What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine
Cleansing
Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate
Cleansing
Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate
CleansingSodium Lauroamphoacetate
CleansingSodium Taurine Cocoyl Methyltaurate
Cleansing
Sodium Chloride
MaskingPEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Parfum
Masking
Cocamide Mea
Emulsifying
Cocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Betaine
Humectant
PEG-6 Caprylic/Capric Glycerides
EmulsifyingPiroctone Olamine
Preservative
Sodium Isostearoyl Lactylate
EmulsifyingPolyquaternium-10
Citric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate
Cleansing
Trimethylolpropane Tricaprylate/Tricaprate
EmollientEtidronic Acid
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Phytosteryl Oleate
Skin ConditioningGlyceryl Behenate
Emollient
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
PPG-26-Buteth-26
Skin ConditioningZingiber Officinale Root Extract
Masking
Anemarrhena Asphodeloides Root Extract
Skin Conditioning
Panax Ginseng Root Extract
Emollient
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Caffeine
Skin Conditioning
Angelica Polymorpha Sinensis Root Extract
Skin ConditioningBiota Orientalis Leaf Extract
HumectantPolygonum Multiflorum Root Extract
Skin Conditioning1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Cyclodextrin
AbsorbentChlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Adenosine
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningDiaminopyrimidine Oxide
Skin ConditioningNiacinamide
Smoothing
Yeast Extract
Skin ConditioningAesculus Hippocastanum Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningAmmonium Glycyrrhizate
MaskingZinc Gluconate
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Citrate
BufferingChrysin
Skin ConditioningArginine
Masking
Oleanolic Acid
Skin ConditioningPalmitoyl Tripeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Myristoyl Pentapeptide-4
Skin Conditioning
Acetyl Tetrapeptide-3
Skin Protecting
Hexapeptide-3
Skin Conditioning
Biotin
AntiseborrhoeicWater, Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine, Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate, Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate, Sodium Lauroamphoacetate, Sodium Taurine Cocoyl Methyltaurate, Sodium Chloride, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Parfum, Cocamide Mea, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Hydroxyacetophenone, Betaine, PEG-6 Caprylic/Capric Glycerides, Piroctone Olamine, Sodium Isostearoyl Lactylate, Polyquaternium-10, Citric Acid, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Trimethylolpropane Tricaprylate/Tricaprate, Etidronic Acid, Panthenol, Butylene Glycol, Phytosteryl Oleate, Glyceryl Behenate, Sodium Benzoate, PPG-26-Buteth-26, Zingiber Officinale Root Extract, Anemarrhena Asphodeloides Root Extract, Panax Ginseng Root Extract, Propylene Glycol, Caffeine, Angelica Polymorpha Sinensis Root Extract, Biota Orientalis Leaf Extract, Polygonum Multiflorum Root Extract, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Cyclodextrin, Chlorphenesin, Adenosine, Glycerin, Ethylhexylglycerin, Diaminopyrimidine Oxide, Niacinamide, Yeast Extract, Aesculus Hippocastanum Seed Extract, Ammonium Glycyrrhizate, Zinc Gluconate, Sodium Citrate, Chrysin, Arginine, Oleanolic Acid, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Myristoyl Pentapeptide-4, Acetyl Tetrapeptide-3, Hexapeptide-3, Biotin
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium Coco-Sulfate
Cleansing
Glycerin
Humectant
Betaine
Humectant
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Hydrogenated Palm Glycerides Citrate
Emollient
Citric Acid
Buffering
Glyceryl Oleate
Emollient
Coco-Glucoside
Cleansing
Decyl Glucoside
Cleansing
Potassium Lactate
BufferingLactic Acid
Buffering
Levulinic Acid
Perfuming
Sodium Levulinate
Skin ConditioningP-Anisic Acid
Masking
Parfum
Masking
Sodium Chloride
MaskingSodium Lactate
Buffering
Sodium Gluconate
Skin ConditioningBenzoic Acid
Masking
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Water, Sodium Coco-Sulfate, Glycerin, Betaine, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Tocopherol, Hydrogenated Palm Glycerides Citrate, Citric Acid, Glyceryl Oleate, Coco-Glucoside, Decyl Glucoside, Potassium Lactate, Lactic Acid, Levulinic Acid, Sodium Levulinate, P-Anisic Acid, Parfum, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Lactate, Sodium Gluconate, Benzoic Acid, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Betaine is a humectant. Like hyaluronic acid, it helps attract and retain moisture in the skin. It’s known for being gentle and for helping the skin maintain balanced hydration.
Betaine is mainly used to improve hydration and support calmer skin. It helps skin cells regulate water balance because it functions as an osmolyte.
Some studies suggest betaine may support making skin tone more even.
Fun fact: Betaine naturally exists in the skin and the body. In cosmetic products, it can be either plant-derived (most commonly from sugar beets) or synthetically produced for consistency and stability.
Betaine is also known as trimethylglycine.
Learn more about BetaineCitric 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 GlycerinParfum is a catch-all term for an ingredient or more that is used to give a scent to products.
Also called "fragrance", this ingredient can be a blend of hundreds of chemicals or plant oils. This means every product with "fragrance" or "parfum" in the ingredients list is a different mixture.
For instance, Habanolide is a proprietary trade name for a specific aroma chemical. When used as a fragrance ingredient in cosmetics, most aroma chemicals fall under the broad labeling category of “FRAGRANCE” or “PARFUM” according to EU and US regulations.
The term 'parfum' or 'fragrance' is not regulated in many countries. In many cases, it is up to the brand to define this term.
For instance, many brands choose to label themselves as "fragrance-free" because they are not using synthetic fragrances. However, their products may still contain ingredients such as essential oils that are considered a fragrance by INCI standards.
One example is Calendula flower extract. Calendula is an essential oil that still imparts a scent or 'fragrance'.
Depending on the blend, the ingredients in the mixture can cause allergies and sensitivities on the skin. Some ingredients that are known EU allergens include linalool and citronellol.
Parfum can also be used to mask or cover an unpleasant scent.
The bottom line is: not all fragrances/parfum/ingredients are created equally. If you are worried about fragrances, we recommend taking a closer look at an ingredient. And of course, we always recommend speaking with a professional.
Learn more about ParfumSodium 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 ChlorideWater. 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
