What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningPoloxamer 124
EmulsifyingSodium Ascorbyl Phosphate
Antioxidant
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Vaccinium Macrocarpon Fruit Juice
Skin ConditioningCitrus Limon Juice
Skin Conditioning
Ascorbic Acid
Antioxidant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Decyl Glucoside
Cleansing
Sodium Cocoamphoacetate
CleansingSodium Chloride
MaskingCitric Acid
Buffering
Maltodextrin
Absorbent
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Trisodium EDTA
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
BHT
Antioxidant
Water, Poloxamer 124, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Niacinamide, Vaccinium Macrocarpon Fruit Juice, Citrus Limon Juice, Ascorbic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate, Glycerin, Decyl Glucoside, Sodium Cocoamphoacetate, Sodium Chloride, Citric Acid, Maltodextrin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Trisodium EDTA, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, Phenoxyethanol, BHT
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
PEG-7 Caprylic/Capric Glycerides
EmulsifyingPropanediol
Solvent
PEG-6 Caprylic/Capric Glycerides
EmulsifyingSodium Cocoamphoacetate
CleansingChlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
PEG/PPG/Polybutylene Glycol-8/5/3 Glycerin
HumectantXylitylglucoside
Humectant
Polyaminopropyl Biguanide
Preservative
Sodium Chloride
MaskingAnhydroxylitol
Humectant
Disodium EDTA
Xylitol
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Phytic Acid
3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Salicylic Acid
Masking
Potassium Azeloyl Diglycinate
Skin Conditioning
Amylopectin
Dextrin
AbsorbentXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingButylene Glycol
Humectant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Polyquaternium-10
Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
Skin Conditioning
Moringa Oleifera Seed Extract
Skin Conditioning
Biosaccharide Gum-4
Skin Conditioning
Disodium Phosphate
BufferingPotassium Chloride
Citric Acid
Buffering
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Water, Glycerin, PEG-7 Caprylic/Capric Glycerides, Propanediol, PEG-6 Caprylic/Capric Glycerides, Sodium Cocoamphoacetate, Chlorphenesin, PEG/PPG/Polybutylene Glycol-8/5/3 Glycerin, Xylitylglucoside, Polyaminopropyl Biguanide, Sodium Chloride, Anhydroxylitol, Disodium EDTA, Xylitol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Phytic Acid, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Salicylic Acid, Potassium Azeloyl Diglycinate, Amylopectin, Dextrin, Xanthan Gum, Butylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Phenoxyethanol, Pentylene Glycol, Polyquaternium-10, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Moringa Oleifera Seed Extract, Biosaccharide Gum-4, Disodium Phosphate, Potassium Chloride, Citric Acid, Caprylyl Glycol
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
1,2-Hexanediol is a synthetic liquid and another multi-functional powerhouse.
It is a:
- Humectant, drawing moisture into the skin
- Emollient, helping to soften skin
- Solvent, dispersing and stabilizing formulas
- Preservative booster, enhancing the antimicrobial activity of other preservatives
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 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 GlycerinPhenoxyethanol 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.
Chances 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 ChlorideWe don't have a description for Sodium Cocoamphoacetate yet.
Sodium Hyaluronate is the salt form of hyaluronic acid. It is a long sugar chain that is naturally found in your skin, joints, and connective tissue that maintains hydration and elasticity.
In skincare, it works as a humectant. It pulls water from the environment and deeper layers of skin and binds it to the surface.
Interestingly, the size of the molecule affects its behavior:
Some clinical evidence links low molecular weight versions to improved wrinkle depth, elasticity, anti-inflammatory effects, and barrier repair.
Many serums use a blend of both weights so you can get surface hydration plus longer-lasting and deeper effects.
You'll typically see concentrations between 0.1-2% for this ingredient.
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. Remember to stay hydrated!
Learn more about Water
