What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate
CleansingCocamidopropyl Betaine
CleansingCocamide Mea
EmulsifyingGlycol Distearate
EmollientSodium Chloride
MaskingGlycerin
HumectantTetradecene
EmollientHydroxyacetophenone
AntioxidantCitric Acid
BufferingHexadecene
SolventPolyquaternium-10
Oenothera Biennis Flower Extract
AstringentButylene Glycol
HumectantEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPolyquaternium-7
Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningSodium Benzoate
MaskingMaltodextrin
AbsorbentOcimum Sanctum Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningHibiscus Syriacus Flower Extract
AntioxidantChlorella Vulgaris Extract
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
SolventHydrolyzed Soy Protein
HumectantHydrolyzed Wheat Protein
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Corn Protein
Skin ConditioningGlycine
BufferingSerine
MaskingGlutamic Acid
HumectantBenzyl Glycol
SolventAspartic Acid
MaskingLeucine
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Glycosaminoglycans
HumectantSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantAlanine
MaskingLysine
Skin ConditioningArginine
MaskingTyrosine
MaskingPhenylalanine
MaskingThreonine
Proline
Skin ConditioningValine
MaskingIsoleucine
Skin ConditioningHistidine
HumectantMethionine
Skin ConditioningCysteine
AntioxidantSodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
HumectantHydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
HumectantHydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate
Hyaluronic Acid
HumectantSodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
HumectantParfum
MaskingAlpha-Isomethyl Ionone
PerfumingCitronellol
PerfumingLimonene
PerfumingHexyl Cinnamal
PerfumingLinalool
PerfumingWater, Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Cocamide Mea, Glycol Distearate, Sodium Chloride, Glycerin, Tetradecene, Hydroxyacetophenone, Citric Acid, Hexadecene, Polyquaternium-10, Oenothera Biennis Flower Extract, Butylene Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Polyquaternium-7, Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Disodium EDTA, 1,2-Hexanediol, Sodium Benzoate, Maltodextrin, Ocimum Sanctum Leaf Extract, Hibiscus Syriacus Flower Extract, Chlorella Vulgaris Extract, Propanediol, Hydrolyzed Soy Protein, Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein, Hydrolyzed Corn Protein, Glycine, Serine, Glutamic Acid, Benzyl Glycol, Aspartic Acid, Leucine, Hydrolyzed Glycosaminoglycans, Sodium Hyaluronate, Alanine, Lysine, Arginine, Tyrosine, Phenylalanine, Threonine, Proline, Valine, Isoleucine, Histidine, Methionine, Cysteine, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate, Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Parfum, Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone, Citronellol, Limonene, Hexyl Cinnamal, Linalool
Water
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientBehentrimonium Chloride
PreservativeGlycerin
HumectantEthylhexyl Palmitate
EmollientPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeParfum
MaskingDimethicone
EmollientButylene Glycol
HumectantDimethiconol
EmollientHydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingPentasodium Pentetate
Citric Acid
BufferingSodium Citrate
BufferingPPG-8-Ceteth-20
EmulsifyingPPG-8-Ceteth-10
Skin ConditioningCoptis Japonica Root Extract
Skin ConditioningSodium Benzoate
MaskingCyanocobalamin
Skin ConditioningHoney
HumectantSodium Carboxymethyl Hyaluronate
HumectantHydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate
Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil
EmollientPrunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin ConditioningIsostearyl Glyceryl Ether
Skin ConditioningDiethyl Sebacate
EmollientRosa Centifolia Flower Water
Skin ConditioningDipropylene Glycol
HumectantHydrogenated Lecithin
EmulsifyingGluconobacter/Honey Ferment Filtrate
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Keratin
HumectantPhytosterols
Skin ConditioningCeramide Ng
Skin ConditioningZein
Skin ConditioningHoney Extract
HumectantCoco-Glucoside
CleansingRoyal Jelly Extract
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Honey Protein
Skin ConditioningKeratin
Skin ConditioningAlcohol
AntimicrobialPropolis Extract
Skin ConditioningGamma-Docosalactone
Skin ConditioningWater, Cetearyl Alcohol, Behentrimonium Chloride, Glycerin, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Phenoxyethanol, Parfum, Dimethicone, Butylene Glycol, Dimethiconol, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Pentasodium Pentetate, Citric Acid, Sodium Citrate, PPG-8-Ceteth-20, PPG-8-Ceteth-10, Coptis Japonica Root Extract, Sodium Benzoate, Cyanocobalamin, Honey, Sodium Carboxymethyl Hyaluronate, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Isostearyl Glyceryl Ether, Diethyl Sebacate, Rosa Centifolia Flower Water, Dipropylene Glycol, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Gluconobacter/Honey Ferment Filtrate, Hydrolyzed Keratin, Phytosterols, Ceramide Ng, Zein, Honey Extract, Coco-Glucoside, Royal Jelly Extract, Hydrolyzed Honey Protein, Keratin, Alcohol, Propolis Extract, Gamma-Docosalactone
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.
Rosacea skin has a lower threshold for acids generally, with 62.5% of rosacea subjects in one study reacting to lactic acid in a sting test. This is why we mark citric acid as a potential rosacea trigger.
However, this ingredient shows up as a pH adjuster or chelator at roughly 0.1-1% in many products. These low levels are unlikely to be an issue for rosacea skin and becomes a potential trigger at exfoliating concentrations (20%). Because everybody's skin is unique, we recommend a patch test if you are unsure.
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 GlycerinHydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate is a positively charged version of hyaluronic acid.
This small change does a lot in a formula:
Regular hyaluronic acid carries a negative charge and so does the surface of your skin. This means the two repel each other and hyaluronic acid can be washed away easily. The positive charge here does the opposite: it makes the ingredient cling to your skin (also called "substantivity") so it keeps hydrating even in rinse-off products where it lays down a light, moisture-holding film.
The research backs this up too; a 2025 clinical study on a shower gel containing 0.1% positively charged hyaluronic acid increased skin hydration by 6.6% versus the baseline and 11.1% versus the placebo. This was measured 6 hours after 1 minute of contact and rinse, and on volunteers with very dry skin.
The same team's lab work showed it adhered to skin far better than unmodified hyaluronic acid (+107% vs. low molecular weight, +23% versus high molecular weight). They also found it increased two proteins tied to skin hydration, aquaporin-3 by 16% and filaggrin by 35%.
A separate 2024 study reached a similar conclusion and credited the hydrating benefits to its film-forming properties.
Both studies used the ingredient at 0.1% which also matches how much it usually shows up in products (at fractions of a percent).
One honesty note worth keeping in mind: the published research comes from the company that manufactures the ingredient so independent data would strengthen the picture. However, the results are consistent and the mechanism makes sense.
As a Hyaluronic Acid derivative, it has a well-tolerated profile and suits most skin types.
Learn more about Hydroxypropyltrimonium HyaluronateParfum 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 ParfumSodium 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