What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium Cocoyl Isethionate
CleansingDisodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate
CleansingLauryl Betaine
CleansingGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientTrihydroxystearin
Skin ConditioningPolyquaternium-10
Caffeine
Skin ConditioningCetyl Alcohol
EmollientDicaprylyl Ether
EmollientSodium Benzoate
MaskingSodium Salicylate
PreservativeMentha Piperita Oil
MaskingMenthol
MaskingCitric Acid
BufferingCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientIllicium Verum Fruit/Seed Oil
MaskingRosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil
MaskingDextrin
AbsorbentJuniperus Virginiana Oil
MaskingTetrasodium EDTA
Mentha Arvensis Leaf Oil
MaskingEucalyptus Globulus Leaf Oil
PerfumingOcimum Basilicum Oil
MaskingAnthemis Nobilis Flower Oil
MaskingViola Odorata Leaf Extract
MaskingLactobacillus Ferment Lysate
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantCamellia Sinensis Seed Extract
HumectantTocopherol
AntioxidantCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningHydrogenated Lecithin
EmulsifyingPhytosphingosine
Skin ConditioningBiotin
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 ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantDimethicone
EmollientCetyl Alcohol
EmollientBehentrimonium Chloride
PreservativeButylene Glycol
HumectantCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientDipropylene Glycol
HumectantBehenyl Alcohol
EmollientParfum
MaskingBehentrimonium Methosulfate
SurfactantAmodimethicone
Isopropyl Alcohol
SolventSorbitol
HumectantStearamidopropyl Dimethylamine
EmulsifyingTrehalose
HumectantSteartrimonium Chloride
PreservativeCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientLactic Acid
BufferingStearyl Alcohol
EmollientArachidyl Alcohol
EmollientTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantPropylene Glycol
HumectantHexyl Cinnamal
PerfumingCitric Acid
BufferingCetrimonium Chloride
AntimicrobialTrideceth-15
EmulsifyingTrideceth-3
EmulsifyingGeraniol
PerfumingCitronellol
PerfumingLimonene
PerfumingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeHydrolyzed Milk Protein
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Keratin
HumectantAlcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Collagen
EmollientAcetic Acid
BufferingHydrolyzed Silk
HumectantSilk Amino Acids
HumectantEthyl Hexanediol
SolventGlycine
BufferingGlutamic Acid
HumectantGlutamine
Skin ConditioningLysine
Skin ConditioningLeucine
Skin ConditioningMethionine
Skin ConditioningValine
MaskingSerine
MaskingCystine
MaskingAsparagine
MaskingAspartic Acid
MaskingIsoleucine
Skin ConditioningAlanine
MaskingArginine
MaskingOrnithine
Skin ConditioningTaurine
BufferingTyrosine
MaskingThreonine
Tryptophan
MaskingPhenylalanine
MaskingProline
Skin ConditioningHistidine
HumectantMacadamia Integrifolia Seed Oil
Skin ConditioningCamellia Japonica Seed Oil
EmollientCysteine
AntioxidantArgania Spinosa Kernel Oil
EmollientEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningOlea Europaea Fruit Oil
MaskingHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
EmollientHydrolyzed Corn Protein
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Wheat Protein
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Soy Protein
HumectantWater, Glycerin, Dimethicone, Cetyl Alcohol, Behentrimonium Chloride, Butylene Glycol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Dipropylene Glycol, Behenyl Alcohol, Parfum, Behentrimonium Methosulfate, Amodimethicone, Isopropyl Alcohol, Sorbitol, Stearamidopropyl Dimethylamine, Trehalose, Steartrimonium Chloride, Caprylyl Glycol, Lactic Acid, Stearyl Alcohol, Arachidyl Alcohol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Propylene Glycol, Hexyl Cinnamal, Citric Acid, Cetrimonium Chloride, Trideceth-15, Trideceth-3, Geraniol, Citronellol, Limonene, Phenoxyethanol, Hydrolyzed Milk Protein, Hydrolyzed Keratin, Alcohol Denat., 1,2-Hexanediol, Hydrolyzed Collagen, Acetic Acid, Hydrolyzed Silk, Silk Amino Acids, Ethyl Hexanediol, Glycine, Glutamic Acid, Glutamine, Lysine, Leucine, Methionine, Valine, Serine, Cystine, Asparagine, Aspartic Acid, Isoleucine, Alanine, Arginine, Ornithine, Taurine, Tyrosine, Threonine, Tryptophan, Phenylalanine, Proline, Histidine, Macadamia Integrifolia Seed Oil, Camellia Japonica Seed Oil, Cysteine, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Ethylhexylglycerin, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Hydrolyzed Corn Protein, Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein, Hydrolyzed Soy Protein
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Caprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.
Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.
Because it is not a free-fatty acid, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolCetyl Alcohol is a fatty alcohol. Fatty Alcohols are most often used as an emollient or to thicken a product.
Its main roles are:
Though it has "alcohol" in the name, it is not related to denatured alcohol or ethyl alcohol.
The FDA allows products labeled "alcohol-free" to have fatty alcohols.
This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe. It is a primary fatty alcohol with a chain length above 12 carbons. A study from 2019 show Malassezia can feed on fatty alcohols in this range, so it may trigger fungal acne in those prone to it.
Learn more about Cetyl AlcoholCitric 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 GlycerinWater. 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