What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingSalicylic Acid
Masking
Zinc PCA
Humectant
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Alteromonas Ferment Extract
Skin Conditioning
Citric Acid
Buffering
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Octocrylene
UV Absorber
Ethylhexyl Salicylate
UV Absorber
Glycine Soja Oil
Emollient
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialDimethicone
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane
UV Absorber
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Polyglyceryl-2 Stearate
Emulsifying
PEG-8 Stearate
Emulsifying
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Disodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Palmitic Acid
Emollient
Parfum
Masking
Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
Antioxidant
Linalool
Perfuming
Adenosine
Skin Conditioning
Citronellol
Perfuming
Myristic Acid
Cleansing
Spiraea Ulmaria Extract
AstringentSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Orbignya Oleifera Seed Oil
Emollient
Buddleja Davidii Extract
Skin ConditioningThymus Vulgaris Flower/Leaf Extract
MaskingLimonene
Perfuming
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Crithmum Maritimum Extract
Skin ConditioningEryngium Maritimum Extract
TonicCitric Acid
Buffering
Leontopodium Alpinum Callus Culture Extract
Antioxidant
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingWater, Butylene Glycol, Octocrylene, Ethylhexyl Salicylate, Glycine Soja Oil, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Dimethicone, Glycerin, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, Pentylene Glycol, Polyglyceryl-2 Stearate, PEG-8 Stearate, Cetyl Alcohol, Disodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Phenoxyethanol, Stearic Acid, Caprylyl Glycol, Palmitic Acid, Parfum, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Linalool, Adenosine, Citronellol, Myristic Acid, Spiraea Ulmaria Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Orbignya Oleifera Seed Oil, Buddleja Davidii Extract, Thymus Vulgaris Flower/Leaf Extract, Limonene, Benzyl Alcohol, Crithmum Maritimum Extract, Eryngium Maritimum Extract, Citric Acid, Leontopodium Alpinum Callus Culture Extract, Xanthan Gum
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Butylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:
Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient that works well with other ingredients.
Though this ingredient works well with most skin types, some people with sensitive skin may experience a reaction such as allergic rashes, closed comedones, or itchiness.
Learn more about Butylene GlycolCitric 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 AcidGlycerin (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 GlycerinSodium 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 HyaluronateWater. 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
