What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Disodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate
CleansingPEG-7 Glyceryl Cocoate
Emulsifying
PEG-200 Hydrogenated Glyceryl Palmate
Cleansing
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Glycerin
Humectant
Lactobionic Acid
Buffering
Mandelic Acid
Antimicrobial
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Salicylic Acid
Masking
Sodium Laureth Sulfate
Cleansing
Glyceryl Cocoate
Emollient
Citric Acid
Buffering
Lauryl Glucoside
CleansingSodium Cocoyl Glutamate
Cleansing
Sodium Lauryl Glucose Carboxylate
Cleansing1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Cocamide Mea
Emulsifying
Laureth-10
EmulsifyingTropolone
Skin ConditioningWater, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Disodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate, PEG-7 Glyceryl Cocoate, PEG-200 Hydrogenated Glyceryl Palmate, Niacinamide, Glycerin, Lactobionic Acid, Mandelic Acid, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol, Salicylic Acid, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Glyceryl Cocoate, Citric Acid, Lauryl Glucoside, Sodium Cocoyl Glutamate, Sodium Lauryl Glucose Carboxylate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Cocamide Mea, Laureth-10, Tropolone
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Sodium Laureth Sulfate
Cleansing
PEG-200
HumectantPEG-200 Hydrogenated Glyceryl Palmate
Cleansing
Coco-Betaine
Cleansing
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Citric Acid
Buffering
PEG-7
HumectantGlyceryl Cocoate
Emollient
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Acrylates Copolymer
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Cocamide Mea
Emulsifying
Disodium EDTA
Glycol Distearate
Emollient
Mannose
HumectantPolyquaternium-11
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Sodium Chloride
MaskingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingVitreoscilla Ferment
Skin Conditioning
Water, Glycerin, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, PEG-200, PEG-200 Hydrogenated Glyceryl Palmate, Coco-Betaine, Polysorbate 20, Citric Acid, PEG-7, Glyceryl Cocoate, Niacinamide, Acrylates Copolymer, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Cocamide Mea, Disodium EDTA, Glycol Distearate, Mannose, Polyquaternium-11, Sodium Benzoate, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Hydroxide, Vitreoscilla Ferment
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 AcidThis ingredient is made by combining the fatty acids from coconut oil with monoethanolamine. It is an emulsifier that helps boost foam, thicken texture, and help keep ingredients together in a formula.
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 Cocoate isn't fungal acne safe. It can be bad for dry skin.
Niacinamide is a multitasking form of vitamin B3 that strengthens the skin barrier, reduces pores and dark spots, regulates oil, and improves signs of aging.
And the best part? It's gentle and well-tolerated by most skin types, including sensitive and reactive skin.
You might have heard of "niacin flush", or the reddening of skin that causes itchiness. Niacinamide has not been found to cause this.
In very rare cases, some individuals may not be able to tolerate niacinamide at all or experience an allergic reaction to it.
If you are experiencing flaking, irritation, and dryness with this ingredient, be sure to double check all your products as this ingredient can be found in all categories of skincare.
When incorporating niacinamide into your routine, look out for concentration amounts. Typically, 5% niacinamide provides benefits such as fading dark spots. However, if you have sensitive skin, it is better to begin with a smaller concentration.
When you apply niacinamide to your skin, your body converts it into nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD). NAD is an essential coenzyme that is already found in your cells as "fuel" and powers countless biological processes.
In your skin, NAD helps repair cell damage, produce new healthy cells, support collagen production, strengthen the skin barrier, and fight environmental stressors (like UV and pollution).
Our natural NAD levels start to decline with age, leading to slower skin repair, visible aging, and a weaker skin barrier. By providing your skin niacinamide, you're recharging your skin's NAD levels. This leads to stronger, healthier, and younger looking skin.
Another name for vitamin B3 is nicotinamide. This vitamin is water-soluble and our bodies don't store it. We obtain Vitamin B3 from either food or skincare. Meat, fish, wheat, yeast, and leafy greens contain vitamin B3.
The type of niacinamide used in skincare is synthetically created.
Learn more about NiacinamidePEG-200 Hydrogenated Glyceryl Palmate isn't fungal acne safe.
Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLES) is a foaming, cleansing, and emulsifying ingredient. It is created from palm kernel oil or coconut oil. SLES is not the same as sodium lauryl sulfate. It is much milder and less likely to irritate.
SLES helps create foam in personal products. It also prevents ingredients from separating, helping to elongate the shelf life.
Sodium Laureth Sulfate is a type of sulfate. It can be drying. We recommend speaking with a professional about using this ingredient if you have concerns.
Learn more about Sodium Laureth SulfateWater. 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
