What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycolic Acid
Buffering
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantPotassium Hydroxide
BufferingBetaine
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate
Skin Conditioning
Polyglyceryl-4 Laurate
Emulsifying
Caprylyl/Capryl Glucoside
CleansingSalicylic Acid
Masking
Hippophae Rhamnoides Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Extract
Perfuming
Sodium Phytate
Gluconolactone
Skin Conditioning
Artemisia Princeps Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningSophora Japonica Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningWater, Glycolic Acid, Dipropylene Glycol, Potassium Hydroxide, Betaine, Glycerin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Hydroxyacetophenone, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Polyglyceryl-4 Laurate, Caprylyl/Capryl Glucoside, Salicylic Acid, Hippophae Rhamnoides Fruit Extract, Butylene Glycol, Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Extract, Sodium Phytate, Gluconolactone, Artemisia Princeps Leaf Extract, Sophora Japonica Fruit Extract, Ethylhexylglycerin
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycolic Acid
Buffering
Glycerin
Humectant
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingRubus Idaeus Seed Oil
Emollient
Potassium Hydroxide
BufferingMandelic Acid
Antimicrobial
Gluconolactone
Skin Conditioning
Salix Nigra Bark Extract
Skin ProtectingMalic Acid
Buffering
Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Vaccinium Macrocarpon Fruit Extract
AstringentLactic Acid
Buffering
Azelaic Acid
Buffering
Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
Bleaching
Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate
Antimicrobial
Sodium Phytate
Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningMelia Azadirachta Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningCorallina Officinalis Extract
Skin Conditioning
Ananas Sativus Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningCitric Acid
Buffering
Curcuma Longa Root Extract
Masking
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Ocimum Basilicum Flower/Leaf Extract
TonicOcimum Sanctum Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningLactobacillus/Punica Granatum Fruit Ferment Extract
Antioxidant
Lactobacillus/Pumpkin Fruit Ferment Filtrate
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Fibroin
Skin Conditioning1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Water, Glycolic Acid, Glycerin, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Rubus Idaeus Seed Oil, Potassium Hydroxide, Mandelic Acid, Gluconolactone, Salix Nigra Bark Extract, Malic Acid, Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract, Allantoin, Vaccinium Macrocarpon Fruit Extract, Lactic Acid, Azelaic Acid, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Sodium Phytate, Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract, Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract, Corallina Officinalis Extract, Ananas Sativus Fruit Extract, Citric Acid, Curcuma Longa Root Extract, Tocopherol, Ocimum Basilicum Flower/Leaf Extract, Ocimum Sanctum Leaf Extract, Lactobacillus/Punica Granatum Fruit Ferment Extract, Lactobacillus/Pumpkin Fruit Ferment Filtrate, Hydrolyzed Fibroin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
1,2-Hexanediol is a synthetic liquid and another multi-functional powerhouse.Â
It is a:
- Humectant, drawing moisture into the skin
- Emollient, helping to soften skin
- Solvent, dispersing and stabilizing formulas
- Preservative booster, enhancing the antimicrobial activity of other preservativesÂ
Gluconolactone is a PHA. PHAs are a great gentle alternative to traditional AHAs.
When applied, Gluconolactone has the same affect on skin as AHAs such as lactic acid. It helps dissolve the dead skin cells in the top layer of your skin. This improves texture and brightens the skin.
PHAs are more gentle than AHAs due to their larger structure. They do not penetrate as deeply as AHAs and take a longer time to dissolve dead cells. Studies show PHAs do not cause as much irritation.
Gluconolactone has some interesting properties:
In a 2004 study, Gluconolactone was found to prevent UV damage in mouse skin cells and has not been found to increase sun sensitivity. However, we still recommend wearing SPF daily.
This ingredient is is an created by reacting gluconic acid with an alcohol.
Learn more about GluconolactoneGlycerin (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 GlycerinGlycolic Acid is arguably the most famous alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) with tons of research backing its benefits.
It is found naturally in sugar cane but the form used in skincare is usually synthetic for purity and stability.
Glycolic acid removes the top layer of dead skin cells to allow newer and fresher ones to emerge.
AHAs work by breaking down the structural âglueâ that holds old skin cells in place. When that buildup is gone, your skin can renew itself more efficiently.
Research also shows glycolic acid stimulates collagen production, helping to firm and thicken the skin over time. This is one of its biggest advantages over other AHAs.
Overall, glycolic acid helps with:
Fun fact: Glycolic acid boosts skin hydration by helping it produce molecules that increase hyaluronic acid naturally.
To work best, glycolic acid products should have a pH between 3-4 (thatâs where exfoliation is most effective but still gentle on skin).
The pH and concentration of a product are key to its effectiveness:
It is normal to feel a slight stinging sensation when using glycolic acid. This usually fades as your skin adjusts.
Because glycolic acid has the smallest molecular size in the AHA family, it can penetrate deeper, which enhances its effectiveness but also makes it more likely to irritate sensitive skin.
If your skin is very sensitive or prone to rosacea, glycolic acid may be too strong; in that case, try milder options like lactic acid or a PHA instead.
Recent studies suggest glycolic acid might even help protect against UV damage. But donât skip sunscreen! Freshly exfoliated skin is more sensitive to the sun.
Glycolic acid is a skincare superstar. It smooths, brightens, hydrates, and firms the skin. Unless youâre highly sensitive, itâs well worth adding to your routine.
Read more about some other popular AHA's here:
Learn more about Glycolic AcidPotassium hydroxide is commonly known as caustic potash. It is used to fix the pH of a product or as a cleaning agent in soap. In cleansers, it is used for the saponification of oils.
Sapnification is the process of creating fatty acid metal salts from triglycerides and a strong base. During this process, Potassium Hydroxide is used up and is not present in the final product.
Using high concentrations of Potassium Hydroxide have shown to irritate the skin.
Learn more about Potassium HydroxideSodium Phytate is the synthetic salt form of phytic acid. Phytic acid is an antioxidant and can be found in plant seeds.
Sodium Phytate is a chelating agent. Chelating agents help prevent metals from binding to water. This helps stabilize the ingredients and the product.
Water. 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
