What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningDecyl Glucoside
CleansingCoco-Glucoside
CleansingGlycerin
HumectantSolanum Lycopersicum Fruit Extract
AntioxidantCarrageenan
Tocopherol
AntioxidantSodium Lactate
BufferingSodium Gluconate
Skin ConditioningDicaprylyl Ether
EmollientGlyceryl Oleate
EmollientHydrogenated Palm Glycerides Citrate
EmollientParfum
MaskingLevulinic Acid
PerfumingSodium Levulinate
Skin ConditioningPhytic Acid
P-Anisic Acid
MaskingCitric Acid
BufferingBenzoic Acid
MaskingWater, Decyl Glucoside, Coco-Glucoside, Glycerin, Solanum Lycopersicum Fruit Extract, Carrageenan, Tocopherol, Sodium Lactate, Sodium Gluconate, Dicaprylyl Ether, Glyceryl Oleate, Hydrogenated Palm Glycerides Citrate, Parfum, Levulinic Acid, Sodium Levulinate, Phytic Acid, P-Anisic Acid, Citric Acid, Benzoic Acid
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantSodium Cocoyl Glycinate
CleansingLauryl Betaine
CleansingHydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate
Citric Acid
BufferingPEG-60 Glyceryl Isostearate
SurfactantSodium Chloride
MaskingGlyceryl Stearate Se
EmulsifyingCoco-Glucoside
CleansingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeParfum
MaskingSodium Cocoyl Isethionate
CleansingSodium Phytate
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPolyquaternium-7
Quillaja Saponaria Bark Extract
CleansingSodium Benzoate
MaskingCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningCeramide EOP
Skin ConditioningCeramide AP
Skin ConditioningCentella Asiatica Extract
CleansingNiacinamide
SmoothingCeramide As
Skin ConditioningPanthenol
Skin ConditioningCeramide Ns
Skin ConditioningSalicylic Acid
MaskingArginine
MaskingButylene Glycol
HumectantHydrogenated Lecithin
EmulsifyingCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientTocopherol
AntioxidantStearic Acid
CleansingHyaluronic Acid
HumectantAscorbic Acid
AntioxidantSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantCholesterol
EmollientPhytosphingosine
Skin ConditioningWater, Glycerin, Sodium Cocoyl Glycinate, Lauryl Betaine, Hydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate, Citric Acid, PEG-60 Glyceryl Isostearate, Sodium Chloride, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Coco-Glucoside, Phenoxyethanol, Parfum, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Sodium Phytate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Polyquaternium-7, Quillaja Saponaria Bark Extract, Sodium Benzoate, Ceramide NP, Ceramide EOP, Ceramide AP, Centella Asiatica Extract, Niacinamide, Ceramide As, Panthenol, Ceramide Ns, Salicylic Acid, Arginine, Butylene Glycol, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Cetearyl Alcohol, Tocopherol, Stearic Acid, Hyaluronic Acid, Ascorbic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate, Cholesterol, Phytosphingosine
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 AcidCoco-Glucoside is a surfactant, or a cleansing ingredient. It is made from glucose and coconut oil.
Surfactants help gather dirt, oil, and other pollutants from your skin to be rinsed away.
This ingredient is considered gentle and non-comedogenic. However, it may still be irritating for some.
Learn more about Coco-GlucosideGlycerin (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 ParfumTocopherol 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