What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Alcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Glycine Soja Oil
Emollient
Isononyl Isononanoate
EmollientPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningDicaprylyl Ether
Emollient
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
PEG-6 Caprylic/Capric Glycerides
EmulsifyingPPG-6-Decyltetradeceth-30
EmulsifyingDicaprylyl Carbonate
EmollientGlyceryl Isostearate
Emollient
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Retinol
Skin Conditioning
Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate
Emulsion StabilisingCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Citric Acid
Buffering
Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingButylene Glycol
Humectant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
Antioxidant
Ceramide AP
Skin Conditioning
Water, Glycerin, Alcohol Denat., Glycine Soja Oil, Isononyl Isononanoate, Pentylene Glycol, Dicaprylyl Ether, Propylene Glycol, PEG-6 Caprylic/Capric Glycerides, PPG-6-Decyltetradeceth-30, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Glyceryl Isostearate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Retinol, Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Caprylyl Glycol, Citric Acid, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Xanthan Gum, Butylene Glycol, Tocopherol, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Ceramide AP
Water
Skin ConditioningIsononyl Isononanoate
EmollientSodium Stearoyl Lactylate
EmulsifyingNiacinamide
Smoothing
Glyceryl Caprylate
EmollientGlycine Soja Oil
Emollient
Cetearyl Olivate
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingSorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Pisum Sativum Peptide
Skin Conditioning
Retinol
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Zingiber Officinale Root Extract
Masking
Bisabolol
Masking
Sodium Citrate
Buffering1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Polyisobutene
Magnesium Stearate
Cosmetic ColorantCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Epilobium Angustifolium Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract
Skin ConditioningCaprylhydroxamic Acid
Citric Acid
Buffering
Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate
Caprylyl/Capryl Glucoside
CleansingWater, Isononyl Isononanoate, Sodium Stearoyl Lactylate, Niacinamide, Glyceryl Caprylate, Glycine Soja Oil, Cetearyl Olivate, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Sorbitan Olivate, Pisum Sativum Peptide, Retinol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Zingiber Officinale Root Extract, Bisabolol, Sodium Citrate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Glyceryl Stearate, Polyisobutene, Magnesium Stearate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glycerin, Epilobium Angustifolium Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, Citric Acid, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Caprylyl/Capryl Glucoside
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 AcidGlycerin is already naturally found in your skin. It helps moisturize and protect your skin.
A study from 2016 found glycerin to be more effective as a humectant than AHAs and hyaluronic acid.
As a humectant, it helps the skin stay hydrated by pulling moisture to your skin. The low molecular weight of glycerin allows it to pull moisture into the deeper layers of your skin.
Hydrated skin improves your skin barrier; Your skin barrier helps protect against irritants and bacteria.
Glycerin has also been found to have antimicrobial and antiviral properties. Due to these properties, glycerin is often used in wound and burn treatments.
In cosmetics, glycerin is usually derived from plants such as soybean or palm. However, it can also be sourced from animals, such as tallow or animal fat.
This ingredient is organic, colorless, odorless, and non-toxic.
Glycerin is the name for this ingredient in American English. British English uses Glycerol/Glycerine.
Learn more about GlycerinGlycine Soja Oil comes from the soybean. Glycine Soja is native to eastern Asia.
Soybean oil is an emollient. It is rich in antioxidants and fatty acids including palmitic, stearic, oleic, and linoleic acids.
As an emollient, the fatty acids in soybean oil helps keep your skin soft and hydrated. It does so by creating a film on top that traps moisture in.
Soybean oil is also rich in vitamin E, a potent antioxidant. Vitamin E is also anti-inflammatory and provides a soothing effect.
Studies show soy may help fade hyperpigmentation from UVB. It does so by disrupting the melanin process from UVB induced skin inflammation.
This ingredient may not be malassezia folliculitis, or fungal-acne, safe.
Soybeans are rich in proteins and are part of the legume family. Foods made with soybeans include tofu, soymilk, edamame, miso, and soy sauce.
Learn more about Glycine Soja OilIsononyl Isononanoate is a synthetic skin-conditioner and texture enhancer. It is created from nonanoic acid, a fatty acid found in cocoa and lavender oil.
As an emollient, Isononyl Isononanoate helps keep your skin soft and smooth. This is because emollients create a barrier on the skin to trap moisture in.
Isononyl Isononanoate helps give products a velvet feel and improves spreadability.
Learn more about Isononyl IsononanoateRetinol is a gold-standard ingredient for anti-aging. It is a form of Vitamin A and belongs to the class of retinoids that also includes tretinoin.
Why is retinol famous?
It has the most scientific studies backing up its skin benefits out of all the non-prescription ingredients.
Retinol is proven to:
This is why retinol is effective at removing wrinkles, fading dark spots, treating acne, and reducing the appearance of pores.
Studies show retinol is less effective when exposed to UV. Be sure to look for appropriate packaging to keep your retinol potent (similar to Vitamin C).
Using retinol or any retinoids will increase sun-sensitivity in the first few months. Though studies show retinoids increase your skin's natural SPF with continuous use, it is best to always wear sunscreen and sun-protection.
We recommend speaking with a medical professional about using this ingredient during pregnancy.
Retinol may cause irritation in some people, so be sure to patch test. Experts recommend 'ramping up' retinol use: start using this ingredient once a week and work up to using it daily.
Read about Tretinoin
Learn more about RetinolSodium Hyaluronate is hyaluronic acid's salt form. It is commonly derived from the sodium salt of hyaluronic acid.
Like hyaluronic acid, it is great at holding water and acts as a humectant. This makes it a great skin hydrating ingredient.
Sodium Hyaluronate is naturally occurring in our bodies and is mostly found in eye fluid and joints.
These are some other common types of Hyaluronic Acid:
Learn more about Sodium HyaluronateWater. 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. Stay hydrated!
Learn more about WaterXanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.
On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.
Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.
Learn more about Xanthan Gum
