What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Dimethicone
Emollient
Saccharomyces/Xylinum/Black Tea Ferment
Skin Conditioning
Propanediol
Solvent
Diisopropyl Sebacate
EmollientPentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Betaine
Humectant
Di-C12-13 Alkyl Malate
EmollientButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Polyglyceryl-6 Distearate
Emulsifying
Hydroxypropyl Tetrahydropyrantriol
Skin ConditioningCetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Myristyl Myristate
Emollient
Pentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate
Emollient
Caffeine
Skin Conditioning
Dipeptide Diaminobutyroyl Benzylamide Diacetate
Skin Conditioning
Disodium EDTA
Secale Cereale Seed Extract
Abrasive
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Ascorbyl Glucoside
Antioxidant
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Stearalkonium Hectorite
Gel FormingAmmonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Steareth-25 Methacrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingBehenyl Alcohol
Emollient
Biotin
AntiseborrhoeicCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Citric Acid
Buffering
Disodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingHydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingJojoba Esters
Emollient
Polyglyceryl-3 Beeswax
Emulsifying
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Sodium Citrate
BufferingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingDimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Skin Conditioning
Dimethiconol
Emollient
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Water, Glycerin, Dimethicone, Saccharomyces/Xylinum/Black Tea Ferment, Propanediol, Diisopropyl Sebacate, Pentylene Glycol, Betaine, Di-C12-13 Alkyl Malate, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Polyglyceryl-6 Distearate, Hydroxypropyl Tetrahydropyrantriol, Cetyl Alcohol, Myristyl Myristate, Pentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate, Caffeine, Dipeptide Diaminobutyroyl Benzylamide Diacetate, Disodium EDTA, Secale Cereale Seed Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Tocopheryl Acetate, Stearalkonium Hectorite, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Steareth-25 Methacrylate Crosspolymer, Behenyl Alcohol, Biotin, Caprylyl Glycol, Citric Acid, Disodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Jojoba Esters, Polyglyceryl-3 Beeswax, Propylene Glycol, Sodium Citrate, Xanthan Gum, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Dimethiconol, Chlorphenesin, Phenoxyethanol, Potassium Sorbate
Water
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Squalane
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Sorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Cetearyl Olivate
Jojoba Esters
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate Se
Emulsifying
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingCetyl Palmitate
Emollient
Spilanthes Acmella Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningPalmitoyl Tripeptide-5
Skin Conditioning
Sorbitan Palmitate
Emulsifying
Dunaliella Salina Extract
Skin ConditioningAstaxanthin
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
Antioxidant
Citric Acid
Buffering
Water, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Squalane, Glycerin, Sorbitan Olivate, Cetearyl Olivate, Jojoba Esters, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Panthenol, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Cetyl Palmitate, Spilanthes Acmella Flower Extract, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5, Sorbitan Palmitate, Dunaliella Salina Extract, Astaxanthin, Sodium Hyaluronate, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Tocopherol, Citric Acid
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 (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 GlycerinJojoba Esters is a wax created from Jojoba oil. It is an emollient and film-forming ingredient. In bead form, it is an exfoliator.
This ingredient has high oxidative stability, meaning it doesn't break down when exposed to oxygen.
Its similarity to our skin's natural oils makes it a great emollient. Emollients help soften and soothe our skin by creating a barrier on top. This barrier helps trap moisture in, keeping skin hydrated.
It is created using either the hydrogenation or transesterification processes on jojoba oil.
Learn more about Jojoba EstersPhenoxyethanol is a preservative that has germicide, antimicrobial, and aromatic properties. Studies show that phenoxyethanol can prevent microbial growth. By itself, it has a scent that is similar to that of a rose.
It's often used in formulations along with Caprylyl Glycol to preserve the shelf life of products.
Sodium Hyaluronate is the salt form of hyaluronic acid. It is a long sugar chain that is naturally found in your skin, joints, and connective tissue that maintains hydration and elasticity.
In skincare, it works as a humectant. It pulls water from the environment and deeper layers of skin and binds it to the surface.
Interestingly, the size of the molecule affects its behavior:
Some clinical evidence links low molecular weight versions to improved wrinkle depth, elasticity, anti-inflammatory effects, and barrier repair.
Many serums use a blend of both weights so you can get surface hydration plus longer-lasting and deeper effects.
You'll typically see concentrations between 0.1-2% for this ingredient.
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. Remember to stay hydrated!
Learn more about Water
