycerin (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 GlycerinMandelic Acid is an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA).
Like other AHAs, it helps exfoliate the surface of the skin by breaking down the bonds that hold dead skin cells together. This helps reveal smoother and brighter skin underneath.
Mandelic acid helps with:
Due to it having a larger molecular size than glycolic acid, mandelic acid is able to penetrate the skin more slowly and evenly. This makes it gentler and less irritating, making it a great option for sensitive or beginner skin.
Despite being milder, mandelic acid is still an effective exfoliant that improves skin texture and tone over time.
What makes mandelic acid stand out from other AHAs? It has antibacterial and antioxidant properties.
These traits make it a great option for acne-prone or problem skin by reducing active breakouts and fading post-acne marks. Studies show that mandelic acid (especially when combined with salicylic acid) can significantly reduce pimples and hyperpigmentation while causing fewer side effects than stronger acids.
Mandelic acid is effective in concentrations of 5% and up with an ideal pH range of 3-4 for at-home use.
Like other AHAs, it’s important to wear sunscreen daily to protect your newly exfoliated skin.
However, unlike glycolic acid, mandelic acid is light-sensitive. Be sure your mandelic acid is packaged in opaque containers to ensure it stays stable and effective.
In short, mandelic acid is a gentle yet powerful AHA that exfoliates, brightens, and helps clarify skin while keeping irritation low. Its antibacterial action makes it especially beneficial for those with acne-prone, sensitive, or uneven skin, offering smoother, clearer, and more even-toned results over time.
Read more about some other popular AHA's here:
Learn more about Mandelic 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.
Propylene Glycol is a synthetic, colorless, odorless liquid that has been a staple in cosmetics for decades. It is a skin conditioning agent, humectant, and solvent.
As a humectant, it draw water to the skin to reduce flaking and restore suppleness. It's also a solvent that helps dissolve other actives and keeps formulas stable across temperature changes.
The CIR Expert Panel has confirmed this ingredient to be nontoxic and clinical studies show no sensitization at cosmetic use concentrations.
True allergic reactions are quite rare: a 15-year retrospective study of 6,751 patients found only 0.31% had a positive reaction (and less than half were considered clinically relevant).
It seemed that when sensitization does occur, it's most commonly linked to topical medication (like corticosteroids) and not cosmetics. Allergic contact dermatitis also appears largely limited to individuals with underlying skin conditions.
Overall, propylene glycol is a well-studied ingredient that most people can tolerate without issue.
Learn more about Propylene GlycolWater. 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
