What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium Cocoyl Isethionate
Cleansing
Disodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate
CleansingLauryl Betaine
CleansingGlyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Trihydroxystearin
Skin Conditioning
Polyquaternium-10
Caffeine
Skin Conditioning
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Dicaprylyl Ether
Emollient
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Sodium Salicylate
Preservative
Mentha Piperita Oil
Masking
Menthol
Masking
Citric Acid
Buffering
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Illicium Verum Fruit/Seed Oil
Masking
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil
Masking
Dextrin
AbsorbentJuniperus Virginiana Oil
Masking
Tetrasodium EDTA
Mentha Arvensis Leaf Oil
Masking
Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Oil
Perfuming
Ocimum Basilicum Oil
Masking
Anthemis Nobilis Flower Oil
Masking
Viola Odorata Leaf Extract
MaskingLactobacillus Ferment Lysate
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Camellia Sinensis Seed Extract
Humectant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Phytosphingosine
Skin Conditioning
Biotin
AntiseborrhoeicWater, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Disodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate, Lauryl Betaine, Glyceryl Stearate, Trihydroxystearin, Polyquaternium-10, Caffeine, Cetyl Alcohol, Dicaprylyl Ether, Sodium Benzoate, Sodium Salicylate, Mentha Piperita Oil, Menthol, Citric Acid, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Caprylyl Glycol, Illicium Verum Fruit/Seed Oil, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil, Dextrin, Juniperus Virginiana Oil, Tetrasodium EDTA, Mentha Arvensis Leaf Oil, Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Oil, Ocimum Basilicum Oil, Anthemis Nobilis Flower Oil, Viola Odorata Leaf Extract, Lactobacillus Ferment Lysate, Glycerin, Camellia Sinensis Seed Extract, Tocopherol, Ceramide NP, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Phytosphingosine, Biotin
Water
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Dimethicone
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Behenamidopropyl Dimethylamine
EmulsifyingParfum
Masking
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-2
Emollient
Paraffin
Skin Conditioning
PPG-1/PEG-1 Stearamine
AntimicrobialPhenyl Trimethicone
Skin Conditioning
Amodimethicone
Behenyl Pg-Trimonium Chloride
EmulsifyingMethylparaben
Preservative
Hydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingBehenyl Alcohol
Emollient
Alcohol
Antimicrobial
Steartrimonium Chloride
Preservative
Oryza Sativa Germ Oil
Emollient
Bis-Isobutyl PEG-14/Amodimethicone Copolymer
Caramel
Cosmetic ColorantButylene Glycol
Humectant
Laureth-4
Emulsifying
Oryza Sativa Bran Oil
Emollient
Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil
Masking
Laureth-23
Cleansing
PEG-55 Stearate
CleansingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Citric Acid
Buffering
Camellia Japonica Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningBelamcanda Chinensis Root Extract
Skin ConditioningCamellia Sinensis Flower Extract
Perfuming
Oryza Sativa Bran Extract
Skin Conditioning
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Water, Cetearyl Alcohol, Dimethicone, Glycerin, Behenamidopropyl Dimethylamine, Parfum, Lactic Acid, Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-2, Paraffin, PPG-1/PEG-1 Stearamine, Phenyl Trimethicone, Amodimethicone, Behenyl Pg-Trimonium Chloride, Methylparaben, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Behenyl Alcohol, Alcohol, Steartrimonium Chloride, Oryza Sativa Germ Oil, Bis-Isobutyl PEG-14/Amodimethicone Copolymer, Caramel, Butylene Glycol, Laureth-4, Oryza Sativa Bran Oil, Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil, Laureth-23, PEG-55 Stearate, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Benzoate, Citric Acid, Camellia Japonica Seed Extract, Belamcanda Chinensis Root Extract, Camellia Sinensis Flower Extract, Oryza Sativa Bran Extract, Tocopherol
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 BenzoateTocopherol is a fat-soluble antioxidant known as Vitamin E.
You'll find this ingredient in the vast majority of skincare (for good reason). It works to neutralize free radicals, or unstable molecules generated by UV exposure, pollution, and other environmental stressors, before they can cause oxidative damage to your skin cells.
Topically applied tocopherol has been shown to protect against UV damage by ramping up the skin's own natural defense enzymes.
It also acts as a skin conditioning agent; some studies show that regular topical use can improve the skin's water-binding capacity over 2-4 weeks.
This ingredient is especially loved for being a team player. When combined with Vitamin C, the photoprotective effect of both ingredients roughly doubles and the combo also helps reduce UV-induced DNA damage.
This ingredient has some brightening potential but it's more of a prevention ingredient than spot-fader. Cell studies show it can slow down melanin production but it's worth noting that it's not the most powerful brightener out there.
In formulations, it also serves as a stabilizer that helps protect other oxidation-prone ingredients from degrading.
Concentrations usually range from 0.1-1% in most leave-on products.
Learn more about TocopherolWater. 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
