What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCocamidopropyl Betaine
CleansingDisodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate
CleansingGlycerin
HumectantPanthenol
Skin ConditioningAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingPropanediol
SolventPolysorbate 20
EmulsifyingTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantRice Amino Acids
Skin ConditioningAllantoin
Skin ConditioningAscorbic Acid
AntioxidantCellulose
AbsorbentSodium PCA
HumectantLactose
HumectantUrea
BufferingYeast Amino Acids
HumectantTrehalose
HumectantInositol
HumectantTaurine
BufferingBetaine
HumectantHydroxypropyl Methylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingTetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingCitric Acid
BufferingLeuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate
AntimicrobialCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientChlorphenesin
AntimicrobialPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeSodium Benzoate
MaskingLimonene
PerfumingParfum
MaskingCI 77492
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Disodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate, Glycerin, Panthenol, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Propanediol, Polysorbate 20, Tocopheryl Acetate, Rice Amino Acids, Allantoin, Ascorbic Acid, Cellulose, Sodium PCA, Lactose, Urea, Yeast Amino Acids, Trehalose, Inositol, Taurine, Betaine, Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Sodium Hydroxide, Citric Acid, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Caprylyl Glycol, Chlorphenesin, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Benzoate, Limonene, Parfum, CI 77492
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantCocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine
CleansingSodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate
CleansingDecyl Glucoside
CleansingSodium Chloride
MaskingBetaine
HumectantSaccharide Isomerate
HumectantZinc PCA
HumectantPolyglyceryl-4 Caprate
EmulsifyingPolyglyceryl-6 Caprylate
EmulsifyingSalicylic Acid
Masking1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientParfum
MaskingCitric Acid
BufferingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingBenzoic Acid
MaskingAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin ConditioningMyristyl Nicotinate
Skin ConditioningEpilobium Fleischeri Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract
Skin ConditioningCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialSodium Citrate
BufferingQuillaja Saponaria Wood Extract
Skin ConditioningHydroxyacetophenone
AntioxidantPotassium Sorbate
PreservativeSaponaria Officinalis Leaf/Root Extract
Skin ConditioningGeraniol
PerfumingLinalool
PerfumingBenzyl Salicylate
PerfumingWater, Glycerin, Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine, Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate, Decyl Glucoside, Sodium Chloride, Betaine, Saccharide Isomerate, Zinc PCA, Polyglyceryl-4 Caprate, Polyglyceryl-6 Caprylate, Salicylic Acid, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Parfum, Citric Acid, Sodium Hydroxide, Benzoic Acid, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Myristyl Nicotinate, Epilobium Fleischeri Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Sodium Citrate, Quillaja Saponaria Wood Extract, Hydroxyacetophenone, Potassium Sorbate, Saponaria Officinalis Leaf/Root Extract, Geraniol, Linalool, Benzyl Salicylate
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Betaine is a humectant. Like hyaluronic acid, it helps attract and retain moisture in the skin. It’s known for being gentle and for helping the skin maintain balanced hydration.
Betaine is mainly used to improve hydration and support calmer skin. It helps skin cells regulate water balance because it functions as an osmolyte.
Some studies suggest betaine may support making skin tone more even.
Fun fact: Betaine naturally exists in the skin and the body. In cosmetic products, it can be either plant-derived (most commonly from sugar beets) or synthetically produced for consistency and stability.
Betaine is also known as trimethylglycine.
Learn more about BetaineCaprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.
Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.
Because it is not a free-fatty acid, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolCitric 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 GlycerinParfum is a catch-all term for an ingredient or more that is used to give a scent to products.
Also called "fragrance", this ingredient can be a blend of hundreds of chemicals or plant oils. This means every product with "fragrance" or "parfum" in the ingredients list is a different mixture.
For instance, Habanolide is a proprietary trade name for a specific aroma chemical. When used as a fragrance ingredient in cosmetics, most aroma chemicals fall under the broad labeling category of “FRAGRANCE” or “PARFUM” according to EU and US regulations.
The term 'parfum' or 'fragrance' is not regulated in many countries. In many cases, it is up to the brand to define this term.
For instance, many brands choose to label themselves as "fragrance-free" because they are not using synthetic fragrances. However, their products may still contain ingredients such as essential oils that are considered a fragrance by INCI standards.
One example is Calendula flower extract. Calendula is an essential oil that still imparts a scent or 'fragrance'.
Depending on the blend, the ingredients in the mixture can cause allergies and sensitivities on the skin. Some ingredients that are known EU allergens include linalool and citronellol.
Parfum can also be used to mask or cover an unpleasant scent.
The bottom line is: not all fragrances/parfum/ingredients are created equally. If you are worried about fragrances, we recommend taking a closer look at an ingredient. And of course, we always recommend speaking with a professional.
Learn more about ParfumSodium Hydroxide is also known as lye or caustic soda. It is used to adjust the pH of products; many ingredients require a specific pH to be effective.
In small amounts, sodium hydroxide is considered safe to use. However, large amounts may cause chemical burns due to its high alkaline.
Your skin has a natural pH and acid mantle. This acid mantle helps prevent harmful bacteria from breaking through. The acid mantle also helps keep your skin hydrated.
"Alkaline" refers to a high pH level. A low pH level would be considered acidic.
Learn more about Sodium HydroxideWater. 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