What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium Laureth Sulfate
Cleansing
Ammonium Lauryl Sulfate
Cleansing
Cocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Cocamide Mea
Emulsifying
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Prunus Persica Fruit Extract
Abrasive
Rosa Hybrid Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningLavandula Angustifolia Flower Extract
Cleansing
Calendula Officinalis Extract
Skin Conditioning
Moringa Oleifera Seed Extract
Skin Conditioning
Prunus Serrulata Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningSesamum Indicum Seed Extract
Skin Conditioning
Tuber Melanosporum Extract
HumectantGlycine Soja Seed Extract
Skin Conditioning
Hordeum Vulgare Extract
EmollientRubus Fruticosus Fruit Extract
AstringentRibes Nigrum Fruit Extract
Astringent
Oryza Sativa Extract
Absorbent
Citrus Aurantifolia Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Sodium Chloride
MaskingCitric Acid
Buffering
Polyquaternium-10
Coconut Acid
Cleansing
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Disodium EDTA
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Lauryl Alcohol
Emollient
Ammonium Sulfate
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Laureth-2
CleansingSodium Sulfate
Parfum
Masking
Water, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Ammonium Lauryl Sulfate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Cocamide Mea, Butylene Glycol, Prunus Persica Fruit Extract, Rosa Hybrid Flower Extract, Lavandula Angustifolia Flower Extract, Calendula Officinalis Extract, Moringa Oleifera Seed Extract, Prunus Serrulata Flower Extract, Sesamum Indicum Seed Extract, Tuber Melanosporum Extract, Glycine Soja Seed Extract, Hordeum Vulgare Extract, Rubus Fruticosus Fruit Extract, Ribes Nigrum Fruit Extract, Oryza Sativa Extract, Citrus Aurantifolia Fruit Extract, Glycerin, Sodium Chloride, Citric Acid, Polyquaternium-10, Coconut Acid, Phenoxyethanol, Disodium EDTA, 1,2-Hexanediol, Lauryl Alcohol, Ammonium Sulfate, Sodium Benzoate, Laureth-2, Sodium Sulfate, Parfum
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium Trideceth Sulfate
Cleansing
Glycerin
Humectant
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Sodium Lauroamphoacetate
CleansingAvena Sativa Kernel Flour
Abrasive
Laureth-2
CleansingSodium Chloride
MaskingCitric Acid
Buffering
Avena Sativa Kernel Extract
Abrasive
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride
Skin ConditioningXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Water, Sodium Trideceth Sulfate, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Sodium Lauroamphoacetate, Avena Sativa Kernel Flour, Laureth-2, Sodium Chloride, Citric Acid, Avena Sativa Kernel Extract, Ceramide NP, Panthenol, Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Hydroxide, Phenoxyethanol, 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.
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 GlycerinLaureth-2 is a synthetic surfactant that has cleansing and emulsifying properties. It is commonly used to blend oil and water, help improve cleansing, and add foam.
Like other surfactants, laureth-2 works by reducing surface tension to help dirt, sebum, and other impurities be washed away easily.
This ingredient has low risk of irritation when properly formulated. However, some individuals with sensitive skin may still experience mild irritation.
Learn more about Laureth-2Phenoxyethanol 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.
Sodium Benzoate is a preservative. It's used in both cosmetic and food products to inhibit the growth of mold and bacteria. It is typically produced synthetically.
Both the US FDA and EU Health Committee have approved the use of sodium benzoate. In the US, levels of 0.1% (of the total product) are allowed.
Sodium benzoate works as a preservative by inhibiting the growth of bacteria inside of cells. It prevents the cell from fermenting a type of sugar using an enzyme called phosphofructokinase.
It is the salt of benzoic acid. Foods containing sodium benzoate include soda, salad dressings, condiments, fruit juices, wines, and snack foods.
Studies for using ascorbic acid and sodium benzoate in cosmetics are lacking, especially in skincare routines with multiple steps.
We always recommend speaking with a professional, such as a dermatologist, if you have any concerns.
Learn more about Sodium BenzoateChances are, you eat sodium chloride every day. Sodium Chloride is also known as table salt. This ingredient has many purposes in skincare: thickener, emulsifier, and exfoliator.
You'll most likely find this ingredient in cleansers where it is used to create a gel-like texture. As an emulsifier, it also prevents ingredients from separating.
You might see people debate whether Sodium Chloride is comedogenic, but there actually haven't been any comedogenic tests done on it. Either way, the overall formulation of a product matters a lot more than any single ingredient.
You might see this ingredient used in scrubs as a primary exfoliating ingredient.
Learn more about Sodium ChlorideWater. 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
