What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningDecyl Glucoside
Cleansing
Xylityl Cocoate
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Potassium Azeloyl Diglycinate
Skin Conditioning
Passiflora Edulis Seed Oil
Emollient
Glycolipids
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
Solvent
Glycol Distearate
Emollient
Xylitylglucoside
Humectant
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCarrageenan
Caprylyl Glyceryl Ether
Cleansing1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Anhydroxylitol
Humectant
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Citric Acid
Buffering
Xylitol
Humectant
Caprylhydroxamic Acid
Glucose
Humectant
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningSodium Gluconate
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
Antioxidant
Water, Decyl Glucoside, Xylityl Cocoate, Glycerin, Potassium Azeloyl Diglycinate, Passiflora Edulis Seed Oil, Glycolipids, Propanediol, Glycol Distearate, Xylitylglucoside, Xanthan Gum, Carrageenan, Caprylyl Glyceryl Ether, 1,2-Hexanediol, Anhydroxylitol, Hydroxyacetophenone, Citric Acid, Xylitol, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, Glucose, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Gluconate, Tocopherol
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate
Cleansing
Glycol Distearate
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Sodium Cocoyl Glycinate
Cleansing
Arachidyl Alcohol
Emollient
Behenyl Alcohol
Emollient
Propanediol
Solvent
Arachidyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingHydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Citric Acid
Buffering
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Inulin
Skin Conditioning
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingChondrus Crispus Extract
Skin Conditioning
Phospholipids
Skin Conditioning
Saccharide Isomerate
Humectant
Sodium Phytate
Glycine Soja Oil
Emollient
Caprylhydroxamic Acid
Camellia Japonica Seed Oil
Emollient
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Fructose
Humectant
Glycolipids
Skin ConditioningGlycine Soja Sterols
Emollient
Maltodextrin
Absorbent
Trehalose
Humectant
Sodium Citrate
BufferingChlorella Vulgaris Extract
Skin ConditioningAdenosine
Skin Conditioning
Cyclodextrin
AbsorbentHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Hydrolyzed Rice Bran Protein
Skin ConditioningSodium Hydroxide
BufferingTocopherol
Antioxidant
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Ananas Sativus Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningArginine
Masking
Brassica Alba Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Oligopeptide-195
Oligopeptide-196
Skin Conditioning
Oligopeptide-197
Skin Conditioning
Oligopeptide-198
Oligopeptide-199
Oligopeptide-6
Skin Conditioning
Water, Glycerin, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Glycol Distearate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Sodium Cocoyl Glycinate, Arachidyl Alcohol, Behenyl Alcohol, Propanediol, Arachidyl Glucoside, Hydroxyacetophenone, Citric Acid, Caprylyl Glycol, Inulin, Panthenol, Xanthan Gum, Chondrus Crispus Extract, Phospholipids, Saccharide Isomerate, Sodium Phytate, Glycine Soja Oil, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, Camellia Japonica Seed Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Fructose, Glycolipids, Glycine Soja Sterols, Maltodextrin, Trehalose, Sodium Citrate, Chlorella Vulgaris Extract, Adenosine, Cyclodextrin, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Hydrolyzed Rice Bran Protein, Sodium Hydroxide, Tocopherol, Lactic Acid, Ananas Sativus Fruit Extract, Arginine, Brassica Alba Seed Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Oligopeptide-195, Oligopeptide-196, Oligopeptide-197, Oligopeptide-198, Oligopeptide-199, Oligopeptide-6
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Caprylhydroxamic Acid is a chelating agent that helps cosmetics stay fresh, stable, and consistent over time.
Chelating agents help prevent metal ions from binding to other ingredients. This helps prevent unwanted reactions and effects from using the product. It also helps prevent the growth of unwanted microbes in products that contain water.
Caprylhydroxamic Acid is often used with natural antimicrobial products as an alternative to preservatives.
Learn more about Caprylhydroxamic AcidCitric 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 GlycerinGlycol Distearate is an emulsifier and emollient that adds a "pearly" appearance to formulations.
That lustrous look you see in many shampoos is due to this ingredient: when cooled, it crystallizes into small platelets that reflect light to give products that rich, shimmering look.
This ingredient is considered safe at present practices of use and concentration and repeated insult patch test with 50% Glycol Distearate on 125 subjects found no evidence of skin irritation, hypersensitivity, or acute toxicity.
Typical use concentrations range from 0.1-10%.
Because it's an ester of stearic acid, it falls into the range that Malassezia likes to metabolize. This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Glycol DistearateGlycolipids are natural, sustainable biosurfactants. They are both surfactants (cleansing agents) and emollients.
Made from lipids and sugars, in-vitro studies show glycolipids are a gentle alternative to conventional surfactants. They also possess foaming properties to give cleaning products a nice texture.
One manufacturer study found their glycolipid also demonstrated sebum reduction and helped reduced oiliness after four weeks. This means it can also be great for scalp care.
Learn more about GlycolipidsHydroxyacetophenone is antioxidant with skin conditioning and soothing properties. It also boosts the efficiency of preservatives.
Though naturally occuring in Norwegian spruce needles, this ingredient is usually synthetically created.
This ingredient is not irritating or sensitizing. Recent research also suggests it may have skin-brightening effects through tyrosinase inhibition.
Learn more about HydroxyacetophenonePropanediol is an all-star ingredient. It softens, hydrates, and smooths the skin.Â
It’s often used to:
Propanediol is not likely to cause sensitivity and considered safe to use. It is derived from corn or petroleum with a clear color and no scent.
Learn more about PropanediolTocopherol is a fat-soluble antioxidant known as Vitamin E.
You'll find this ingredient in the vast majority of skincare (for good reason). It works to neutralize free radicals, or unstable molecules generated by UV exposure, pollution, and other environmental stressors, before they can cause oxidative damage to your skin cells.
Topically applied tocopherol has been shown to protect against UV damage by ramping up the skin's own natural defense enzymes.
It also acts as a skin conditioning agent; some studies show that regular topical use can improve the skin's water-binding capacity over 2-4 weeks.
This ingredient is especially loved for being a team player. When combined with Vitamin C, the photoprotective effect of both ingredients roughly doubles and the combo also helps reduce UV-induced DNA damage.
This ingredient has some brightening potential but it's more of a prevention ingredient than spot-fader. Cell studies show it can slow down melanin production but it's worth noting that it's not the most powerful brightener out there.
In formulations, it also serves as a stabilizer that helps protect other oxidation-prone ingredients from degrading.
Concentrations usually range from 0.1-1% in most leave-on products.
Learn more about TocopherolWater. 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 WaterXanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.
On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.
Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.
Learn more about Xanthan Gum
