What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Sodium Lauroyl Methyl Isethionate
CleansingDecyl Glucoside
Cleansing
Cocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Sorbeth-230 Tetraoleate
Emulsifying
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Citric Acid
Buffering
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningHydroxypropyl Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Potassium Hydroxide
BufferingPotassium Sorbate
Preservative
Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingSorbitan Laurate
Emulsifying
Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Water, Glycerin, Sodium Lauroyl Methyl Isethionate, Decyl Glucoside, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Pentylene Glycol, Sorbeth-230 Tetraoleate, Sodium Hyaluronate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Citric Acid, Ethylhexylglycerin, Hydroxypropyl Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Panthenol, Potassium Hydroxide, Potassium Sorbate, Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract, Sodium Hydroxide, Sorbitan Laurate, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Tocopherol, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Chlorphenesin, Sodium Benzoate
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate
Cleansing
Sodium Lauroyl Methyl Isethionate
CleansingCocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine
Cleansing
Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Glycol Distearate
Emollient
Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate
Cleansing
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium PCA
Humectant
Saccharide Isomerate
Humectant
Acacia Senegal Gum
MaskingCitric Acid
Buffering
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSodium Levulinate
Skin ConditioningSqualane
Emollient
Sodium Phytate
Decyl Glucoside
Cleansing
Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
Masking
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Oryza Sativa Bran Extract
Skin Conditioning
Rosa Damascena Extract
MaskingLauryl Glucoside
CleansingSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Hibiscus Rosa-Sinensis Flower Extract
HumectantHelianthus Annuus Extract
Emollient
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialWater, Glycerin, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Sodium Lauroyl Methyl Isethionate, Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine, Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract, Glycol Distearate, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium PCA, Saccharide Isomerate, Acacia Senegal Gum, Citric Acid, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Levulinate, Squalane, Sodium Phytate, Decyl Glucoside, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Oryza Sativa Bran Extract, Rosa Damascena Extract, Lauryl Glucoside, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hibiscus Rosa-Sinensis Flower Extract, Helianthus Annuus Extract, Tocopherol, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
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 AcidDecyl Glucoside is a plant-derived surfactant and emulsion stabilizer. It is created by reacting glucose with the fatty acids from plants.
Like all surfactants, it works by lowering the surface tension between water and oil. This makes it so that dirt, sebum, and makeup can be lifted off your skin and rinsed away. It also produces a dense and creamy foam.
Because it has a neutral charge, it is compatible with a wide range of ingredients and stays stable across a broad pH range/water hardiness conditions.
Patch testing has shown it to have the lowest irritation potential among common cleansing surfactants (like SLS).
Typical use levels range from 5-20% in rinse-off cleansers.
One thing worth knowing: The American Contact Dermatitis Society named the parent family, alkyl glucosides, "Allergen of the Year" in 2017. The prevalence of allergy is pretty low but be sure to patch test if you've reacted to "gentle" or sulfate-free cleansers before.
This ingredient is fungal acne safe because the fatty alcohol portion of this ingredient is below the C11-24 chain length that Malassezia can metabolize.
Learn more about Decyl 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 GlycerinPotassium Sorbate is a preservative used to prevent yeast and mold in products. It is commonly found in both cosmetic and food products.
This ingredient comes from potassium salt derived from sorbic acid. Sorbic acid is a natural antibiotic and effective against fungus.
Both potassium sorbate and sorbic acid can be found in baked goods, cheeses, dried meats, dried fruit, ice cream, pickles, wine, yogurt, and more.
You'll often find this ingredient used with other preservatives.
Learn more about Potassium SorbatePyrus Malus Fruit Extract is extract from Apples. Apples are rich in Vitamin C, sugars, and antioxidants.
The sugar in Apples are humectants and help hydrate the skin. On top of that, apples also contain some acids, such as malic acid. These acids may have a mild exfoliating effect.
Last, the phytochemicals found in apples are strong antioxidants. These antioxidants help with anti-aging as they protect your skin cells against oxidative damage.
Learn more about Pyrus Malus Fruit ExtractSodium Hyaluronate is the salt form of hyaluronic acid. It is a long sugar chain that is naturally found in your skin, joints, and connective tissue that maintains hydration and elasticity.
In skincare, it works as a humectant. It pulls water from the environment and deeper layers of skin and binds it to the surface.
Interestingly, the size of the molecule affects its behavior:
Some clinical evidence links low molecular weight versions to improved wrinkle depth, elasticity, anti-inflammatory effects, and barrier repair.
Many serums use a blend of both weights so you can get surface hydration plus longer-lasting and deeper effects.
You'll typically see concentrations between 0.1-2% for this ingredient.
Learn more about Sodium HyaluronateSodium Lauroyl Methyl Isethionate is a cleansing ingredient. It is a surfactant, meaning it helps gather dirt, oil, and other pollutants. This helps them be rinsed away easily.
Tocopherol (also known as Vitamin E) is a common antioxidant used to help protect the skin from free-radicals and strengthen the skin barrier. It's also fat soluble - this means our skin is great at absorbing it.
Vitamin E also helps keep your natural skin lipids healthy. Your lipid skin barrier naturally consists of lipids, ceramides, and fatty acids. Vitamin E offers extra protection for your skin’s lipid barrier, keeping your skin healthy and nourished.
Another benefit is a bit of UV protection. Vitamin E helps reduce the damage caused by UVB rays. (It should not replace your sunscreen). Combining it with Vitamin C can decrease sunburned cells and hyperpigmentation after UV exposure.
You might have noticed Vitamin E + C often paired together. This is because it is great at stabilizing Vitamin C. Using the two together helps increase the effectiveness of both ingredients.
There are often claims that Vitamin E can reduce/prevent scarring, but these claims haven't been confirmed by scientific research.
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
