What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningPolyvinyl Alcohol
Alcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Ethylhexyl Hydroxystearate
Emollient
Hamamelis Virginiana Water
Astringent
Montmorillonite
AbsorbentPentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Illite
Abrasive
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Canadian Colloidal Clay
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Althaea Officinalis Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningTapioca Starch
Chondrus Crispus
Masking
Colloidal Platinum
Antimicrobial
Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Humectant
Alcohol
Antimicrobial
Ascophyllum Nodosum Powder
Skin ConditioningPolysorbate 80
Emulsifying
Polymethylsilsesquioxane
Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingCitric Acid
Buffering
Lecithin
Emollient
Pullulan
Porphyridium Cruentum Extract
Skin ConditioningSoy Isoflavones
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingParfum
Masking
Coumarin
Perfuming
Disodium EDTA
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Sorbic Acid
Preservative
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
CI 77163
Cosmetic Colorant
Water, Polyvinyl Alcohol, Alcohol Denat., Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Ethylhexyl Hydroxystearate, Hamamelis Virginiana Water, Montmorillonite, Pentylene Glycol, Illite, Polysorbate 20, Canadian Colloidal Clay, Caprylyl Glycol, Althaea Officinalis Leaf Extract, Tapioca Starch, Chondrus Crispus, Colloidal Platinum, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Alcohol, Ascophyllum Nodosum Powder, Polysorbate 80, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose, Citric Acid, Lecithin, Pullulan, Porphyridium Cruentum Extract, Soy Isoflavones, Sodium Hyaluronate, Xanthan Gum, Parfum, Coumarin, Disodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol, Sorbic Acid, Potassium Sorbate, CI 77163
Water
Skin ConditioningCocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine
Cleansing
Glycolic Acid
Buffering
Glycerin
Humectant
PEG-6 Cocamide
Emulsifying
Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6
Emulsion StabilisingDisodium Cocoyl Glutamate
Cleansing
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Succinoglycan
Skin ConditioningSimmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract
Masking
Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil
Masking
Citrus Paradisi Peel Oil
Masking
Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate
Antimicrobial
Urea
Buffering
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Polyquaternium-51
Skin Conditioning
Trehalose
Humectant
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Hydrogenated Palm Glycerides Citrate
Emollient
Glyceryl Oleate
Emollient
Coconut Acid
Cleansing
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
T-Butyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Coco-Glucoside
Cleansing
Sodium PCA
Humectant
Sodium Chloride
MaskingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingCitric Acid
Buffering
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Limonene
Perfuming
Water, Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine, Glycolic Acid, Glycerin, PEG-6 Cocamide, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Disodium Cocoyl Glutamate, Hydroxyacetophenone, Succinoglycan, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil, Citrus Paradisi Peel Oil, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Urea, Allantoin, Polyquaternium-51, Trehalose, Caprylyl Glycol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Tocopherol, Hydrogenated Palm Glycerides Citrate, Glyceryl Oleate, Coconut Acid, 1,2-Hexanediol, T-Butyl Alcohol, Coco-Glucoside, Sodium PCA, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Hydroxide, Citric Acid, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Limonene
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
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 AcidGlycerin (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 Sorbate is a preservative used to prevent yeast and mold in products. It is commonly found in both cosmetic and food products.
This ingredient comes from potassium salt derived from sorbic acid. Sorbic acid is a natural antibiotic and effective against fungus.
Both potassium sorbate and sorbic acid can be found in baked goods, cheeses, dried meats, dried fruit, ice cream, pickles, wine, yogurt, and more.
You'll often find this ingredient used with other preservatives.
Learn more about Potassium SorbateSodium Hyaluronate is the salt form of hyaluronic acid. It is a long sugar chain that is naturally found in your skin, joints, and connective tissue that maintains hydration and elasticity.
In skincare, it works as a humectant. It pulls water from the environment and deeper layers of skin and binds it to the surface.
Interestingly, the size of the molecule affects its behavior:
Some clinical evidence links low molecular weight versions to improved wrinkle depth, elasticity, anti-inflammatory effects, and barrier repair.
Many serums use a blend of both weights so you can get surface hydration plus longer-lasting and deeper effects.
You'll typically see concentrations between 0.1-2% for this ingredient.
Learn more about Sodium HyaluronateWater. 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
