What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Alcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Water
Skin ConditioningBenzoic Acid
Masking
Biotin
AntiseborrhoeicCalcium Pantothenate
Citric Acid
Buffering
Decyl Glucoside
Cleansing
Dehydroacetic Acid
Preservative
Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Glycine Soja Germ Extract
EmollientGlycol Distearate
Emollient
Inositol
Humectant
Lauryl Lactate
EmollientPanax Ginseng Root Extract
Emollient
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Polyglyceryl-4 Caprate
EmulsifyingPolyquaternium-10
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Retinol
Skin Conditioning
Serenoa Serrulata Fruit Oil
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Sodium Chloride
MaskingSodium Lactate
Buffering
Sodium Laureth Sulfate
Cleansing
Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate
Triticum Vulgare Germ Extract
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
Antioxidant
Zea Mays Oil
Emulsifying
Alcohol Denat., Water, Benzoic Acid, Biotin, Calcium Pantothenate, Citric Acid, Decyl Glucoside, Dehydroacetic Acid, Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract, Glycerin, Glycine Soja Germ Extract, Glycol Distearate, Inositol, Lauryl Lactate, Panax Ginseng Root Extract, Panthenol, Phenoxyethanol, Polyglyceryl-4 Caprate, Polyquaternium-10, Potassium Sorbate, Retinol, Serenoa Serrulata Fruit Oil, Sodium Benzoate, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Lactate, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Triticum Vulgare Germ Extract, Tocopherol, Zea Mays Oil
Water
Skin ConditioningAmmonium Lauryl Sulfate
Cleansing
Sodium Chloride
MaskingCocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil
Emollient
Camellia Oleifera Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Triethyl Citrate
Masking
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingGuar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride
Skin ConditioningCitric Acid
Buffering
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Benzoic Acid
Masking
Linalool
Perfuming
Geraniol
Perfuming
Limonene
Perfuming
Citronellol
Perfuming
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Parfum
Masking
Water, Ammonium Lauryl Sulfate, Sodium Chloride, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Camellia Oleifera Seed Oil, Triethyl Citrate, Sodium Hydroxide, Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Citric Acid, Tocopherol, Sodium Benzoate, Benzoic Acid, Linalool, Geraniol, Limonene, Citronellol, Benzyl Alcohol, Parfum
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Benzoic Acid is used to preserve and adjust the pH of products.
The antimicrobial property of Benzoic Acid helps elongate a product's shelf life. Its main role is to reduce fungi growth and is not found to be effective at fighting bacteria. Therefore Benzoic Acid is always added along with other preservatives.
In its pure form, Benzoic Acid looks like a white crystalline solid. It has slight solubility in water.
The name of Benzoic Acid comes from gum benzoin, which used to be the sole source of deriving this ingredient. Benzoic Acid is the most simple aromatic carboxylic acid.
Benzoic Acid is naturally occuring in strawberries, mustard, cinnamon, and cloves. It has a slight scent but is not considered to be a fragrance.
Learn more about Benzoic AcidCitric 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 AcidSodium Benzoate is a preservative. It's used in both cosmetic and food products to inhibit the growth of mold and bacteria. It is typically produced synthetically.
Both the US FDA and EU Health Committee have approved the use of sodium benzoate. In the US, levels of 0.1% (of the total product) are allowed.
Sodium benzoate works as a preservative by inhibiting the growth of bacteria inside of cells. It prevents the cell from fermenting a type of sugar using an enzyme called phosphofructokinase.
It is the salt of benzoic acid. Foods containing sodium benzoate include soda, salad dressings, condiments, fruit juices, wines, and snack foods.
Studies for using ascorbic acid and sodium benzoate in cosmetics are lacking, especially in skincare routines with multiple steps.
We always recommend speaking with a professional, such as a dermatologist, if you have any concerns.
Learn more about Sodium BenzoateChances are, you eat sodium chloride every day. Sodium Chloride is also known as table salt. This ingredient has many purposes in skincare: thickener, emulsifier, and exfoliator.
You'll most likely find this ingredient in cleansers where it is used to create a gel-like texture. As an emulsifier, it also prevents ingredients from separating.
You might see people debate whether Sodium Chloride is comedogenic, but there actually haven't been any comedogenic tests done on it. Either way, the overall formulation of a product matters a lot more than any single ingredient.
You might see this ingredient used in scrubs as a primary exfoliating ingredient.
Learn more about Sodium ChlorideTocopherol 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
