What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Chondrus Crispus Powder
Abrasive
Honey
Humectant
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Sodium Gluconate
Skin ConditioningSodium Citrate
BufferingPropylene Glycol
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Prunus Amygdalus Amara Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningPotassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Triheptanoin
Skin ConditioningTrilaurin
Skin ConditioningHydrogenated Olive Oil Caprylyl Esters
Emulsion Stabilising
Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil
Emollient
Hypericum Perforatum Extract
AntimicrobialAnthemis Nobilis Flower Extract
Masking
Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract
Masking
Centaurea Cyanus Flower Extract
Astringent
Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
Masking
Tilia Cordata Flower Extract
Skin Conditioning
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Dehydroacetic Acid
Preservative
Citric Acid
Buffering
Water, Glycerin, Xanthan Gum, Phenoxyethanol, Chondrus Crispus Powder, Honey, Caprylyl Glycol, Sodium Gluconate, Sodium Citrate, Propylene Glycol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Lactic Acid, Prunus Amygdalus Amara Seed Extract, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Triheptanoin, Trilaurin, Hydrogenated Olive Oil Caprylyl Esters, Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil, Hypericum Perforatum Extract, Anthemis Nobilis Flower Extract, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract, Centaurea Cyanus Flower Extract, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Tilia Cordata Flower Extract, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Tocopherol, Dehydroacetic Acid, Citric Acid
Water
Skin ConditioningHamamelis Virginiana Water
Astringent
Hamamelis Virginiana Extract
Antiseborrhoeic
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Zinc Chloride
AntimicrobialHydrolyzed Wheat Protein
Skin ConditioningCinnamomum Zeylanicum Bark Extract
Antimicrobial
Thymus Vulgaris Extract
Perfuming
Malva Sylvestris Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract
Skin ConditioningHamamelis Virginiana Leaf Extract
Skin Conditioning
Triethanolamine
BufferingVitis Vinifera Seed Extract
Antimicrobial
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Salicylic Acid
Masking
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Soy Protein
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Corn Protein
Skin ConditioningXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSodium Gluconate
Skin ConditioningRapeseed Sophorolipids
AntimicrobialPisum Sativum Sprout Extract
Skin ConditioningSodium Benzoate
Masking
Glycerin
Humectant
Phosphatidylcholine
EmulsifyingDisodium Phosphate
BufferingBiotin
AntiseborrhoeicPotassium Phosphate
BufferingCetrimonium Chloride
Antimicrobial
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Disodium EDTA
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Water, Hamamelis Virginiana Water, Hamamelis Virginiana Extract, Propylene Glycol, Zinc Chloride, Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein, Cinnamomum Zeylanicum Bark Extract, Thymus Vulgaris Extract, Malva Sylvestris Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract, Hamamelis Virginiana Leaf Extract, Triethanolamine, Vitis Vinifera Seed Extract, Lactic Acid, Salicylic Acid, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Hydrolyzed Soy Protein, Hydrolyzed Corn Protein, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Gluconate, Rapeseed Sophorolipids, Pisum Sativum Sprout Extract, Sodium Benzoate, Glycerin, Phosphatidylcholine, Disodium Phosphate, Biotin, Potassium Phosphate, Cetrimonium Chloride, Tocopherol, Disodium EDTA, Tocopheryl Acetate
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 GlycerinLactic 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.
Propylene Glycol is a synthetic, colorless, odorless liquid that has been a staple in cosmetics for decades. It is a skin conditioning agent, humectant, and solvent.
As a humectant, it draw water to the skin to reduce flaking and restore suppleness. It's also a solvent that helps dissolve other actives and keeps formulas stable across temperature changes.
The CIR Expert Panel has confirmed this ingredient to be nontoxic and clinical studies show no sensitization at cosmetic use concentrations.
True allergic reactions are quite rare: a 15-year retrospective study of 6,751 patients found only 0.31% had a positive reaction (and less than half were considered clinically relevant).
It seemed that when sensitization does occur, it's most commonly linked to topical medication (like corticosteroids) and not cosmetics. Allergic contact dermatitis also appears largely limited to individuals with underlying skin conditions.
Overall, propylene glycol is a well-studied ingredient that most people can tolerate without issue.
Learn more about Propylene GlycolSodium 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 BenzoateThis is the synthetic salt of gluconic acid, a form of PHA and mild exfoliant.
It is mainly used to stabilize oil and butter formulations from going bad. Sodium gluconate is a humectant, pH regulator, and chelating agent.
Chelating agents help neutralize unwanted metals from affecting the formulation.
Sodium gluconate is water-soluble.
Learn more about Sodium GluconateTocopherol (also known as Vitamin E) is a common antioxidant used to help protect the skin from free-radicals and strengthen the skin barrier. It's also fat soluble - this means our skin is great at absorbing it.
Vitamin E also helps keep your natural skin lipids healthy. Your lipid skin barrier naturally consists of lipids, ceramides, and fatty acids. Vitamin E offers extra protection for your skinâs lipid barrier, keeping your skin healthy and nourished.
Another benefit is a bit of UV protection. Vitamin E helps reduce the damage caused by UVB rays. (It should not replace your sunscreen). Combining it with Vitamin C can decrease sunburned cells and hyperpigmentation after UV exposure.
You might have noticed Vitamin E + C often paired together. This is because it is great at stabilizing Vitamin C. Using the two together helps increase the effectiveness of both ingredients.
There are often claims that Vitamin E can reduce/prevent scarring, but these claims haven't been confirmed by scientific research.
Learn more about TocopherolWater. 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 WaterXanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.
On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.
Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.
Learn more about Xanthan Gum
