What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Salicylic Acid 2%
Masking
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycolic Acid
Buffering
Isopentyldiol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Hdi/Trimethylol Hexyllactone Crosspolymer
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingTapioca Starch
C13-15 Alkane
SolventPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Oil
Perfuming
Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate
Cladonia Rangiferina Extract
Skin ConditioningSilica
Abrasive
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
CI 77492
Cosmetic ColorantRicinus Communis Seed Oil
Masking
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Chlorophyllin-Copper Complex
Antioxidant
Limonene
Perfuming
Salicylic Acid 2%, Water, Glycolic Acid, Isopentyldiol, Glycerin, Hdi/Trimethylol Hexyllactone Crosspolymer, Cetearyl Alcohol, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Sodium Hydroxide, Tapioca Starch, C13-15 Alkane, Phenoxyethanol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Panthenol, Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Oil, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Cladonia Rangiferina Extract, Silica, Sodium Hyaluronate, CI 77492, Ricinus Communis Seed Oil, Niacinamide, Chlorophyllin-Copper Complex, Limonene
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Sodium Polystyrene Sulfonate
Emulsion StabilisingAcetyl Hexapeptide-8
Humectant
Pentapeptide-18
Skin Conditioning
Citric Acid
Buffering
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Polyglyceryl-3 Stearate
Emulsifying
Beheneth-5
EmulsifyingIsopropyl Palmitate
Emollient
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Prunus Armeniaca Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Retinyl Palmitate
Skin Conditioning
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingC18-38 Alkyl Hydroxystearoyl Stearate
EmollientSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Water, Glycerin, Sodium Polystyrene Sulfonate, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Pentapeptide-18, Citric Acid, Caprylyl Glycol, Polyglyceryl-3 Stearate, Beheneth-5, Isopropyl Palmitate, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Prunus Armeniaca Fruit Extract, Phenoxyethanol, Retinyl Palmitate, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Hydroxide, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, C18-38 Alkyl Hydroxystearoyl Stearate, Sodium Hyaluronate
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Glycerin (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.
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 HyaluronateSodium 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 HydroxideWater. 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
