What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Babassu Oil Glycereth-8 Esters
Emulsifying
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Cucumis Sativus Seed Oil
Emollient
Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Rubus Idaeus Fruit Extract
AstringentVaccinium Macrocarpon Fruit Extract
AstringentCitrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningCitrus Limon Peel Extract
EmollientLavandula Angustifolia Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract
Masking
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialSalvia Officinalis Leaf Extract
CleansingSalvia Sclarea Extract
AntiseborrhoeicVanilla Planifolia Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Sorbitan Oleate Decylglucoside Crosspolymer
Cleansing
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Citric Acid
Buffering
Disodium EDTA
Triethyl Citrate
Masking
Limonene
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Amyl Cinnamal
Perfuming
Citral
Perfuming
Water, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Niacinamide, Babassu Oil Glycereth-8 Esters, Sodium Hyaluronate, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Cucumis Sativus Seed Oil, Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract, Rubus Idaeus Fruit Extract, Vaccinium Macrocarpon Fruit Extract, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Extract, Citrus Limon Peel Extract, Lavandula Angustifolia Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Salvia Officinalis Leaf Extract, Salvia Sclarea Extract, Vanilla Planifolia Fruit Extract, Phenoxyethanol, Sorbitan Oleate Decylglucoside Crosspolymer, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, Citric Acid, Disodium EDTA, Triethyl Citrate, Limonene, Linalool, Amyl Cinnamal, Citral
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 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 Hyaluronate is hyaluronic acid's salt form. It is commonly derived from the sodium salt of hyaluronic acid.
Like hyaluronic acid, it is great at holding water and acts as a humectant. This makes it a great skin hydrating ingredient.
Sodium Hyaluronate is naturally occurring in our bodies and is mostly found in eye fluid and joints.
These are some other common types of Hyaluronic Acid:
Learn more about Sodium HyaluronateWater. 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. Stay hydrated!
Learn more about Water
