What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningHydrogenated Starch Hydrolysate
HumectantCocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine
Cleansing
Coco-Glucoside
Cleansing
Glycerin
Humectant
Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate
CleansingSodium Chloride
MaskingPanthenol
Skin Conditioning
Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
Antioxidant
Citric Acid
Buffering
Hydrogenated Palm Glycerides Citrate
Emollient
Levulinic Acid
Perfuming
Sodium Levulinate
Skin ConditioningSodium Anisate
AntimicrobialGuar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride
Skin ConditioningGlyceryl Oleate
Emollient
Parfum
Masking
Water, Hydrogenated Starch Hydrolysate, Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine, Coco-Glucoside, Glycerin, Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate, Sodium Chloride, Panthenol, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Seed Extract, Tocopherol, Citric Acid, Hydrogenated Palm Glycerides Citrate, Levulinic Acid, Sodium Levulinate, Sodium Anisate, Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Glyceryl Oleate, Parfum
Water
Skin ConditioningAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine
Cleansing
Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate
Cleansing
Glycerin
Humectant
Caprylyl/Capryl Glucoside
CleansingSodium Levulinate
Skin ConditioningPotassium Sorbate
Preservative
Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride
Skin ConditioningCitric Acid
Buffering
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Gluconate
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
Antioxidant
Swertia Japonica Extract
Skin ConditioningCyperus Esculentus Tuber Extract
Skin ProtectingSymphytum Officinale Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCoconut Acid
Cleansing
Sodium Isethionate
CleansingWater, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Glycerin, Caprylyl/Capryl Glucoside, Sodium Levulinate, Potassium Sorbate, Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Citric Acid, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Sodium Gluconate, Tocopherol, Swertia Japonica Extract, Cyperus Esculentus Tuber Extract, Symphytum Officinale Leaf Extract, Xanthan Gum, Coconut Acid, Sodium Isethionate
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 AcidCocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine is a synthetic cleansing agent, though it is derived from coconut oil.
It is used to enhance the texture of products by boosting lather and thickening the texture. As a cleanser, Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine is mild.
Glycerin (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 GlycerinThis ingredient is derived from guar gum. It is a skin conditioning agent that creates a thin, breathable film to reduce water loss during cleansing.
This leaves the skin feeling soft rather than stripped and also contributes to a creamier lather.
Due to the large molecule size, this ingredient is unlikely to penetrate skin.
Learn more about Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium ChlorideSodium levulinate is the a sodium salt of Levulinic Acid. Oncedissolved in an aqueous solution, the two ingredients become identical. It is usually derived from renewable plant sources like corn starch or sugarcane.
In skincare, it mostly acts as a skin conditioning agent that keeps skin soft and hydrated. It also acts as a preservative booster by inhibiting the growth of mold, yeast, and bacteria.
It's often paired with Sodium Anisate as the two create a broad-spectrum preservative system that is popular in "natural" formulations.
This ingredient is water-soluble.
The CIR Expert Panel for Cosmetic Ingredient Safety has concluded this ingredient to be non-irritated and there are no restrictions for use in EU cosmetics. The FDA also allows this ingredient to be used as a food-grade flavoring agent.
Learn more about Sodium LevulinateTocopherol 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 Water
