What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Citrus Limon Juice
Skin Conditioning
Prunus Cerasus Juice
Skin ConditioningVitis Vinifera
MaskingAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Decyl Glucoside
Cleansing
Glycerin
Humectant
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingGluconolactone
Skin Conditioning
Sclerotium Gum
Emulsion StabilisingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingLysolecithin
EmulsifyingPullulan
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Sodium Levulinate
Skin ConditioningSalvia Officinalis Extract
Antimicrobial
Taraxacum Officinale Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningMelissa Officinalis Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningNannochloropsis Oculata Extract
HumectantHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate
Sodium Anisate
AntimicrobialCitric Acid
Buffering
Citrus Aurantifolia Oil
Cleansing
Litsea Cubeba Fruit Oil
Masking
Citrus Aurantium Amara Peel Oil
Skin Conditioning
Viola Odorata Oil
Masking
Citrus Limon Juice, Prunus Cerasus Juice, Vitis Vinifera, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Decyl Glucoside, Glycerin, Sodium Hydroxide, Gluconolactone, Sclerotium Gum, Xanthan Gum, Lysolecithin, Pullulan, Sodium Benzoate, Sodium Levulinate, Salvia Officinalis Extract, Taraxacum Officinale Leaf Extract, Melissa Officinalis Leaf Extract, Nannochloropsis Oculata Extract, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Tocopherol, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Sodium Anisate, Citric Acid, Citrus Aurantifolia Oil, Litsea Cubeba Fruit Oil, Citrus Aurantium Amara Peel Oil, Viola Odorata Oil
Reviews
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 AcidGluconolactone is a PHA. PHAs are a great gentle alternative to traditional AHAs.
When applied, Gluconolactone has the same affect on skin as AHAs such as lactic acid. It helps dissolve the dead skin cells in the top layer of your skin. This improves texture and brightens the skin.
PHAs are more gentle than AHAs due to their larger structure. They do not penetrate as deeply as AHAs and take a longer time to dissolve dead cells. Studies show PHAs do not cause as much irritation.
Gluconolactone has some interesting properties:
In a 2004 study, Gluconolactone was found to prevent UV damage in mouse skin cells and has not been found to increase sun sensitivity. However, we still recommend wearing SPF daily.
This ingredient is is an created by reacting gluconic acid with an alcohol.
Learn more about GluconolactoneGlycerin (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 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 BenzoateSodium 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 HydroxideXanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.
On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.
Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.
Learn more about Xanthan Gum
