What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Sucrose
Humectant
Sodium Laureth Sulfate
Cleansing
Coco-Betaine
Cleansing
Sodium Chloride
MaskingNiacinamide
Smoothing
PEG-75 Shea Butter Glycerides
Emulsifying
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingVitreoscilla Ferment
Skin Conditioning
Citric Acid
Buffering
Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Water
Skin ConditioningC12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialGlycerin
Humectant
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Coco-Caprylate/Caprate
Emollient
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion Stabilising1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
C13-14 Alkane
SolventC15-23 Alkane
SolventCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Citric Acid
Buffering
Citrus Aurantifolia Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningDecyl Glucoside
Cleansing
Fucus Vesiculosus
Skin ConditioningAlgae
Skin Conditioning
Kappaphycus Alvarezii Extract
Skin ConditioningLeuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate
Antimicrobial
Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningMelia Azadirachta Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningOlea Europaea Fruit Oil
Masking
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Sulfite
Preservative
Sea Water
HumectantSodium Polyacrylate Starch
AbsorbentTerminalia Ferdinandiana Fruit Extract
Antioxidant
Tropolone
Skin Conditioning2,6-Dimethyl-7-Octen-2-Ol
Masking
Cedrus Atlantica Wood Oil
Perfuming
Cistus Ladaniferus Resin
MaskingDodecahydro-Tetramethylnaphthofuran
Perfuming
Ethyl Hydroxypyrone
Masking
Fusanus Spicatus Wood Oil
Masking
Gamma-Decalactone
Perfuming
Gamma-Octalactone
Perfuming
Gamma-Valerolactone
Perfuming
Juniperus Virginiana Oil
Masking
Myrtus Communis Oil
Masking
Octanal
Perfuming
Phenethyl Alcohol
MaskingPogostemon Cablin Leaf Oil
Masking
Thuja Plicata Wood Oil
Masking
Triethyl Citrate
Masking
Water, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Glycerin, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, 1,2-Hexanediol, C13-14 Alkane, C15-23 Alkane, Caprylyl Glycol, Citric Acid, Citrus Aurantifolia Fruit Extract, Decyl Glucoside, Fucus Vesiculosus, Algae, Kappaphycus Alvarezii Extract, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract, Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, Panthenol, Sodium Sulfite, Sea Water, Sodium Polyacrylate Starch, Terminalia Ferdinandiana Fruit Extract, Tropolone, 2,6-Dimethyl-7-Octen-2-Ol, Cedrus Atlantica Wood Oil, Cistus Ladaniferus Resin, Dodecahydro-Tetramethylnaphthofuran, Ethyl Hydroxypyrone, Fusanus Spicatus Wood Oil, Gamma-Decalactone, Gamma-Octalactone, Gamma-Valerolactone, Juniperus Virginiana Oil, Myrtus Communis Oil, Octanal, Phenethyl Alcohol, Pogostemon Cablin Leaf Oil, Thuja Plicata Wood Oil, Triethyl Citrate
Reviews
Alternatives
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 GlycerinSodium 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
