What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Propanediol
Solvent
Salicylic Acid
Masking
Sodium Polyacrylate
Absorbent
Citric Acid
Buffering
Glycerin
Humectant
Diglycerin
Humectant
Citrus Glauca Fruit Extract
HumectantMicrocitrus Australasica Fruit Extract
Microcitrus Australis Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningHydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Carrageenan
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Sodium Phytate
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Phenylpropanol
Masking
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Water, Butylene Glycol, Propanediol, Salicylic Acid, Sodium Polyacrylate, Citric Acid, Glycerin, Diglycerin, Citrus Glauca Fruit Extract, Microcitrus Australasica Fruit Extract, Microcitrus Australis Fruit Extract, Hydroxyacetophenone, Carrageenan, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Phytate, Caprylyl Glycol, Phenylpropanol, Tocopherol
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Coco-Caprylate/Caprate
Emollient
Sorbitan Stearate
Emulsifying
Glyceryl Stearate Se
Emulsifying
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Triheptanoin
Skin ConditioningSodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingCetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Silica
Abrasive
Squalane
Emollient
Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil
Emollient
Palmitoyl Grapevine Shoot Extract
Antioxidant
C15-19 Alkane
SolventGlycolic Acid
Buffering
Bisabolol
Antioxidant
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingCitric Acid
Buffering
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPolyglyceryl-6 Laurate
Emulsifying
Arginine
Masking
Paeonia Lactiflora Root Extract
Skin ConditioningTartaric Acid
Buffering
Polyglycerin-6
HumectantHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Sorbitan Oleate
Emulsifying
Glucose
Humectant
Dehydroacetic Acid
Preservative
Sorbitan Isostearate
Emulsifying
Acer Saccharum Extract
Skin ConditioningCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Phytate
Papain
Skin Conditioning
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Algin
Masking
Citrus Limon Peel Oil
Masking
Parfum
Masking
Water, Glycerin, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Sorbitan Stearate, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Cetearyl Alcohol, Triheptanoin, Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Cetyl Alcohol, Silica, Squalane, Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil, Palmitoyl Grapevine Shoot Extract, C15-19 Alkane, Glycolic Acid, Bisabolol, Benzyl Alcohol, Sodium Hydroxide, Citric Acid, Caprylyl Glycol, Lactic Acid, Xanthan Gum, Polyglyceryl-6 Laurate, Arginine, Paeonia Lactiflora Root Extract, Tartaric Acid, Polyglycerin-6, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Tocopherol, Sorbitan Oleate, Glucose, Dehydroacetic Acid, Sorbitan Isostearate, Acer Saccharum Extract, Carbomer, Sodium Phytate, Papain, 1,2-Hexanediol, Algin, Citrus Limon Peel Oil, Parfum
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Caprylyl 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 GlycerinSodium Phytate is the synthetic salt form of phytic acid. Phytic acid is an antioxidant and can be found in plant seeds.
Sodium Phytate is a chelating agent. Chelating agents help prevent metals from binding to water. This helps stabilize the ingredients and the product.
Tocopherol 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 Water
