What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium Coco-Sulfate
CleansingDecyl Glucoside
CleansingGlycerin
HumectantPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningCoco-Glucoside
CleansingFructose
HumectantGlucose
HumectantInulin
Skin ConditioningAnanas Sativus Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningCitrus Junos Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningBetaine
HumectantSodium Gluconate
Skin ConditioningChamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
MaskingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingAscorbyl Glucoside
AntioxidantHydroxyacetophenone
AntioxidantCellulose
AbsorbentCellulose Gum
Emulsion StabilisingCitric Acid
BufferingSodium Benzoate
MaskingPotassium Sorbate
PreservativeParfum
MaskingWater, Sodium Coco-Sulfate, Decyl Glucoside, Glycerin, Pentylene Glycol, Coco-Glucoside, Fructose, Glucose, Inulin, Ananas Sativus Fruit Extract, Citrus Junos Fruit Extract, Betaine, Sodium Gluconate, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Xanthan Gum, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Hydroxyacetophenone, Cellulose, Cellulose Gum, Citric Acid, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, Parfum
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantAcrylates Copolymer
Potassium Cocoyl Glycinate
SurfactantLauramidopropyl Betaine
CleansingCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingPotassium Cocoate
EmulsifyingGlycolipids
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
AntioxidantAnanas Sativus Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningHippophae Rhamnoides Fruit Oil
Skin ProtectingCamellia Oleifera Leaf Extract
AstringentLauroyl Lysine
Skin ConditioningPolyglutamic Acid
Skin ConditioningHydroxyacetophenone
AntioxidantLactobacillus Ferment
Skin ConditioningSaccharide Isomerate
HumectantCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientPhytosteryl/Octyldodecyl Lauroyl Glutamate
Skin ConditioningHydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate
Polyglyceryl-4 Caprate
EmulsifyingPolyglyceryl-6 Caprylate
EmulsifyingCaprylyl Glyceryl Ether
Cleansing1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningSodium Citrate
BufferingLeuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate
AntimicrobialCitric Acid
BufferingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingWater, Glycerin, Acrylates Copolymer, Potassium Cocoyl Glycinate, Lauramidopropyl Betaine, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Potassium Cocoate, Glycolipids, Tocopherol, Ananas Sativus Fruit Extract, Hippophae Rhamnoides Fruit Oil, Camellia Oleifera Leaf Extract, Lauroyl Lysine, Polyglutamic Acid, Hydroxyacetophenone, Lactobacillus Ferment, Saccharide Isomerate, Caprylyl Glycol, Phytosteryl/Octyldodecyl Lauroyl Glutamate, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate, Polyglyceryl-4 Caprate, Polyglyceryl-6 Caprylate, Caprylyl Glyceryl Ether, 1,2-Hexanediol, Sodium Citrate, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Citric Acid, Sodium Hydroxide
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
This extract comes from the pineapple fruit. Its main claim to fame is bromelain, a gentle exfoliator that helps remove dead skin cells from the outermost layer of skin.
Exfoliation from bromelain is considered a gentler alternative to physical or chemical exfoliants; this makes it suitable for sensitive skin types.
Beyond exfoliation, this extract also contains natural sugars with humectant properties and some vitamin C.
Overall, this is a well-tolerated and low-risk ingredient unless you have a pineapple allergy.
Learn more about Ananas Sativus Fruit ExtractCitric 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 GlycerinHydroxyacetophenone is a small phenolic molecule that earns its place in a formulas as an antioxidant and preservative booster.
As a phenol, it is able to neutralize free radicals to protect both the product and the skin from oxidative stress.
Though it can't kill microbes on its own, it works as a good supporting agent when combined with other preservatives like Phenoxyethanol or 1,2-Hexanediol.
This ingredient naturally occurs as piceol in Norwegian spruce needles (~0.4-1.1% dry weight and in cloudberries). Though the cosmetic-grade material is synthesized for purity and consistency.
You'll usually see it used at low levels and suppliers recommend up to 1% added to a water phase.
Safety testing was done at concentrations like 0.05% in SPF products and 0.5% in a Human Repeated Insult Patch Test. The safety evidence is assuring; this ingredient is safe for cosmetics in current use and also holds safety status as a food flavoring as well.
An honest caveat: the "soothing" and "anti-inflammatory" claims come mostly from supplier marketing rather than published clinical trials. The Cosmetic Ingredient Review's own literature search found no useful efficacy studies on this ingredient.
So the antioxidant and preservative-boosting roles are the well supported ones while the calming benefit is plausible but thinly evidenced.
Overall, this is a well-tolerated, low-irritation multitasker that quietly helps a formula stay fresh and stable.
Learn more about HydroxyacetophenoneWater. 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