What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycolic Acid
Buffering
Propanediol
Solvent
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingGlycerin
Humectant
Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-11
Emulsion StabilisingVaccinium Myrtillus Fruit/Leaf Extract
AstringentSaccharum Officinarum Extract
MoisturisingCitrus Aurantium Dulcis Fruit Extract
MaskingCitrus Limon Fruit Extract
Masking
Acer Saccharum Extract
Skin ConditioningMicrocitrus Australis Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Hydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingTocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Water, Glycolic Acid, Propanediol, Sodium Hydroxide, Glycerin, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-11, Vaccinium Myrtillus Fruit/Leaf Extract, Saccharum Officinarum Extract, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Fruit Extract, Citrus Limon Fruit Extract, Acer Saccharum Extract, Microcitrus Australis Fruit Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydroxyacetophenone, Phenoxyethanol, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Tocopheryl Acetate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Disodium EDTA, Tocopherol
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycolic Acid
Buffering
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Glycerin
Humectant
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingBeheneth-5
EmulsifyingDimethicone
Emollient
Neopentyl Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate
EmollientPolyglyceryl-3 Stearate
Emulsifying
Behenyl Alcohol
Emollient
Undecane
EmollientArachidyl Alcohol
Emollient
Stearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Phospholipids
Skin Conditioning
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
Masking
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Bisabolol
Antioxidant
Arctium Lappa Seed Oil
Emollient
Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Humectant
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Acrylates Copolymer
Tridecane
Perfuming
Hydrogenated Polydecene
EmollientSclerotium Gum
Emulsion StabilisingPolyglyceryl-10 Stearate
Skin Conditioning
Disodium EDTA
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Benzoic Acid
Masking
Sorbic Acid
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Water, Glycolic Acid, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glycerin, Sodium Hydroxide, Beheneth-5, Dimethicone, Neopentyl Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate, Polyglyceryl-3 Stearate, Behenyl Alcohol, Undecane, Arachidyl Alcohol, Stearyl Alcohol, Cetyl Alcohol, Phospholipids, Allantoin, Tocopheryl Acetate, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Bisabolol, Arctium Lappa Seed Oil, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Panthenol, Sodium Acrylates Copolymer, Tridecane, Hydrogenated Polydecene, Sclerotium Gum, Polyglyceryl-10 Stearate, Disodium EDTA, Tocopherol, Chlorphenesin, Benzoic Acid, Sorbic Acid, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenoxyethanol
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Disodium EDTA is a chelating agent. It grabs onto and deactivates metal ions that sneak into your products from water, packaging, or air.
This ingredient mainly works behind the scenes and helps with:
On top of that, this ingredient can counteract the effects of hard water by binding to the minerals in it.
One thing worth knowing is that Disodium EDTA has been shown to be a mild penetration enhancer. It can help other ingredients absorb into skin more effectively which can be a double-edged sword (great for actives, but can also make the active too strong if you have sensitive skin).
Clinical patch testing showed no significant skin irritation at typical use concentrations and minimal dermal absorption.
You'll most likely see this ingredient near the end of an ingredient list. It's typically found in concentrations less than 1%.
Learn more about Disodium EDTAEthylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:
The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure.
Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.
Learn more about EthylhexylglycerinGlycerin (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 GlycerinGlycolic Acid is arguably the most famous alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) with tons of research backing its benefits.
It is found naturally in sugar cane but the form used in skincare is usually synthetic for purity and stability.
Glycolic acid removes the top layer of dead skin cells to allow newer and fresher ones to emerge.
AHAs work by breaking down the structural “glue” that holds old skin cells in place. When that buildup is gone, your skin can renew itself more efficiently.
Research also shows glycolic acid stimulates collagen production, helping to firm and thicken the skin over time. This is one of its biggest advantages over other AHAs.
Overall, glycolic acid helps with:
Fun fact: Glycolic acid boosts skin hydration by helping it produce molecules that increase hyaluronic acid naturally.
To work best, glycolic acid products should have a pH between 3-4 (that’s where exfoliation is most effective but still gentle on skin).
The pH and concentration of a product are key to its effectiveness:
It is normal to feel a slight stinging sensation when using glycolic acid. This usually fades as your skin adjusts.
Because glycolic acid has the smallest molecular size in the AHA family, it can penetrate deeper, which enhances its effectiveness but also makes it more likely to irritate sensitive skin.
If your skin is very sensitive or prone to rosacea, glycolic acid may be too strong; in that case, try milder options like lactic acid or a PHA instead.
Recent studies suggest glycolic acid might even help protect against UV damage. But don’t skip sunscreen! Freshly exfoliated skin is more sensitive to the sun.
Glycolic acid is a skincare superstar. It smooths, brightens, hydrates, and firms the skin. Unless you’re highly sensitive, it’s well worth adding to your routine.
Read more about some other popular AHA's here:
Learn more about Glycolic AcidPhenoxyethanol is a preservative that has germicide, antimicrobial, and aromatic properties. Studies show that phenoxyethanol can prevent microbial growth. By itself, it has a scent that is similar to that of a rose.
It's often used in formulations along with Caprylyl Glycol to preserve the shelf life of products.
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.
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 HydroxideTocopherol 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 TocopherolTocopheryl Acetate is AKA Vitamin E. It is an antioxidant and protects your skin from free radicals. Free radicals damage the skin by breaking down collagen.
One study found using Tocopheryl Acetate with Vitamin C decreased the number of sunburned cells.
Tocopheryl Acetate is commonly found in both skincare and dietary supplements.
Learn more about Tocopheryl AcetateWater. 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
