What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningPullulan
Galactoarabinan
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Caprylyl/Capryl Glucoside
CleansingGluconolactone
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Calcium Gluconate
HumectantHydrolyzed Rice Protein
Skin ConditioningDecyl Glucoside
Cleansing
Lauryl Glucoside
CleansingSorbitol
Humectant
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Cananga Odorata Flower Oil
Masking
Lavandula Angustifolia Oil
Masking
Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil
Masking
Salvia Sclarea Oil
Masking
Vanillin
Masking
Pogostemon Cablin Leaf Oil
Masking
Glycine Soja Oil
Emollient
Hydroxypropyltrimonium Honey
Sorbic Acid
Preservative
Citric Acid
Buffering
Diheptyl Succinate
EmollientCapryloyl Glycerin/Sebacic Acid Copolymer
Skin ConditioningVaccinium Macrocarpon Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil
Emollient
Cucurbita Pepo Seed Oil
Emollient
Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil
Emollient
Macelignan
Antimicrobial
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Linalool
Perfuming
Limonene
Perfuming
Water, Pullulan, Galactoarabinan, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Glycerin, Caprylyl/Capryl Glucoside, Gluconolactone, Sodium Benzoate, Calcium Gluconate, Hydrolyzed Rice Protein, Decyl Glucoside, Lauryl Glucoside, Sorbitol, Potassium Sorbate, Cananga Odorata Flower Oil, Lavandula Angustifolia Oil, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil, Salvia Sclarea Oil, Vanillin, Pogostemon Cablin Leaf Oil, Glycine Soja Oil, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Honey, Sorbic Acid, Citric Acid, Diheptyl Succinate, Capryloyl Glycerin/Sebacic Acid Copolymer, Vaccinium Macrocarpon Seed Oil, Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil, Cucurbita Pepo Seed Oil, Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil, Macelignan, Tocopherol, Linalool, Limonene
Water
Skin ConditioningDecyl Glucoside
Cleansing
Glycerin
Humectant
Vp/Va Copolymer
Pullulan
Prunus Domestica Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Squalane
Emollient
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Biotin
AntiseborrhoeicFolic Acid
Skin ConditioningPolyglyceryl-3 Cocoate
Emulsifying
Polyglyceryl-4 Caprate
EmulsifyingHydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Polyglyceryl-6 Caprylate
EmulsifyingPolyglyceryl-6 Ricinoleate
Emulsifying
Sodium Polyitaconate
Sucrose
Humectant
Citric Acid
Buffering
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Starch Octenylsuccinate
AbsorbentCalcium Pantothenate
Maltodextrin
Absorbent
Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate
Antioxidant
Pyridoxine Hcl
Skin ConditioningTocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Citrus Junos Peel Extract
Skin ConditioningSilica
Abrasive
Parfum
Masking
Dehydroacetic Acid
Preservative
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Water, Decyl Glucoside, Glycerin, Vp/Va Copolymer, Pullulan, Prunus Domestica Seed Oil, Squalane, Niacinamide, Biotin, Folic Acid, Polyglyceryl-3 Cocoate, Polyglyceryl-4 Caprate, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Polyglyceryl-6 Caprylate, Polyglyceryl-6 Ricinoleate, Sodium Polyitaconate, Sucrose, Citric Acid, Panthenol, Sodium Starch Octenylsuccinate, Calcium Pantothenate, Maltodextrin, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Pyridoxine Hcl, Tocopheryl Acetate, Citrus Junos Peel Extract, Silica, Parfum, Dehydroacetic Acid, Benzyl Alcohol
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 not within 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 GlycerinPullulan is a low viscosity polysaccharide (a long chain carbohydrate) with binding and film forming properties when dissolved in water. It is used to create a "silicone-like" or silky feel in cosmetics without adding viscosity.
According to a manufacturer, this ingredient's ability to easily dissolves makes it a great carrier for active ingredients.
Due to it being edible and tasteless, you'll likely find this ingredient in breath freshener strips. This ingredient is produced from the starch of the fungus, Aureobasidium pullulans.
Pullulan is stable over a broad-range of pH.
Learn more about PullulanWater. 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
