What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Alcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
PPG-26-Buteth-26
Skin ConditioningPEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Salicylic Acid
Masking
Squalane
Emollient
Caffeine
Skin Conditioning
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Zinc PCA
Humectant
Parfum
Masking
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Menthol
Masking
Vaccinium Myrtillus Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningLimonene
Perfuming
Saccharum Officinarum Extract
MoisturisingAscorbyl Glucoside
Antioxidant
Hydrolyzed Soy Protein
Humectant
Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Fruit Water
MaskingCitrus Limon Fruit Extract
Masking
Cryptomeria Japonica Bud Extract
Skin ConditioningAcer Saccharum Extract
Skin ConditioningLinalool
Perfuming
Bambusa Vulgaris Extract
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingCitric Acid
Buffering
Water, Glycerin, Alcohol Denat., PPG-26-Buteth-26, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Salicylic Acid, Squalane, Caffeine, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Zinc PCA, Parfum, Tocopherol, Menthol, Vaccinium Myrtillus Fruit Extract, Limonene, Saccharum Officinarum Extract, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Hydrolyzed Soy Protein, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Fruit Water, Citrus Limon Fruit Extract, Cryptomeria Japonica Bud Extract, Acer Saccharum Extract, Linalool, Bambusa Vulgaris Extract, Sodium Hydroxide, Citric Acid
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane 2.8%
UV Absorber
Homosalate 9.5%
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexyl Salicylate 4.8%
UV Absorber
Octocrylene 7%
UV Absorber
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantPanthenol
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexyl Methoxycrylene
Skin Conditioning
Isopropyl Palmitate
Emollient
Silica
Abrasive
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Cetearyl Olivate
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Potassium Cetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingSorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingPalmitic Acid
Emollient
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningLeontopodium Alpinum Extract
Skin ConditioningStearic Acid
Cleansing
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Oryza Sativa Lees Extract
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
Solvent
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingAdenosine
Skin Conditioning
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Citric Acid
Buffering
Myristic Acid
Cleansing
Buddleja Davidii Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningThymus Vulgaris Leaf Extract
Skin ProtectingTocopherol
Antioxidant
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane 2.8%, Homosalate 9.5%, Ethylhexyl Salicylate 4.8%, Octocrylene 7%, Water, Glycerin, Dipropylene Glycol, Panthenol, Ethylhexyl Methoxycrylene, Isopropyl Palmitate, Silica, Niacinamide, Cetearyl Olivate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Sorbitan Olivate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Caprylyl Glycol, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Palmitic Acid, Ethylhexylglycerin, Leontopodium Alpinum Extract, Stearic Acid, 1,2-Hexanediol, Oryza Sativa Lees Extract, Propanediol, Sodium Hydroxide, Adenosine, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Citric Acid, Myristic Acid, Buddleja Davidii Leaf Extract, Thymus Vulgaris Leaf Extract, Tocopherol
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 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 Hydroxide is also known as lye or caustic soda. It is used to adjust the pH of products; many ingredients require a specific pH to be effective.
In small amounts, sodium hydroxide is considered safe to use. However, large amounts may cause chemical burns due to its high alkaline.
Your skin has a natural pH and acid mantle. This acid mantle helps prevent harmful bacteria from breaking through. The acid mantle also helps keep your skin hydrated.
"Alkaline" refers to a high pH level. A low pH level would be considered acidic.
Learn more about Sodium HydroxideTocopherol 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
