Mychelle Deep Repair Cream Versus Face Reality Skincare Hydrabalance Hydrating Gel

Carbomer is a polymer of acrylic acid. Its main role is to create a gel consistency.

A high amount of carbomer can cause pilling or balling up of products. Don't worry, most products contain 1% or less of carbomer.

Citric Acid is an AHA derived from citrus fruits (think oranges, lemons, and limes!).

As an AHA, Citric Acid removes the top layer of skin cells from the newer layer of skin underneath. This helps skin to remove dark spots and even out skin tone.

Glycerin is already naturally found in your skin. It helps moisturize and protect your skin.

A study from 2016 found glycerin to be more effective as a humectant than AHAs and hyaluronic acid.

Hamamelis Virginiana Water is made by distilling parts of the witch hazel plant. You can also call this ingredient "witch hazel water".

The name 'Hamamelis Virginiana Water' refers to the distillation product used in cosmetics. On the other hand, 'Witch Hazel' refers to the active drug ingredient.

This Honeysuckle flower extract comes from the Italian honeysuckle. It is an antioxidant, antimicrobial, and fragrance.

Both this and the Japanese Honeysuckle are rich in a natural paraben that give it antimicrobial property. They are effective in inhibiting bacteria, yeast, and mold.

Lonicera Japonica Flower Extract comes from the honeysuckle flower.

Honeysuckles have skin protecting, anti-viral, and anti-inflammatory properties. It contains many antioxidants, such as luteolin, caffeic acid, loniflavone, and chlorogenic acids.

Phenethyl Alcohol is a colorless and aromatic alohol. It is naturally occuring in essential oils.

The scent of this ingredient is floral and often compared to rose.

Potassium Sorbate is a preservative used to prevent yeast and mold in products. It is commonly found in both cosmetic and food products.

This ingredient comes from potassium salt derived from sorbic acid. Sorbic acid is a natural antibiotic and effective against fungus.

Rosa Damascena Flower Oil is an essential oil made from the Damask Rose. It is often used as a fragrance in cosmetics.

Rose Oil has antibacterial and antioxidant properties due to its terpene, glycoside, flavonoid, anthocyanin, and Vitamin C content.

Sodium 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.

Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate is used to help stabilize a product.

It is a chelating agent, meaning it helps prevent metal ions from binding to other ingredients. This prevents unwanted reactions in products. Metal ions can come into a product via the water ingredient. They are found in trace amounts and are not known to be harmful.

Water. 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.