What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningEthyl Methoxycinnamate
UV AbsorberGlycerin
Humectant
Isohexadecane
EmollientCyclohexasiloxane
Emollient
Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate
Emulsion StabilisingPentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate
Emollient
Titanium Dioxide
Cosmetic Colorant
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
PEG-100 Stearate
Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate
UV Filter
Synthetic Wax
Abrasive
BHT
Antioxidant
Potassium Cetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingStearic Acid
Cleansing
Linalool
Perfuming
Geraniol
Perfuming
Glycolic Acid
Buffering
Eugenol
Perfuming
Parfum
Masking
Manganese Gluconate
Skin ConditioningMethylparaben
Preservative
Silica
Abrasive
Myristic Acid
Cleansing
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingPalmitic Acid
Emollient
Aluminum Hydroxide
EmollientPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Phenylethyl Resorcinol
Antioxidant
Ascorbyl Glucoside
Antioxidant
Limonene
Perfuming
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Tetrasodium EDTA
Capryloyl Salicylic Acid
Exfoliating
Citrus Limon Fruit Extract
Masking
Citric Acid
Buffering
Tourmaline
Citronellol
Perfuming
Biosaccharide Gum-1
Humectant
Octyldodecanol
Emollient
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Ethylparaben
Preservative
Hexyl Cinnamal
Perfuming
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
CI 14700
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Ethyl Methoxycinnamate, Glycerin, Isohexadecane, Cyclohexasiloxane, Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Pentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate, Titanium Dioxide, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate, Synthetic Wax, BHT, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Stearic Acid, Linalool, Geraniol, Glycolic Acid, Eugenol, Parfum, Manganese Gluconate, Methylparaben, Silica, Myristic Acid, Sodium Hydroxide, Palmitic Acid, Aluminum Hydroxide, Phenoxyethanol, Phenylethyl Resorcinol, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Limonene, Caprylyl Glycol, Tetrasodium EDTA, Capryloyl Salicylic Acid, Citrus Limon Fruit Extract, Citric Acid, Tourmaline, Citronellol, Biosaccharide Gum-1, Octyldodecanol, Cetyl Alcohol, Ethylparaben, Hexyl Cinnamal, Benzyl Alcohol, CI 14700, CI 77891
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Dimethicone
Emollient
Isononyl Isononanoate
EmollientCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Squalane
Emollient
Sodium Dna
Skin Conditioning
Sclareolide
Masking
Malt Extract
Skin ProtectingDiglucosyl Gallic Acid
Haberlea Rhodopensis Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningSodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
Skin Conditioning
Olea Europaea Oil Unsaponifiables
Skin Conditioning
Bacillus Ferment
Skin Conditioning
Cyanocobalamin
Skin ConditioningSucrose Polystearate
EmollientPentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Sodium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate
Emulsion StabilisingPentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
Antioxidant
Mannitol
Humectant
Sodium Stearoyl Lactylate
EmulsifyingCitric Acid
Buffering
Polysilicone-11
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningAroma
CI 16035
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Butylene Glycol, Niacinamide, Dimethicone, Isononyl Isononanoate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Squalane, Sodium Dna, Sclareolide, Malt Extract, Diglucosyl Gallic Acid, Haberlea Rhodopensis Leaf Extract, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Olea Europaea Oil Unsaponifiables, Bacillus Ferment, Cyanocobalamin, Sucrose Polystearate, Pentylene Glycol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glycerin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Hydroxyacetophenone, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Glyceryl Stearate, Sodium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Mannitol, Sodium Stearoyl Lactylate, Citric Acid, Polysilicone-11, Ethylhexylglycerin, Aroma, CI 16035
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 GlycerinGlyceryl Stearate is made by reacting glycerin with stearic acid (typically sourced from plant oils like palm or coconut). It's an emulsifier, emollient, and mild occlusive.
Emulsifiers help ingredients like oil and water stay mixed so your formula stays nicely blended and uniform in texture.
This ingredient is typically used in concentrations between 1-10%. Studies have found it to be non-sensitizing, non-phototoxic, and non-photoallergenic.
A close cousin of this ingredient is Glyceryl Stearate SE ("self-emulsifying"). This just has a small amount of sodium or potassium stearate added so it can emulsify without a co-emulsifier.
Since this ingredient is an ester of a C18 fatty acid, it may not be fungal acne safe. The Malassezia yeast can potentially metabolize within the C11-C24 range.
Fun fact: The human body also creates Glyceryl Stearate naturally.
Learn more about Glyceryl StearateWater. 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
