What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium Lauroyl Methyl Isethionate
CleansingCocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine
Cleansing
Chamomilla Recutita Flower Water
MaskingDecyl Glucoside
Cleansing
Maltooligosyl Glucoside
Skin ConditioningLauryl Glucoside
CleansingGlycerin
Humectant
Hydrogenated Starch Hydrolysate
HumectantEchinacea Purpurea Root Extract
MoisturisingHoney Extract
Humectant
Propolis Extract
Skin Conditioning
Royal Jelly Extract
Skin Conditioning
Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
Skin Conditioning
Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract
Masking
Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
Bleaching
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningLavandula Angustifolia Oil
Masking
Lavandula Hybrida Oil
Emollient
Curcumin
Antioxidant
Curcuma Longa Root Extract
Masking
Betaine
Humectant
Sodium PCA
Humectant
Disodium Cocoyl Glutamate
Cleansing
Sodium Cocoyl Glutamate
Cleansing
Citric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Abies Sibirica Oil
Masking
Cymbopogon Martini Oil
Masking
Pelargonium Graveolens Oil
Masking
Pogostemon Cablin Leaf Oil
Masking
Caramel
Cosmetic ColorantAnthemis Nobilis Flower Oil
Masking
Ocimum Basilicum Flower/Leaf Extract
TonicOcimum Sanctum Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningMelia Azadirachta Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningCorallina Officinalis Extract
Skin Conditioning
Aroma
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Maltodextrin
Absorbent
Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Sodium Chloride
MaskingSodium Phytate
Propanediol
Solvent
Linalool
Perfuming
Water, Sodium Lauroyl Methyl Isethionate, Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Water, Decyl Glucoside, Maltooligosyl Glucoside, Lauryl Glucoside, Glycerin, Hydrogenated Starch Hydrolysate, Echinacea Purpurea Root Extract, Honey Extract, Propolis Extract, Royal Jelly Extract, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract, Lavandula Angustifolia Oil, Lavandula Hybrida Oil, Curcumin, Curcuma Longa Root Extract, Betaine, Sodium PCA, Disodium Cocoyl Glutamate, Sodium Cocoyl Glutamate, Citric Acid, Sodium Benzoate, Abies Sibirica Oil, Cymbopogon Martini Oil, Pelargonium Graveolens Oil, Pogostemon Cablin Leaf Oil, Caramel, Anthemis Nobilis Flower Oil, Ocimum Basilicum Flower/Leaf Extract, Ocimum Sanctum Leaf Extract, Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract, Corallina Officinalis Extract, Aroma, Potassium Sorbate, Maltodextrin, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Phytate, Propanediol, Linalool
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Betaine is a humectant. Like hyaluronic acid, it helps attract and retain moisture in the skin. Itβs known for being gentle and for helping the skin maintain balanced hydration.
Betaine is mainly used to improve hydration and support calmer skin. It helps skin cells regulate water balance because it functions as an osmolyte.
Some studies suggest betaine may support making skin tone more even.
Fun fact: Betaine naturally exists in the skin and the body. In cosmetic products, it can be either plant-derived (most commonly from sugar beets) or synthetically produced for consistency and stability.
Betaine is also known as trimethylglycine.
Learn more about BetaineCitric 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 AcidCocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine is a synthetic cleansing agent, though it is derived from coconut oil.
It is used to enhance the texture of products by boosting lather and thickening the texture. As a cleanser, Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine is mild.
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 GlycerinPotassium 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 SorbateSodium 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 BenzoateChances 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
