What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Citrus Aurantium Amara Flower Water
MaskingPEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
PEG-8 Dimethicone
Emulsifying
Babassu Oil Glycereth-8 Esters
Emulsifying
Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil
Masking
Panax Quinquefolius Root Extract
AstringentSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Curcuma Longa Root Extract
Masking
Lecithin
Emollient
Caffeine
Skin Conditioning
Coffea Arabica Seed Extract
Masking
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Citric Acid
Buffering
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Water, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Glycerin, Citrus Aurantium Amara Flower Water, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, PEG-8 Dimethicone, Babassu Oil Glycereth-8 Esters, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil, Panax Quinquefolius Root Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Curcuma Longa Root Extract, Lecithin, Caffeine, Coffea Arabica Seed Extract, Sodium Benzoate, Citric Acid, Potassium Sorbate, Phenoxyethanol
Water
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
Solvent
Centella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Madecassoside
Antioxidant
Chondrus Crispus Extract
Skin Conditioning
Saccharum Officinarum Extract
MoisturisingLavandula Angustifolia Oil
Masking
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil
Masking
Citrus Grandis Peel Oil
Masking
Anthemis Nobilis Flower Oil
Masking
Sea Water
HumectantZanthoxylum Piperitum Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningAchillea Millefolium Extract
CleansingAlchemilla Vulgaris Extract
AstringentAnastatica Hierochuntica Extract
AstringentMalva Sylvestris Extract
AstringentMelissa Officinalis Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningMentha Piperita Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningPrimula Veris Extract
Skin ConditioningVeronica Officinalis Extract
Skin ConditioningHouttuynia Cordata Extract
Skin Conditioning
Lactobacillus Ferment
Skin Conditioning
Chrysanthemum Coccineum Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningEucalyptus Citriodora Oil
Masking
Glycerin
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Polyglyceryl-2 Oleate
Emulsifying
PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantOctyldodeceth-16
EmulsifyingDipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Humectant
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningSodium Citrate
BufferingCitric Acid
Buffering
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Asiaticoside
Antioxidant
Sodium PCA
Humectant
Asiatic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Madecassic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Magnesium PCA
Humectant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Zinc PCA
Humectant
PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Manganese PCA
HumectantSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Disodium EDTA
Water, Propanediol, Centella Asiatica Extract, Madecassoside, Chondrus Crispus Extract, Saccharum Officinarum Extract, Lavandula Angustifolia Oil, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil, Citrus Grandis Peel Oil, Anthemis Nobilis Flower Oil, Sea Water, Zanthoxylum Piperitum Fruit Extract, Achillea Millefolium Extract, Alchemilla Vulgaris Extract, Anastatica Hierochuntica Extract, Malva Sylvestris Extract, Melissa Officinalis Leaf Extract, Mentha Piperita Leaf Extract, Primula Veris Extract, Veronica Officinalis Extract, Houttuynia Cordata Extract, Lactobacillus Ferment, Chrysanthemum Coccineum Flower Extract, Eucalyptus Citriodora Oil, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Polyglyceryl-2 Oleate, PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Dipropylene Glycol, Octyldodeceth-16, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Citrate, Citric Acid, Panthenol, Asiaticoside, Sodium PCA, Asiatic Acid, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Madecassic Acid, Magnesium PCA, 1,2-Hexanediol, Zinc PCA, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Manganese PCA, Sodium Hyaluronate, Phenoxyethanol, Potassium Sorbate, Disodium EDTA
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 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 GlycerinPEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil is an emulsifier derived from castor oil.
As an emulsifying agent, it helps other ingredients like fragrances and fat-soluble vitamins dissolve cohesively.
Due to its large molecule size, it doesn't penetrate beyond the skin's surface.
This ingredient has a solid regulatory track record; the CIR Expert Panel first concluded it was safe for use in cosmetics at concentrations up to 100% in 1997. A 2012 reassessment reaffirmed that finding. Safety studies have also found no irritation or evidence of toxicity.
A 2019 study did find this ingredient to grow Malassezia, so this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor OilPhenoxyethanol 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.
Potassium Sorbate is a preservative used to prevent yeast and mold in products. It is commonly found in both cosmetic and food products.
This ingredient comes from potassium salt derived from sorbic acid. Sorbic acid is a natural antibiotic and effective against fungus.
Both potassium sorbate and sorbic acid can be found in baked goods, cheeses, dried meats, dried fruit, ice cream, pickles, wine, yogurt, and more.
You'll often find this ingredient used with other preservatives.
Learn more about Potassium SorbateSodium Hyaluronate is the salt form of hyaluronic acid. It is a long sugar chain that is naturally found in your skin, joints, and connective tissue that maintains hydration and elasticity.
In skincare, it works as a humectant. It pulls water from the environment and deeper layers of skin and binds it to the surface.
Interestingly, the size of the molecule affects its behavior:
Some clinical evidence links low molecular weight versions to improved wrinkle depth, elasticity, anti-inflammatory effects, and barrier repair.
Many serums use a blend of both weights so you can get surface hydration plus longer-lasting and deeper effects.
You'll typically see concentrations between 0.1-2% for this ingredient.
Learn more about Sodium HyaluronateWater. 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
