What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningKaolin
Abrasive
Sodium Cocoyl Glutamate
Cleansing
Glycerin
Humectant
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Coco-Glucoside
Cleansing
Propanediol
Solvent
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Magnesium Aluminum Silicate
Absorbent
Betaine
Humectant
Cannabis Sativa Seed Oil
Emollient
Rhodiola Rosea Root Extract
EmollientSpiraea Ulmaria Extract
AstringentPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Citric Acid
Buffering
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingButylene Glycol
Humectant
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningSodium Gluconate
Skin ConditioningParfum
Masking
Water, Kaolin, Sodium Cocoyl Glutamate, Glycerin, Cetearyl Alcohol, Coco-Glucoside, Propanediol, Glyceryl Stearate, Magnesium Aluminum Silicate, Betaine, Cannabis Sativa Seed Oil, Rhodiola Rosea Root Extract, Spiraea Ulmaria Extract, Phenoxyethanol, Citric Acid, Propylene Glycol, Xanthan Gum, Butylene Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Gluconate, Parfum
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil
Masking
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Diatomaceous Earth
Abrasive
Glycerin
Humectant
Glycolic Acid
Buffering
Sodium Glycolate
BufferingSodium Trideceth Sulfate
Cleansing
Squalane
Emollient
Anthemis Nobilis Flower Extract
Masking
Saponaria Officinalis Leaf/Root Extract
Skin ConditioningHexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingFructose
Humectant
Glucose
Humectant
Sucrose
Humectant
Urea
Buffering
Dextrin
AbsorbentAlanine
Masking
Glutamic Acid
Humectant
Aspartic Acid
Masking
Hexyl Nicotinate
EmollientPersea Gratissima Oil
Skin Conditioning
Triticum Vulgare Germ Oil
Emollient
Corylus Avellana Seed Oil
Emollient
Sesamum Indicum Seed Oil
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingParfum
Masking
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Cyamopsis Tetragonoloba Gum
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Citric Acid
Buffering
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil, Cetyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, Diatomaceous Earth, Glycerin, Glycolic Acid, Sodium Glycolate, Sodium Trideceth Sulfate, Squalane, Anthemis Nobilis Flower Extract, Saponaria Officinalis Leaf/Root Extract, Hexylene Glycol, Fructose, Glucose, Sucrose, Urea, Dextrin, Alanine, Glutamic Acid, Aspartic Acid, Hexyl Nicotinate, Persea Gratissima Oil, Triticum Vulgare Germ Oil, Corylus Avellana Seed Oil, Sesamum Indicum Seed Oil, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Xanthan Gum, Parfum, Chlorphenesin, Cyamopsis Tetragonoloba Gum, Sodium Hyaluronate, Citric Acid
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 AcidEthylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:
The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure.
Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.
Learn more about EthylhexylglycerinGlycerin (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 GlycerinGlyceryl Stearate is made by reacting glycerin with stearic acid (typically sourced from plant oils like palm or coconut). It's an emulsifier, emollient, and mild occlusive.
Emulsifiers help ingredients like oil and water stay mixed so your formula stays nicely blended and uniform in texture.
This ingredient is typically used in concentrations between 1-10%. Studies have found it to be non-sensitizing, non-phototoxic, and non-photoallergenic.
A close cousin of this ingredient is Glyceryl Stearate SE ("self-emulsifying"). This just has a small amount of sodium or potassium stearate added so it can emulsify without a co-emulsifier.
Since this ingredient is an ester of a C18 fatty acid, it may not be fungal acne safe. The Malassezia yeast can potentially metabolize within the C11-C24 range.
Fun fact: The human body also creates Glyceryl Stearate naturally.
Learn more about Glyceryl StearateParfum 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 ParfumPhenoxyethanol is a preservative that has germicide, antimicrobial, and aromatic properties. Studies show that phenoxyethanol can prevent microbial growth. By itself, it has a scent that is similar to that of a rose.
It's often used in formulations along with Caprylyl Glycol to preserve the shelf life of products.
Xanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.
On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.
Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.
Learn more about Xanthan Gum
