What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium Cocoyl Isethionate
Cleansing
Glycerin
Humectant
Decyl Glucoside
Cleansing
Coco-Betaine
Cleansing
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Disodium Lauryl Sulfosuccinate
CleansingZea Mays Starch
Absorbent
Betaine
Humectant
Squalane
Emollient
Coco-Glucoside
Cleansing
Glyceryl Oleate
Emollient
Cocos Nucifera Oil
Masking
Sclerotium Gum
Emulsion StabilisingAlpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide
Cleansing
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Capryloyl/Caproyl Methyl Glucamide
EmulsifyingCeramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Citric Acid
Buffering
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningGlyceryl Caprylate
EmollientGlyceryl Undecylenate
Emollient
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emollient
Hydrogenated Palm Glycerides Citrate
Emollient
Inulin
Skin Conditioning
Magnesium Aluminum Silicate
Absorbent
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Phenylpropanol
Masking
Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Anisate
AntimicrobialSodium Levulinate
Skin ConditioningSorbitan Caprylate
EmulsifyingStearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate
Titanium Dioxide
Cosmetic Colorant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Water, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Glycerin, Decyl Glucoside, Coco-Betaine, Cetearyl Alcohol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Disodium Lauryl Sulfosuccinate, Zea Mays Starch, Betaine, Squalane, Coco-Glucoside, Glyceryl Oleate, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Sclerotium Gum, Alpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Capryloyl/Caproyl Methyl Glucamide, Ceramide NP, Citric Acid, Ethylhexylglycerin, Glyceryl Caprylate, Glyceryl Undecylenate, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Hydrogenated Palm Glycerides Citrate, Inulin, Magnesium Aluminum Silicate, Panthenol, Phenylpropanol, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Sodium Anisate, Sodium Levulinate, Sorbitan Caprylate, Stearyl Alcohol, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Titanium Dioxide, Tocopherol, Potassium Sorbate
Water
Skin ConditioningAmmonium Laureth Sulfate
Cleansing
Maris Sal
Skin ConditioningCocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Citrus Limon Peel Extract
EmollientCitrus Limon Peel Oil
Masking
Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil
Antioxidant
Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil
Masking
Zingiber Officinale Root Extract
Masking
Cymbopogon Citratus Extract
Skin ConditioningLitsea Cubeba Fruit Oil
Masking
Parfum
Masking
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Glycerin
Humectant
Glyceryl Laurate
Emollient
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Citric Acid
Buffering
Curcumin
Antioxidant
Citral
Perfuming
Limonene
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Water, Ammonium Laureth Sulfate, Maris Sal, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Polysorbate 20, Citrus Limon Peel Extract, Citrus Limon Peel Oil, Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil, Zingiber Officinale Root Extract, Cymbopogon Citratus Extract, Litsea Cubeba Fruit Oil, Parfum, Tocopherol, Glycerin, Glyceryl Laurate, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, Citric Acid, Curcumin, Citral, Limonene, 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 GlycerinHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil is a plant oil derived from the seeds of a sunflower.
It is rich in fatty acids, primarily linoleic acid and oleic acid. This gives it emollient and skin conditioning properties.
The reason this ingredient is so effective is because it forms a thin film on the skin that reduces transepidermal water loss (TEWL) while supplying linoleic acid to the stratum corneum to improve barrier strength.
The high linoleic acid content is particularly noteworthy for acne-prone skin.
Research suggests that acne-prone skin tends to be deficient in linoleic acid in sebum. Topical application may help replenish this to support a healthier follicular environment and less comedone-promoting sebum.
One randomized study found sunflower seed oil preserved skin barrier integrity in adult volunteers with and without atopic dermatitis (outperforming olive oil).
This ingredient is well-studied, gentle, and an effective emollient suitable for most skin types.
On fungal acne: This ingredient may not be Fungal acne (Malassezia folliculitis) safe. This is because it contains fatty acids with carbon chain lengths in the C11-C24 range.
Learn more about Helianthus Annuus Seed OilPotassium 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 SorbateTocopherol 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
