What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Sodium Coco-Sulfate
Cleansing
Water
Skin ConditioningCitric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Lauroyl Glutamate
Palmitic Acid
Emollient
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Sodium Sulfate
Betaine
Humectant
Charcoal Powder
Abrasive
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Ascorbyl Palmitate
Antioxidant
Coco-Glucoside
CleansingGlyceryl Oleate
Emollient
Hydrogenated Palm Glycerides Citrate
Emollient
Lecithin
Emollient
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingLinalool
Perfuming
Limonene
Perfuming
Parfum
Masking
Sodium Coco-Sulfate, Water, Citric Acid, Sodium Lauroyl Glutamate, Palmitic Acid, Stearic Acid, Cetearyl Alcohol, Sodium Sulfate, Betaine, Charcoal Powder, Tocopherol, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Coco-Glucoside, Glyceryl Oleate, Hydrogenated Palm Glycerides Citrate, Lecithin, Sodium Hydroxide, Linalool, Limonene, Parfum
Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil
Emollient
Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin Conditioning
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
PEG-8 Beeswax
Emulsifying
PEG-6 Caprylic/Capric Glycerides
EmulsifyingPEG-60 Almond Glycerides
Emulsifying
Sorbitan Stearate
Emulsifying
Palmitic/Stearic Triglyceride
Limonene
Perfuming
Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil
Masking
Silica
Abrasive
Glycerin
Humectant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil
Masking
Citrus Aurantium Amara Flower Oil
Masking
Citrus Nobilis Peel Oil
Masking
Juniperus Virginiana Oil
Masking
Water
Skin ConditioningLecithin
Emollient
Linalool
Perfuming
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Octyldodecyl PCA
EmollientMenthyl PCA
HumectantTocopherol
Antioxidant
Ascorbyl Palmitate
Antioxidant
Crithmum Maritimum Extract
Skin ConditioningHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Moringa Oleifera Seed Extract
Skin Conditioning
Jasminum Officinale Flower Oil
Perfuming
Rosa Damascena Flower Oil
Masking
Disodium Phosphate
BufferingCitronellol
Perfuming
Citric Acid
Buffering
Geraniol
Perfuming
Citral
Perfuming
Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cetearyl Alcohol, PEG-8 Beeswax, PEG-6 Caprylic/Capric Glycerides, PEG-60 Almond Glycerides, Sorbitan Stearate, Palmitic/Stearic Triglyceride, Limonene, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil, Silica, Glycerin, Phenoxyethanol, Benzyl Alcohol, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil, Citrus Aurantium Amara Flower Oil, Citrus Nobilis Peel Oil, Juniperus Virginiana Oil, Water, Lecithin, Linalool, Butylene Glycol, Octyldodecyl PCA, Menthyl PCA, Tocopherol, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Crithmum Maritimum Extract, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Moringa Oleifera Seed Extract, Jasminum Officinale Flower Oil, Rosa Damascena Flower Oil, Disodium Phosphate, Citronellol, Citric Acid, Geraniol, Citral
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Ascorbyl Palmitate is created by combining pure Vitamin C and palmitic acid. It is an antioxidant and helps reduce hyperpigmentation.
This ingredient is a more stable version of Vitamin C, meaning it does not disintegrate as quickly when exposed to sunlight. However, studies show it does not penetrate skin as well as pure Vitamin C.
Ascorbyl Palmitate is oil soluble.
Read more about other types of Vitamin C:
Learn more about Ascorbyl PalmitateCetearyl alcohol is a mixture of two fatty alcohols: cetyl alcohol and stearyl alcohol. It is mainly used as an emulsifier. Emulsifiers help prevent the separation of oils and products. Due to its composition, it can also be used to thicken a product or help create foam.
Cetearyl alcohol is an emollient. Emollients help soothe and hydrate the skin by trapping moisture.
Studies show Cetearyl alcohol is non-toxic and non-irritating. The FDA allows products labeled "alcohol-free" to have fatty alcohols.
This ingredient is usually derived from plant oils such as palm, vegetable, or coconut oils. There is debate on whether this ingredient will cause acne.
Due to the fatty acid base, this ingredient may not be Malassezia folliculitis safe.
Learn more about Cetearyl AlcoholCitric 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 AcidLecithin is a term for a group of substances found in the cell membranes of plants, animals, and humans. They are made up of mixture of phospholipids.
This ingredient has emollient and emulsifying properties.
As an emollient, lecithen helps soften the skin and creates a barrier to keep moisture in.
As an emulsifier, it also helps prevent water and oil ingredients from separating. Lecithin can also help ingredients be better absorbed by the skin.
This is because the phospholipids in lecithin produce liposomes. Liposomes help other ingredients get through the skin barrier.
Depending on the source of this ingredient, lecithin may not be fungal acne safe. This is because some sources of lecithin come from soybean oil, which may feed the malassezia yeast that feeds fungal acne.
We recommend reaching out to the brand you are purchasing from to inquire about the source of their lecithin.
Some other names for this ingredient include soy lecithin and deoiled soy lecithin.
Learn more about LecithinLimonene is a fragrance that adds scent and taste to a formulation.
It's found in the peel oil of citrus fruits and other plants such as lavender and eucalyptus. The scent of limonene is generally described as "sweet citrus".
Limonene acts as an antioxidant, meaning it helps neutralize free radicals.
When exposed to air, oxidized limonene may sensitize the skin. Because of this, limonene is often avoided by people with sensitive skin.
The term 'fragrance' is not regulated in many countries. In many cases, it is up to the brand to define this term. For instance, many brands choose to label themselves as "fragrance-free" because they are not using synthetic fragrances. However, their products may still contain ingredients such as essential oils that are considered a fragrance.
Learn more about LimoneneLinalool is a fragrance and helps add scent to products. It's derived from common plants such as cinnamon, mint, citrus, and lavender.
Like Limonene, this ingredient oxidizes when exposed to air. Oxidized linalool can cause allergies and skin sensitivity.
This ingredient has a scent that is floral, spicy tropical, and citrus-like.
Learn more about LinaloolTocopherol (also known as Vitamin E) is a common antioxidant used to help protect the skin from free-radicals and strengthen the skin barrier. It's also fat soluble - this means our skin is great at absorbing it.
Vitamin E also helps keep your natural skin lipids healthy. Your lipid skin barrier naturally consists of lipids, ceramides, and fatty acids. Vitamin E offers extra protection for your skin’s lipid barrier, keeping your skin healthy and nourished.
Another benefit is a bit of UV protection. Vitamin E helps reduce the damage caused by UVB rays. (It should not replace your sunscreen). Combining it with Vitamin C can decrease sunburned cells and hyperpigmentation after UV exposure.
You might have noticed Vitamin E + C often paired together. This is because it is great at stabilizing Vitamin C. Using the two together helps increase the effectiveness of both ingredients.
There are often claims that Vitamin E can reduce/prevent scarring, but these claims haven't been confirmed by scientific research.
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. Stay hydrated!
Learn more about Water
