What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Glycerin
Humectant
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium Cocoyl Glycinate
Cleansing
Propanediol
Solvent
Kaolin
Abrasive
Lactococcus Ferment Lysate
Skin Conditioning
Bentonite
Absorbent
Magnesium Aluminum Silicate
Absorbent
Maltooligosyl Glucoside
Skin ConditioningMyristic Acid
Cleansing
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Parachlorella Beijerinckii Exopolysaccharides
Skin ProtectingChlorella Vulgaris Extract
Skin ConditioningAlteromonas Ferment Extract
Skin Conditioning
Corallina Officinalis Extract
Skin Conditioning
Curcuma Longa Root Extract
Masking
Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningMelia Azadirachta Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningOcimum Basilicum Flower/Leaf Extract
TonicOcimum Sanctum Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
Antioxidant
Hydrogenated Starch Hydrolysate
HumectantSodium Lauroyl Methyl Isethionate
CleansingCocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Sodium Methyl Oleoyl Taurate
CleansingButylene Glycol
Humectant
Coco-Glucoside
Cleansing
Lauryl Glucoside
CleansingStyrene/Acrylates Copolymer
Phytosteryl/Octyldodecyl Lauroyl Glutamate
Skin ConditioningEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningLauric Acid
Cleansing
Palmitic Acid
Emollient
Cellulose Gum
Emulsion StabilisingSucrose
Humectant
Sodium Chloride
MaskingMica
Cosmetic ColorantSodium Benzoate
Masking
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
CI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77491
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77742
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77289
Cosmetic ColorantGlycerin, Water, Sodium Cocoyl Glycinate, Propanediol, Kaolin, Lactococcus Ferment Lysate, Bentonite, Magnesium Aluminum Silicate, Maltooligosyl Glucoside, Myristic Acid, Lactic Acid, Glyceryl Stearate, Parachlorella Beijerinckii Exopolysaccharides, Chlorella Vulgaris Extract, Alteromonas Ferment Extract, Corallina Officinalis Extract, Curcuma Longa Root Extract, Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract, Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract, Ocimum Basilicum Flower/Leaf Extract, Ocimum Sanctum Leaf Extract, Tocopherol, Hydrogenated Starch Hydrolysate, Sodium Lauroyl Methyl Isethionate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Sodium Methyl Oleoyl Taurate, Butylene Glycol, Coco-Glucoside, Lauryl Glucoside, Styrene/Acrylates Copolymer, Phytosteryl/Octyldodecyl Lauroyl Glutamate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Lauric Acid, Palmitic Acid, Cellulose Gum, Sucrose, Sodium Chloride, Mica, Sodium Benzoate, Phenoxyethanol, CI 77891, CI 77491, CI 77742, CI 77289
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Glycerin (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 StearateKaolin is a clay. It is used for oil control and to help minimize pores. Like other clays, kaolin has the ability to absorb excess sebum or oil. This can help clean out pores and mattify the skin.
Some types of kaolin may have exfoliating properties. When water is added to kaolin, it becomes a paste with small abrasive particles.
Most kaolin is a white color, but may be pink/orange/red depending on where it comes from.
The name 'kaolin' comes from a Chinese village named 'Gaoling'. Kaolin clay comes from rocks rich in kaolinite. Kaolinite, the mineral, has a silicate layered structure. Kaolinite is formed from chemical weathering of aluminum siilicate minerals.
Besides skincare, kaolin is commonly used to make glossy paper, in ceramics, toothpaste, and as medicine to soothe stomach issues.
Learn more about KaolinLactic Acid is another well-loved alpha hydroxy acid (AHA). It is gentler than glycolic acid but still highly effective.
Its main role is to exfoliate the surface of the skin by loosening the âglueâ that holds dead skin cells together. Shedding those old cells leads to smoother, softer, and more even-toned skin.
Because lactic acid molecules are larger than glycolic acid, they donât penetrate as deeply. This means theyâre less likely to sting or irritate, making it a great choice for beginners or those with sensitive skin.
Like glycolic acid, it can:
Lactic acid also acts as a humectant (like hyaluronic acid). It can draw water into the skin to improve hydration and also plays a role in the skin's natural moisturizing factor (NMF) in the form of sodium lactate.
Studies show it can boost ceramide production to strengthen the skin barrier and even help balance the skinâs microbiome.
To get results, choose products with a pH between 3-4.
Lower strengths (5-12%) focus on surface exfoliation; higher strengths (12% and up) can reach deeper in the dermis (deeper, supportive layer) to improve skin texture and firmness over time.
Though it was originally derived from milk, most modern lactic acid used in skincare is vegan. It is made through non-dairy fermentation to create a bio-identical and stable form suitable for all formulations.
When lactic acid shows up near the end of an ingredient list, it usually means the brand added just a tiny amount to adjust the productâs pH.
Legend has it that Cleopatra used to bathe in sour milk to help reduce wrinkles.
Lactic acid is truly a gentle multitasker: it exfoliates, hydrates, strengthens, and brightens. It's a great ingredient for giving your skin a smooth, glowing, and healthy look without the harshness of stronger acids.
Read more about some other popular AHA's here:
Learn more about Lactic AcidPhenoxyethanol 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.
Propanediol is an all-star ingredient. It softens, hydrates, and smooths the skin.Â
Itâs often used to:
Propanediol is not likely to cause sensitivity and considered safe to use. It is derived from corn or petroleum with a clear color and no scent.
Learn more about PropanediolWater. 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
