What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Urea
Buffering
Yeast Amino Acids
HumectantTrehalose
Humectant
Inositol
Humectant
Taurine
BufferingBetaine
Humectant
Glycine Soja Extract
Skin ConditioningPrunus Persica Resin Extract
Passiflora Edulis Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningAgave Tequilana Leaf Extract
AstringentRetinol
Skin Conditioning
Retinyl Palmitate
Skin Conditioning
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Maltose
MaskingLecithin
Emollient
Xanthan Gum
Emulsifying1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Polyacrylate
Absorbent
PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Sorbitan Caprylate
EmulsifyingPolysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Glycine Soja Oil
Emollient
Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate
Antimicrobial
BHT
Antioxidant
Citric Acid
Buffering
Phenethyl Alcohol
MaskingBHA
Antioxidant
Water, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Urea, Yeast Amino Acids, Trehalose, Inositol, Taurine, Betaine, Glycine Soja Extract, Prunus Persica Resin Extract, Passiflora Edulis Fruit Extract, Agave Tequilana Leaf Extract, Retinol, Retinyl Palmitate, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydroxyacetophenone, Tocopherol, Maltose, Lecithin, Xanthan Gum, 1,2-Hexanediol, Sodium Polyacrylate, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Sorbitan Caprylate, Polysorbate 20, Glycine Soja Oil, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, BHT, Citric Acid, Phenethyl Alcohol, BHA
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 GlycerinHydroxyacetophenone is antioxidant with skin conditioning and soothing properties. It also boosts the efficiency of preservatives.
Though naturally occuring in Norwegian spruce needles, this ingredient is usually synthetically created.
This ingredient is not irritating or sensitizing. Recent research also suggests it may have skin-brightening effects through tyrosinase inhibition.
Learn more about HydroxyacetophenoneSodium 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
