What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium Cocoyl Isethionate
Cleansing
Coco-Betaine
Cleansing
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Disodium Lauryl Sulfosuccinate
CleansingZea Mays Starch
Absorbent
Glycerin
Humectant
Cocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Sodium Chloride
MaskingMagnesium Aluminum Silicate
Absorbent
Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate
Cleansing
Glyceryl Laurate
Emollient
Sclerotium Gum
Emulsion StabilisingAlpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide
Cleansing
Amaranthus Caudatus Seed Extract
Skin Conditioning
Chlorella Vulgaris Extract
Skin ConditioningCitric Acid
Buffering
Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emollient
Hydrolyzed Rice Protein
Skin ConditioningLactic Acid
Buffering
Lactis Proteinum
Skin ConditioningLactobacillus
Skin ConditioningLactose
HumectantLaminaria Digitata Extract
Skin Protecting
Lonicera Caprifolium Flower Extract
Perfuming
Lonicera Japonica Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningMaltodextrin
Absorbent
Maris Aqua
HumectantPentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Phenethyl Alcohol
MaskingPolymnia Sonchifolia Root Juice
Skin ConditioningSaccharide Isomerate
Humectant
Sodium Cocoyl Alaninate
Sodium Phytate
Titanium Dioxide
Cosmetic Colorant
Yogurt
Skin ProtectingYogurt Powder
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Parfum
Masking
Water, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Coco-Betaine, Cetearyl Alcohol, Disodium Lauryl Sulfosuccinate, Zea Mays Starch, Glycerin, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Sodium Chloride, Magnesium Aluminum Silicate, Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate, Glyceryl Laurate, Sclerotium Gum, Alpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide, Amaranthus Caudatus Seed Extract, Chlorella Vulgaris Extract, Citric Acid, Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Hydrolyzed Rice Protein, Lactic Acid, Lactis Proteinum, Lactobacillus, Lactose, Laminaria Digitata Extract, Lonicera Caprifolium Flower Extract, Lonicera Japonica Flower Extract, Maltodextrin, Maris Aqua, Pentylene Glycol, Phenethyl Alcohol, Polymnia Sonchifolia Root Juice, Saccharide Isomerate, Sodium Cocoyl Alaninate, Sodium Phytate, Titanium Dioxide, Yogurt, Yogurt Powder, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Benzoate, Parfum
Glycerin
Humectant
Water
Skin ConditioningBetaine
Humectant
Coco-Glucoside
Cleansing
Sodium Cocoamphoacetate
CleansingCoco-Betaine
Cleansing
Glyceryl Oleate
Emollient
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSorbitan Caprylate
EmulsifyingGlycol Distearate
Emollient
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Squalane
Emollient
Sodium Chloride
MaskingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningSodium Gluconate
Skin ConditioningPotassium Sorbate
Preservative
Saccharide Isomerate
Humectant
Gluconolactone
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder
Skin Conditioning
Citric Acid
Buffering
Benzoic Acid
Masking
Sodium Citrate
BufferingGlycerin, Water, Betaine, Coco-Glucoside, Sodium Cocoamphoacetate, Coco-Betaine, Glyceryl Oleate, Xanthan Gum, Sorbitan Caprylate, Glycol Distearate, Lactic Acid, Caprylyl Glycol, Squalane, Sodium Chloride, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Gluconate, Potassium Sorbate, Saccharide Isomerate, Gluconolactone, Sodium Hyaluronate, Glyceryl Stearate, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder, Citric Acid, Benzoic Acid, Sodium Citrate
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 AcidCoco-Betaine is the natural version of Cocamidopropyl Betaine. It is often derived from coconuts.
Coco-Betaine is a surfactant, meaning it helps remove dirt and oil from the skin.
Glycerin (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 GlycerinLactic Acid is another well-loved alpha hydroxy acid (AHA). It is gentler than glycolic acid but still highly effective.
Its main role is to exfoliate the surface of the skin by loosening the “glue” that holds dead skin cells together. Shedding those old cells leads to smoother, softer, and more even-toned skin.
Because lactic acid molecules are larger than glycolic acid, they don’t penetrate as deeply. This means they’re less likely to sting or irritate, making it a great choice for beginners or those with sensitive skin.
Like glycolic acid, it can:
Lactic acid also acts as a humectant (like hyaluronic acid). It can draw water into the skin to improve hydration and also plays a role in the skin's natural moisturizing factor (NMF) in the form of sodium lactate.
Studies show it can boost ceramide production to strengthen the skin barrier and even help balance the skin’s microbiome.
To get results, choose products with a pH between 3-4.
Lower strengths (5-12%) focus on surface exfoliation; higher strengths (12% and up) can reach deeper in the dermis (deeper, supportive layer) to improve skin texture and firmness over time.
Though it was originally derived from milk, most modern lactic acid used in skincare is vegan. It is made through non-dairy fermentation to create a bio-identical and stable form suitable for all formulations.
When lactic acid shows up near the end of an ingredient list, it usually means the brand added just a tiny amount to adjust the product’s pH.
Legend has it that Cleopatra used to bathe in sour milk to help reduce wrinkles.
Lactic acid is truly a gentle multitasker: it exfoliates, hydrates, strengthens, and brightens. It's a great ingredient for giving your skin a smooth, glowing, and healthy look without the harshness of stronger acids.
Read more about some other popular AHA's here:
Learn more about Lactic AcidSaccharide Isomerate comes from sugars found in corn. It is a skin hydrator.
The structure of this ingredient can be altered to be more similar to the carbohydrates found in our skin. This ability to mimic our skin gives it hydrating properties.
Specifically, saccharide Isomerate is a humectant. Humectants draw moisture from the air to our skin.
Research shows Saccharide Isomerate to be an effective moisturizer.
Learn more about Saccharide IsomerateChances are, you eat sodium chloride every day. Sodium Chloride is also known as table salt. This ingredient has many purposes in skincare: thickener, emulsifier, and exfoliator.
You'll most likely find this ingredient in cleansers where it is used to create a gel-like texture. As an emulsifier, it also prevents ingredients from separating.
You might see people debate whether Sodium Chloride is comedogenic, but there actually haven't been any comedogenic tests done on it. Either way, the overall formulation of a product matters a lot more than any single ingredient.
You might see this ingredient used in scrubs as a primary exfoliating ingredient.
Learn more about Sodium ChlorideWater. 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
