What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Palmitic Acid
Emollient
Lauric Acid
Cleansing
Potassium Hydroxide
BufferingStearic Acid
Cleansing
Myristic Acid
Cleansing
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Potassium Cocoyl Glycinate
Surfactant
Potassium Chloride
Polyquaternium-7
Disodium EDTA
Citrus Paradisi Peel Oil
Masking
Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil
Masking
Potassium Cocoate
Emulsifying
Coconut Acid
Cleansing
Methylparaben
Preservative
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Epilobium Fleischeri Extract
Skin ConditioningPropylparaben
Preservative
Disteardimonium Hectorite
StabilisingPotassium Sorbate
Preservative
Citric Acid
Buffering
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Water, Glycerin, Palmitic Acid, Lauric Acid, Potassium Hydroxide, Stearic Acid, Myristic Acid, Butylene Glycol, Potassium Cocoyl Glycinate, Potassium Chloride, Polyquaternium-7, Disodium EDTA, Citrus Paradisi Peel Oil, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil, Potassium Cocoate, Coconut Acid, Methylparaben, Sodium Hyaluronate, Epilobium Fleischeri Extract, Propylparaben, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Potassium Sorbate, Citric Acid, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Cocoyl Glutamic Acid
Cleansing
PEG-8
HumectantCocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Cocamide DEA
Emulsifying
PEG-80 Sorbitan Laurate
Surfactant
Glycerin
Humectant
Sorbitol
Humectant
Sodium Taurine Cocoyl Methyltaurate
Cleansing
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate
Petrolatum
Emollient
Citric Acid
Buffering
Polyquaternium-7
Disodium EDTA
BHT
Antioxidant
Methylparaben
Preservative
Water, Butylene Glycol, Cocoyl Glutamic Acid, PEG-8, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Cocamide DEA, PEG-80 Sorbitan Laurate, Glycerin, Sorbitol, Sodium Taurine Cocoyl Methyltaurate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate, Petrolatum, Citric Acid, Polyquaternium-7, Disodium EDTA, BHT, Methylparaben
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 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 AcidDisodium 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 GlycerinMethylparaben is a preservative and is a paraben. It is used to prevent the growth of fungus, mold, and other harmful bacteria. Parabens are chemicals used as preservatives in both cosmetics and food.
Methylparaben can be synthetically created. It can also be found naturally in some fruits, such as blueberries.
Oftentimes, Methylparaben is combined with other parabens to help increase the shelf life.
The safety of Methylparaben is currently being studied. While ongoing studies are looking into the safety of parabens, the results have been very mixed. Some studies have not found Methylparaben to be harmful.
Learn more about MethylparabenPolyquaternium-7 is a light to clear colored liquid. It is commonly found in haircare products for its film-forming and anti-static properties.
According to a manufacturer, it is a non-paraben and specially developed for negatively charged surfactant systems. This makes it a great hairstyle holder and helps to improve wet hair detangling without adding buildup.
Sodium 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
