What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningLactobacillus Ferment
Skin Conditioning
3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Polyglutamate
HumectantTocopherol
Antioxidant
Glycerin
Humectant
Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Extract
Emulsion Stabilising
Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Callus Culture Extract
Skin ConditioningCitrus Sinensis Fruit Extract
Antioxidant
Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Fruit Extract
MaskingCitrus Aurantium Dulcis Oil
Masking
Hippophae Rhamnoides Extract
MaskingLycium Barbarum Fruit Extract
Astringent
Rosa Canina Fruit Extract
Astringent
Citrus Limon Fruit Extract
Masking
Gluconolactone
Skin Conditioning
Lithothamnion Calcareum Extract
Skin ConditioningHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Chondrus Crispus Extract
Skin Conditioning
Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate
Antimicrobial
Citric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Riboflavin Phosphate
Skin ConditioningSodium Tocopheryl Phosphate
Antioxidant
Sodium Citrate
BufferingPotassium Hydroxide
BufferingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSodium Benzoate
Masking
Calcium Gluconate
HumectantTriethylhexanoin
MaskingPolyglyceryl-3 Laurate
EmulsifyingAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingPentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
Antioxidant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Triethyl Citrate
Masking
Limonene
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Citral
Perfuming
Water, Lactobacillus Ferment, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Niacinamide, Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate, Panthenol, Sodium Polyglutamate, Tocopherol, Glycerin, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Extract, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Callus Culture Extract, Citrus Sinensis Fruit Extract, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Fruit Extract, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Oil, Hippophae Rhamnoides Extract, Lycium Barbarum Fruit Extract, Rosa Canina Fruit Extract, Citrus Limon Fruit Extract, Gluconolactone, Lithothamnion Calcareum Extract, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Chondrus Crispus Extract, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Citric Acid, Sodium Riboflavin Phosphate, Sodium Tocopheryl Phosphate, Sodium Citrate, Potassium Hydroxide, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Benzoate, Calcium Gluconate, Triethylhexanoin, Polyglyceryl-3 Laurate, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Phenoxyethanol, Chlorphenesin, Triethyl Citrate, Limonene, Linalool, Citral
Water
Skin Conditioning3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Squalane
Emollient
Sodium Citrate
BufferingTocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Colloidal Oatmeal
Absorbent
Chrysanthemum Parthenium Extract
Skin ConditioningCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
Bleaching
Glycerin
Humectant
Polyglyceryl-6 Polyricinoleate
Emulsifying
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPolyglyceryl-10 Dioleate
Emulsifying
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Citric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingTetrasodium EDTA
Water, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Squalane, Sodium Citrate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Colloidal Oatmeal, Chrysanthemum Parthenium Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Glycerin, Polyglyceryl-6 Polyricinoleate, Xanthan Gum, Polyglyceryl-10 Dioleate, Phenoxyethanol, Citric Acid, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Hydroxide, Tetrasodium EDTA
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
You might know this ingredient as Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, a more stable version of ascorbic acid.
Like other types of vitamin C, this ingredient has many benefits including reducing wrinkles, skin soothing, dark spot fading, and fighting against free radicals.
3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid interferes with the process of skin darkening, helping to reduce hyperpigmentation. It also encourages the skin to produce more collagen.
Once applied, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid is converted to Vitamin C deeper in the skin's layers. This process is slow but makes this ingredient more tolerable for skin.
The optimum pH range for this ingredient is 4 - 5.5
Learn more about 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic 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 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.
Sodium 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 Citrate is the sodium salts of citric acid. In skincare, it is used to alter pH levels and acts as a preservative.
Its main functions are to maintain the pH of a product and neutralize metal ions.
The acidity of our skin is maintained by our glands and skin biome; normal pH level of skin is slightly acidic (~4.75-5.5).
Being slightly acidic allows our skin to create an "acid mantle". This acid mantle is a thin barrier that protects our skin from bacteria and contaminants.
Learn more about Sodium CitrateWater. 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 WaterXanthan 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
