What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate
Cleansing
Glycerin
Humectant
Cocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Parfum
Masking
Cocamide Mipa
Emulsifying
PEG-150 Distearate
Emulsifying
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Chloride
MaskingPolyquaternium-10
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine
Cleansing
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningTetrasodium EDTA
Glyceryl Glucoside
Humectant
Polyquaternium-7
Citric Acid
Buffering
Isopropanolamine
BufferingSodium Benzoate
Masking
Trisodium EDTA
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingTetramethyl Acetyloctahydronaphthalenes
Masking
Water, Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate, Glycerin, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Parfum, Cocamide Mipa, PEG-150 Distearate, Phenoxyethanol, Polysorbate 20, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Sodium Chloride, Polyquaternium-10, Stearic Acid, Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine, Panthenol, Niacinamide, Ethylhexylglycerin, Tetrasodium EDTA, Glyceryl Glucoside, Polyquaternium-7, Citric Acid, Isopropanolamine, Sodium Benzoate, Trisodium EDTA, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Hydroxide, Tetramethyl Acetyloctahydronaphthalenes
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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.
Rosacea skin has a lower threshold for acids generally, with 62.5% of rosacea subjects in one study reacting to lactic acid in a sting test. This is why we mark citric acid as a potential rosacea trigger.
However, this ingredient shows up as a pH adjuster or chelator at roughly 0.1-1% in many products. These low levels are unlikely to be an issue for rosacea skin and becomes a potential trigger at exfoliating concentrations (20%). Because everybody's skin is unique, we recommend a patch test if you are unsure.
Learn more about Citric Acid
