What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium Laureth Sulfate
Cleansing
Sodium Chloride
MaskingCocamide Mea
Emulsifying
Cocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
PEG-3 Distearate
Emulsifying
Disodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate
CleansingHydrolyzed Keratin
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Keratin Pg-Propylmethylsilanediol
Skin ConditioningCocodimonium Hydroxypropyl Hydrolyzed Keratin
Skin ConditioningLaurdimonium Hydroxypropyl Hydrolyzed Keratin
Skin ConditioningArginine Hcl
Skin ConditioningPhosphatidylcholine
EmulsifyingRosa Canina Fruit Oil
Emollient
Aleurites Moluccanus Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Psidium Guajava Fruit Extract
AstringentAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Oenothera Biennis Oil
Emollient
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Glycolipids
Skin ConditioningSodium Cocoamphoacetate
CleansingGuar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride
Skin ConditioningPropoxytetramethyl Piperidinyl Dimethicone
Citric Acid
Buffering
Trisodium Sulfosuccinate
BufferingSodium Cocoyl Glutamate
Cleansing
Cetrimonium Chloride
Antimicrobial
C11-15 Pareth-7
EmulsifyingTrideceth-6
EmulsifyingGlycerin
Humectant
Benzophenone-4
UV Absorber
Thioctic Acid
Antioxidant
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane
UV Absorber
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate
Antioxidant
Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Parfum
Masking
Water, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Sodium Chloride, Cocamide Mea, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, PEG-3 Distearate, Disodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate, Hydrolyzed Keratin, Hydrolyzed Keratin Pg-Propylmethylsilanediol, Cocodimonium Hydroxypropyl Hydrolyzed Keratin, Laurdimonium Hydroxypropyl Hydrolyzed Keratin, Arginine Hcl, Phosphatidylcholine, Rosa Canina Fruit Oil, Aleurites Moluccanus Seed Oil, Psidium Guajava Fruit Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Oenothera Biennis Oil, Tocopheryl Acetate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Glycolipids, Sodium Cocoamphoacetate, Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Propoxytetramethyl Piperidinyl Dimethicone, Citric Acid, Trisodium Sulfosuccinate, Sodium Cocoyl Glutamate, Cetrimonium Chloride, C11-15 Pareth-7, Trideceth-6, Glycerin, Benzophenone-4, Thioctic Acid, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, Allantoin, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Sodium Hydroxide, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Benzoate, Parfum
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium Cocoyl Isethionate
Cleansing
Sodium Lauroyl Methyl Isethionate
CleansingDecyl Glucoside
Cleansing
Acrylates Crosspolymer-4
Emulsion StabilisingPEG-120 Methyl Glucose Dioleate
Emulsifying
Coconut Acid
Cleansing
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningParfum
Masking
Lauryl Glucoside
CleansingArgania Spinosa Kernel Oil
Emollient
Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Punica Granatum Fruit Extract
Antioxidant
Algin
Masking
Chitosan
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Quaternium-95
UV AbsorberGlyceryl Caprylate/Caprate
EmollientGlycerin
Humectant
Citric Acid
Buffering
Amodimethicone/Morpholinomethyl Silsesquioxane Copolymer
Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
Antioxidant
Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride
Skin ConditioningC12-13 Pareth-9
EmulsifyingPolyquaternium-7
Sorbeth-230 Tetraoleate
Emulsifying
Trideceth-5
EmulsifyingCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Sodium Methyl Isethionate
EmulsifyingLauric Acid
Cleansing
Sorbic Acid
Preservative
Fumaric Acid
BufferingGlycol Stearate
Emollient
Sodium Laurate
CleansingSorbitan Laurate
Emulsifying
Propanediol
Solvent
Sodium Isethionate
CleansingEDTA
Potassium Hydroxide
BufferingChlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Water, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Sodium Lauroyl Methyl Isethionate, Decyl Glucoside, Acrylates Crosspolymer-4, PEG-120 Methyl Glucose Dioleate, Coconut Acid, Ethylhexylglycerin, Parfum, Lauryl Glucoside, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract, Punica Granatum Fruit Extract, Algin, Chitosan, Panthenol, Tocopherol, Quaternium-95, Glyceryl Caprylate/Caprate, Glycerin, Citric Acid, Amodimethicone/Morpholinomethyl Silsesquioxane Copolymer, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, C12-13 Pareth-9, Polyquaternium-7, Sorbeth-230 Tetraoleate, Trideceth-5, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Sodium Methyl Isethionate, Lauric Acid, Sorbic Acid, Fumaric Acid, Glycol Stearate, Sodium Laurate, Sorbitan Laurate, Propanediol, Sodium Isethionate, EDTA, Potassium Hydroxide, Chlorphenesin, Potassium Sorbate, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Benzoate, Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone, Linalool
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 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 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 ChlorideParfum 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 ParfumPhenoxyethanol is a preservative that has germicide, antimicrobial, and aromatic properties. Studies show that phenoxyethanol can prevent microbial growth. By itself, it has a scent that is similar to that of a rose.
It's often used in formulations along with Caprylyl Glycol to preserve the shelf life of products.
Sodium Benzoate is a preservative. It's used in both cosmetic and food products to inhibit the growth of mold and bacteria. It is typically produced synthetically.
Both the US FDA and EU Health Committee have approved the use of sodium benzoate. In the US, levels of 0.1% (of the total product) are allowed.
Sodium benzoate works as a preservative by inhibiting the growth of bacteria inside of cells. It prevents the cell from fermenting a type of sugar using an enzyme called phosphofructokinase.
It is the salt of benzoic acid. Foods containing sodium benzoate include soda, salad dressings, condiments, fruit juices, wines, and snack foods.
Studies for using ascorbic acid and sodium benzoate in cosmetics are lacking, especially in skincare routines with multiple steps.
We always recommend speaking with a professional, such as a dermatologist, if you have any concerns.
Learn more about Sodium BenzoateWater. 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
