What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
C10-18 Triglycerides
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Helianthus Annuus Seed Wax
Skin Conditioning
Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6
Emulsion StabilisingJojoba Esters
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearates
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Retinal
Skin Conditioning
Avena Sativa Kernel Extract
Abrasive
Gentiana Lutea Root Extract
Skin ConditioningTetrapeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Urea
Buffering
Yeast Amino Acids
HumectantTrehalose
Humectant
Inositol
Humectant
Taurine
BufferingBetaine
Humectant
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Ascorbyl Palmitate
Antioxidant
Phosphatidylcholine
EmulsifyingMannitol
Humectant
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Stearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
Solvent
Polyglycerin-3
Humectant
Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Sodium Chloride
MaskingLeuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate
Antimicrobial
Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate
Citric Acid
Buffering
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Water, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, C10-18 Triglycerides, Glycerin, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Helianthus Annuus Seed Wax, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Jojoba Esters, Glyceryl Stearates, Cetearyl Alcohol, Retinal, Avena Sativa Kernel Extract, Gentiana Lutea Root Extract, Tetrapeptide-1, Urea, Yeast Amino Acids, Trehalose, Inositol, Taurine, Betaine, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Hydroxyacetophenone, Tocopherol, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Phosphatidylcholine, Mannitol, Cetyl Alcohol, Stearyl Alcohol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Propanediol, Polyglycerin-3, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Xanthan Gum, Caprylyl Glycol, Sodium Chloride, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Citric Acid, Chlorphenesin, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate
Water
Skin ConditioningPentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate
Emollient
Squalane
Emollient
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantBehenyl Alcohol
Emollient
Dimethicone
Emollient
Diphenylsiloxy Phenyl Trimethicone
Skin Conditioning
Myristyl Myristate
Emollient
Potassium Methoxysalicylate
BleachingHydrogenated Polyisobutene
EmollientStearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Beheneth-20
EmulsifyingPEG-400
Emulsion StabilisingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Hydrogenated Palm Oil
Emollient
Dimethicone/Phenyl Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Elaeis Guineensis Kernel Oil
Emollient
Polyvinyl Alcohol
Dimethylacrylamide/Sodium Acryloyldimethyltaurate Crosspolymer
Elaeis Guineensis Oil
Emollient
Parfum
Masking
Disodium EDTA
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingRosa Damascena Flower Water
Masking
Retinyl Acetate
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Citrate
BufferingHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
BHT
Antioxidant
Alcohol
Antimicrobial
Caffeine
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Metabisulfite
Antioxidant
Lavandula Angustifolia Oil
Masking
Citric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Metaphosphate
BufferingPPG-3 Dipivalate
Skin ConditioningLimonene
Perfuming
Hexyl Cinnamal
Perfuming
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Linalool
Perfuming
CI 77492
Cosmetic ColorantCitronellol
Perfuming
Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
Humectant
Angelica Acutiloba Root Extract
Skin ConditioningAngelica Keiskei Leaf/Stem Extract
Skin ConditioningCI 77491
Cosmetic ColorantOlea Europaea Leaf Extract
Perfuming
Sanguisorba Officinalis Root Extract
CleansingLamium Album Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract
Skin ConditioningCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Inositol
Humectant
Carthamus Tinctorius Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningPinus Sylvestris Cone Extract
Masking
Ziziphus Jujuba Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningRosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialEucheuma Serra/Grateloupia Sparsa/Saccharina Angustata/Ulva Linza/Undaria Pinnatifida Extract
EmollientSaccharina Angustata/Undaria Pinnatifida Extract
EmollientBupleurum Falcatum Root Extract
Skin ConditioningCoix Lacryma-Jobi Ma-Yuen Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningCellulose
Absorbent
Water, Pentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate, Squalane, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Dipropylene Glycol, Behenyl Alcohol, Dimethicone, Diphenylsiloxy Phenyl Trimethicone, Myristyl Myristate, Potassium Methoxysalicylate, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Stearyl Alcohol, Beheneth-20, PEG-400, Phenoxyethanol, Hydrogenated Palm Oil, Dimethicone/Phenyl Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Elaeis Guineensis Kernel Oil, Polyvinyl Alcohol, Dimethylacrylamide/Sodium Acryloyldimethyltaurate Crosspolymer, Elaeis Guineensis Oil, Parfum, Disodium EDTA, Tocopheryl Acetate, Xanthan Gum, Rosa Damascena Flower Water, Retinyl Acetate, Sodium Citrate, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, BHT, Alcohol, Caffeine, Sodium Metabisulfite, Lavandula Angustifolia Oil, Citric Acid, Sodium Metaphosphate, PPG-3 Dipivalate, Limonene, Hexyl Cinnamal, Tocopherol, Linalool, CI 77492, Citronellol, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Angelica Acutiloba Root Extract, Angelica Keiskei Leaf/Stem Extract, CI 77491, Olea Europaea Leaf Extract, Sanguisorba Officinalis Root Extract, Lamium Album Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Inositol, Carthamus Tinctorius Flower Extract, Pinus Sylvestris Cone Extract, Ziziphus Jujuba Fruit Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Eucheuma Serra/Grateloupia Sparsa/Saccharina Angustata/Ulva Linza/Undaria Pinnatifida Extract, Saccharina Angustata/Undaria Pinnatifida Extract, Bupleurum Falcatum Root Extract, Coix Lacryma-Jobi Ma-Yuen Seed Extract, Cellulose
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 GlycerinInositol is a sugar alcohol naturally found in the human body. Our bodies use this ingredient in the process of growing new cells.
Studies show inositol to be a key component for keratinocyte growth.
Keratinocytes make up the majority of the outermost layer of skin. These cells protect our skin from UV exposure, infection, and help keep skin hydrated.
This ingredient is also considered a humectant. Humectants help hydrate the skin by drawing moisture to it.
Learn more about InositolStearyl Alcohol is a type of fatty alcohol from stearic acid. It is a white, waxy compound used to emulsify ingredients used as an emollient or to thicken a product.
Emollients help soothe and hydrate the skin by trapping moisture.
Fatty alcohols are usually derived from natural fats and oils and therefore do not have the same drying or irritating effect as solvent (ethanol) alcohols.
The FDA allows products labeled "alcohol-free" to have fatty alcohols.
This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe. It is a primary fatty alcohol with a chain length above 12 carbons. A study from 2019 show Malassezia can feed on fatty alcohols in this range, so it may trigger fungal acne in those prone to it.
Learn more about Stearyl AlcoholTocopherol is a fat-soluble antioxidant known as Vitamin E.
You'll find this ingredient in the vast majority of skincare (for good reason). It works to neutralize free radicals, or unstable molecules generated by UV exposure, pollution, and other environmental stressors, before they can cause oxidative damage to your skin cells.
Topically applied tocopherol has been shown to protect against UV damage by ramping up the skin's own natural defense enzymes.
It also acts as a skin conditioning agent; some studies show that regular topical use can improve the skin's water-binding capacity over 2-4 weeks.
This ingredient is especially loved for being a team player. When combined with Vitamin C, the photoprotective effect of both ingredients roughly doubles and the combo also helps reduce UV-induced DNA damage.
This ingredient has some brightening potential but it's more of a prevention ingredient than spot-fader. Cell studies show it can slow down melanin production but it's worth noting that it's not the most powerful brightener out there.
In formulations, it also serves as a stabilizer that helps protect other oxidation-prone ingredients from degrading.
Concentrations usually range from 0.1-1% in most leave-on products.
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
