What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Cocamide DEA
Emulsifying
Cocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Sodium Chloride
MaskingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPropylene Glycol
Humectant
Benzoic Acid
Masking
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Disodium EDTA
Citric Acid
Buffering
Centella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Zinc PCA
Humectant
Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
Bleaching
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Trideceth-9
EmulsifyingGlucose
Humectant
Citrullus Lanatus Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Parfum
Masking
Water, Glycerin, Cocamide DEA, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Sodium Chloride, Xanthan Gum, Propylene Glycol, Benzoic Acid, Caprylyl Glycol, Disodium EDTA, Citric Acid, Centella Asiatica Extract, Zinc PCA, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Butylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Trideceth-9, Glucose, Citrullus Lanatus Fruit Extract, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, Parfum
Water
Skin ConditioningCocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Glycerin
Humectant
Acrylates Copolymer
Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate
Cleansing
Potassium Cocoyl Glycinate
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Citric Acid
Buffering
Potassium Cocoate
Emulsifying
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Disodium EDTA
Mannitol
Humectant
Tranexamic Acid
Astringent
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningMicrocrystalline Cellulose
AbsorbentSucrose
Humectant
Zea Mays Starch
Absorbent
Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingMica
Cosmetic ColorantTitanium Dioxide
Cosmetic Colorant
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Bifida Ferment Lysate
Skin Conditioning
Lactobacillus Ferment Lysate
Skin Conditioning
Lactococcus Ferment Lysate
Skin Conditioning
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
Skin Conditioning
Water, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Glycerin, Acrylates Copolymer, Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate, Potassium Cocoyl Glycinate, Panthenol, Sodium Benzoate, Allantoin, Citric Acid, Potassium Cocoate, Phenoxyethanol, Disodium EDTA, Mannitol, Tranexamic Acid, Ethylhexylglycerin, Microcrystalline Cellulose, Sucrose, Zea Mays Starch, Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose, Mica, Titanium Dioxide, Pentylene Glycol, Bifida Ferment Lysate, Lactobacillus Ferment Lysate, Lactococcus Ferment Lysate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
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
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.
Read more about some other popular AHA's here:
Learn more about Citric AcidCocamidopropyl Betaine is a fatty acid created by mixing similar compounds in coconut oil and dimethylaminopropylamine, a compound with two amino groups.
This ingredient is a surfactant and cleanser. It helps gather the dirt, pollutants, and other impurities in your skin to be washed away. It also helps thicken a product and make the texture more creamy.
Being created from coconut oil means Cocamidopropyl Betaine is hydrating for the skin.
While Cocamidopropyl Betaine was believed to be an allergen, a study from 2012 disproved this. It found two compounds in unpure Cocamidopropyl Betaine to be the irritants: aminoamide and 3-dimethylaminopropylamine. High-grade and pure Cocamidopropyl Betaine did not induce allergic reactions during this study.
Learn more about Cocamidopropyl BetaineDisodium 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 GlycerinSodium Benzoate is a preservative. It's used in both cosmetic and food products to inhibit the growth of mold and bacteria. It is typically produced synthetically.
Both the US FDA and EU Health Committee have approved the use of sodium benzoate. In the US, levels of 0.1% (of the total product) are allowed.
Sodium benzoate works as a preservative by inhibiting the growth of bacteria inside of cells. It prevents the cell from fermenting a type of sugar using an enzyme called phosphofructokinase.
It is the salt of benzoic acid. Foods containing sodium benzoate include soda, salad dressings, condiments, fruit juices, wines, and snack foods.
Studies for using ascorbic acid and sodium benzoate in cosmetics are lacking, especially in skincare routines with multiple steps.
We always recommend speaking with a professional, such as a dermatologist, if you have any concerns.
Learn more about Sodium BenzoateWater. 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
