What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Sodium Cocoyl Glycinate
Cleansing
Glycerin
Humectant
Cocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Potassium Cocoyl Glycinate
Surfactant
Hydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate
Decyl Glucoside
Cleansing
PEG-400
Emulsion StabilisingWater
Skin ConditioningSodium Lauroyl Aspartate
CleansingBHT
Antioxidant
Citric Acid
Buffering
Disodium EDTA
Glyceryl Stearate Se
Emulsifying
Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingHydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate
Lauric Acid
Cleansing
Methylisothiazolinone
Preservative
Mica
Cosmetic ColorantPEG-32
HumectantPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Polyquaternium-7
Polyquaternium-52
Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
Humectant
Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingStearic Acid
Cleansing
Titanium Dioxide
Cosmetic Colorant
Sodium Cocoyl Glycinate, Glycerin, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Butylene Glycol, Potassium Cocoyl Glycinate, Hydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate, Decyl Glucoside, PEG-400, Water, Sodium Lauroyl Aspartate, BHT, Citric Acid, Disodium EDTA, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate, Lauric Acid, Methylisothiazolinone, Mica, PEG-32, Phenoxyethanol, Polyquaternium-7, Polyquaternium-52, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Stearic Acid, Titanium Dioxide
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycine Soja Oil
Emollient
Coco-Glucoside
Cleansing
Hydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate
Coco-Betaine
Cleansing
Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate
Cleansing
Sodium Chloride
MaskingAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Sodium Gluconate
Skin ConditioningParfum
Masking
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingRubus Idaeus Seed Oil
Emollient
Benzyl Benzoate
Antimicrobial
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Geraniol
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Limonene
Perfuming
Glycerin
Humectant
Citric Acid
Buffering
CI 14700
Cosmetic ColorantCI 19140
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Glycine Soja Oil, Coco-Glucoside, Hydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate, Coco-Betaine, Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate, Sodium Chloride, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Phenoxyethanol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Sodium Benzoate, Sodium Gluconate, Parfum, Sodium Hydroxide, Rubus Idaeus Seed Oil, Benzyl Benzoate, Benzyl Alcohol, Geraniol, Linalool, Tocopherol, Limonene, Glycerin, Citric Acid, CI 14700, CI 19140
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
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 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 GlycerinHydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate is a modified starch used to help thicken a product.
It is also used in foods.
Phenoxyethanol 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.
Water. 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
