What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Lauryl Hydroxysultaine
CleansingSodium Cocoyl Isethionate
Cleansing
Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate
Cleansing
Glyceryl Stearate Se
Emulsifying
Caprylyl/Capryl Glucoside
CleansingLauryl Betaine
CleansingSodium Chloride
MaskingHydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate
Polyglyceryl-6 Caprylate
EmulsifyingPolyglyceryl-4 Caprate
EmulsifyingTrihydroxystearin
Skin Conditioning
Glycol Distearate
Emollient
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Polyquaternium-7
Citric Acid
Buffering
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCetearyl Olivate
Sorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Arginine
Masking
Aspartic Acid
Masking
Glutamic Acid
Humectant
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Water, Glycerin, Lauryl Hydroxysultaine, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Caprylyl/Capryl Glucoside, Lauryl Betaine, Sodium Chloride, Hydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate, Polyglyceryl-6 Caprylate, Polyglyceryl-4 Caprate, Trihydroxystearin, Glycol Distearate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Polyquaternium-7, Citric Acid, Xanthan Gum, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, Allantoin, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Arginine, Aspartic Acid, Glutamic Acid, Sodium Benzoate, Panthenol
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Coco-Glucoside
Cleansing
Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate
Emulsion StabilisingGlycolic Acid
Buffering
Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate
Cleansing
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingCarica Papaya Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningIlex Paraguariensis Leaf Extract
Perfuming
Passiflora Edulis Fruit Juice
Skin ConditioningZingiber Officinale Root Extract
Masking
Ascorbyl Glucoside
Antioxidant
Caffeine
Skin Conditioning
Capryloyl Salicylic Acid
Exfoliating
Phytic Acid
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Bisabolol
Antioxidant
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Citric Acid
Buffering
Coconut Acid
Cleansing
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Sodium Chloride
MaskingTrideceth-9
EmulsifyingLimonene
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
CI 40800
Cosmetic ColorantChlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Salicylic Acid
Masking
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Parfum
Masking
Water, Glycerin, Propylene Glycol, Coco-Glucoside, Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Glycolic Acid, Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate, Niacinamide, Lactic Acid, Sodium Hydroxide, Carica Papaya Fruit Extract, Ilex Paraguariensis Leaf Extract, Passiflora Edulis Fruit Juice, Zingiber Officinale Root Extract, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Caffeine, Capryloyl Salicylic Acid, Phytic Acid, Tocopherol, Bisabolol, Caprylyl Glycol, Citric Acid, Coconut Acid, Ethylhexylglycerin, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Sodium Chloride, Trideceth-9, Limonene, Linalool, CI 40800, Chlorphenesin, Phenoxyethanol, Potassium Sorbate, Salicylic Acid, Sodium Benzoate, Parfum
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 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 BenzoateChances are, you eat sodium chloride every day. Sodium Chloride is also known as table salt. This ingredient has many purposes in skincare: thickener, emulsifier, and exfoliator.
You'll most likely find this ingredient in cleansers where it is used to create a gel-like texture. As an emulsifier, it also prevents ingredients from separating.
You might see people debate whether Sodium Chloride is comedogenic, but there actually haven't been any comedogenic tests done on it. Either way, the overall formulation of a product matters a lot more than any single ingredient.
You might see this ingredient used in scrubs as a primary exfoliating ingredient.
Learn more about Sodium ChlorideSodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate is a gentle, coconut-derived cleansing surfactant. It's most commonly found in "sulfate-free" cleansers.
As a taurate, it belongs to a class of anionic surfactants prized for being efficient at cleansing without harshness, good performance in hard water, stability across a wide pH range, and easily biodegradable.
It is able to lift away oil and grime and make a nice lather without stripping your skin, so it's a good pick for sensitive skin.
Safety-wise, it has a good record. The CIR Expert Panel has concluded this ingredient to be safe in cosmetics and concentrations go up to 11% in leave-on products or 13% in rinse-off products.
Despite being derived from coconut oil, this ingredient is fungal acne safe. It's a water-soluble surfactant with no fatty oils or esters left intact on skin for the Malassezia yeast to feed.
Learn more about Sodium Methyl Cocoyl TaurateWater. 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
