What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Glycerin
HumectantWater
Skin ConditioningCocamidopropyl Betaine
CleansingDisodium Cocoamphodiacetate
CleansingSodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate
CleansingPolyquaternium-10
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin ConditioningCocos Nucifera Liquid Endosperm
Cocos Nucifera Fruit Juice
EmollientBeta Vulgaris Root Extract
Skin ConditioningMagnolia Officinalis Bark Extract
AntimicrobialHibiscus Sabdariffa Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningEclipta Prostrata Extract
Skin ConditioningEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningFructooligosaccharides
HumectantFructose
HumectantGlucose
HumectantAlanine
MaskingCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientCitric Acid
BufferingAspartic Acid
MaskingGlutamic Acid
HumectantSucrose
HumectantUrea
BufferingHexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningBetaine
HumectantHexyl Nicotinate
EmollientPropanediol
SolventDextrin
AbsorbentHydroxyacetophenone
AntioxidantGeraniol
PerfumingLinalool
PerfumingParfum
MaskingGlycerin, Water, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Disodium Cocoamphodiacetate, Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate, Polyquaternium-10, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Cocos Nucifera Liquid Endosperm, Cocos Nucifera Fruit Juice, Beta Vulgaris Root Extract, Magnolia Officinalis Bark Extract, Hibiscus Sabdariffa Flower Extract, Eclipta Prostrata Extract, Ethylhexylglycerin, Fructooligosaccharides, Fructose, Glucose, Alanine, Caprylyl Glycol, Citric Acid, Aspartic Acid, Glutamic Acid, Sucrose, Urea, Hexylene Glycol, Pentylene Glycol, Betaine, Hexyl Nicotinate, Propanediol, Dextrin, Hydroxyacetophenone, Geraniol, Linalool, Parfum
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantSodium Cocoamphoacetate
CleansingPEG-7 Glyceryl Cocoate
EmulsifyingLauryl Glucoside
CleansingCitric Acid
BufferingCoco-Glucoside
CleansingGlyceryl Oleate
EmollientParfum
MaskingLaureth-2
CleansingMannitol
HumectantPolysorbate 20
EmulsifyingXylitol
HumectantRhamnose
HumectantNiacinamide
SmoothingFructooligosaccharides
HumectantTocopherol
AntioxidantHydrogenated Palm Glycerides Citrate
Emollient
Reviews
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 AcidFructooligosaccharides (FOS) are a type of prebiotic sugar with humectant and skin conditioning properties. As a humectant, they help attract and hold moisture in the skin.
FOS essentially acts as a food source for the "good" bacteria on your skin and make it harder for "bad" bacteria to thrive. A 2022 study using a reconstructured human skin model found that just 1% of FOS was enough to shift the bacteria balance in favor of beneficial species. This suggests it could help support a healthier skin microbiome over time.
This ingredient has a low sensitization risk and testing shows it does not classify as a skin irritant or sensitizer.
FOS are usually produced from sugar beets and can also be found in foods like bananas, garlic, and onions.
Learn more about FructooligosaccharidesGlycerin (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 GlycerinParfum is a catch-all term for an ingredient or more that is used to give a scent to products.
Also called "fragrance", this ingredient can be a blend of hundreds of chemicals or plant oils. This means every product with "fragrance" or "parfum" in the ingredients list is a different mixture.
For instance, Habanolide is a proprietary trade name for a specific aroma chemical. When used as a fragrance ingredient in cosmetics, most aroma chemicals fall under the broad labeling category of “FRAGRANCE” or “PARFUM” according to EU and US regulations.
The term 'parfum' or 'fragrance' is not regulated in many countries. In many cases, it is up to the brand to define this term.
For instance, many brands choose to label themselves as "fragrance-free" because they are not using synthetic fragrances. However, their products may still contain ingredients such as essential oils that are considered a fragrance by INCI standards.
One example is Calendula flower extract. Calendula is an essential oil that still imparts a scent or 'fragrance'.
Depending on the blend, the ingredients in the mixture can cause allergies and sensitivities on the skin. Some ingredients that are known EU allergens include linalool and citronellol.
Parfum can also be used to mask or cover an unpleasant scent.
The bottom line is: not all fragrances/parfum/ingredients are created equally. If you are worried about fragrances, we recommend taking a closer look at an ingredient. And of course, we always recommend speaking with a professional.
Learn more about ParfumWater. 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