What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil
Masking
Glycerin
Humectant
Dicaprylyl Carbonate
EmollientTricaprylin
Perfuming
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate
Emulsion StabilisingGlyceryl Stearate
Emollient
PEG-100 Stearate
Squalane
Emollient
Ricinus Communis Seed Oil
Masking
Betaine
Humectant
Tribehenin
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Salix Nigra Bark Extract
Skin ProtectingSalicylic Acid
Masking
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Sodium PCA
Humectant
Lactobacillus Ferment
Skin Conditioning
Caffeine
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Punica Granatum Sterols
Skin Conditioning
Glycine Soja Seed Extract
Skin Conditioning
Glycine Soja Oil
Emollient
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-2
Emollient
Caprylic/Capric/Myristic/Stearic Triglyceride
EmollientHydrolyzed Algin
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Potassium Hydroxide
BufferingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingStearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Isostearic Acid
Cleansing
Bulnesia Sarmientoi Wood Oil
Masking
Cananga Odorata Flower Oil
Masking
Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil
Masking
Citrus Nobilis Peel Oil
Masking
Citrus Paradisi Peel Oil
Masking
Elettaria Cardamomum Seed Oil
Masking
Eugenia Caryophyllus Bud Oil
Masking
Juniperus Virginiana Oil
Masking
Vetiveria Zizanoides Root Oil
Masking
Vanilla Tahitensis Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningJasminum Sambac Flower Extract
Masking
Viola Odorata Leaf Extract
MaskingGamma-Nonalactone
Masking
Vanillin
Masking
Methyl Anthranilate
MaskingLinalool
Perfuming
Citral
Perfuming
Limonene
Perfuming
Citronellol
Perfuming
Eugenol
Perfuming
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Benzyl Salicylate
Perfuming
Benzyl Benzoate
Antimicrobial
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Water, Butylene Glycol, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil, Glycerin, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Tricaprylin, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Sodium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Squalane, Ricinus Communis Seed Oil, Betaine, Tribehenin, Cetearyl Alcohol, Stearic Acid, Salix Nigra Bark Extract, Salicylic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium PCA, Lactobacillus Ferment, Caffeine, Ceramide NP, Punica Granatum Sterols, Glycine Soja Seed Extract, Glycine Soja Oil, Tocopherol, Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-2, Caprylic/Capric/Myristic/Stearic Triglyceride, Hydrolyzed Algin, Caprylyl Glycol, Potassium Hydroxide, Xanthan Gum, Stearyl Alcohol, Isostearic Acid, Bulnesia Sarmientoi Wood Oil, Cananga Odorata Flower Oil, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil, Citrus Nobilis Peel Oil, Citrus Paradisi Peel Oil, Elettaria Cardamomum Seed Oil, Eugenia Caryophyllus Bud Oil, Juniperus Virginiana Oil, Vetiveria Zizanoides Root Oil, Vanilla Tahitensis Fruit Extract, Jasminum Sambac Flower Extract, Viola Odorata Leaf Extract, Gamma-Nonalactone, Vanillin, Methyl Anthranilate, Linalool, Citral, Limonene, Citronellol, Eugenol, Benzyl Alcohol, Benzyl Salicylate, Benzyl Benzoate, Phenoxyethanol, Potassium Sorbate
Water
Skin ConditioningHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Lanolin
Emollient
Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin Conditioning
Cera Alba
Emollient
Alcohol
Antimicrobial
Polyglyceryl-3 Polyricinoleate
Emulsifying
Glycerin
Humectant
Limonene
Perfuming
Viola Tricolor Extract
EmollientHydrolyzed Beeswax
Emulsifying
Sorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialChamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
Masking
Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract
Masking
Arginine
Masking
Zinc Sulfate
Antimicrobial
Parfum
Masking
Linalool
Perfuming
Geraniol
Perfuming
Citral
Perfuming
Coumarin
Perfuming
Water, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Lanolin, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Cera Alba, Alcohol, Polyglyceryl-3 Polyricinoleate, Glycerin, Limonene, Viola Tricolor Extract, Hydrolyzed Beeswax, Sorbitan Olivate, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract, Arginine, Zinc Sulfate, Parfum, Linalool, Geraniol, Citral, Coumarin
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Citral is the molecule responsible for the fresh lemon scent in lemon, lime, and lemongrass. It is a fragrance ingredient that can be created from plant essential oils or synthetically.
Though Citral has documented antimicrobial activity against acne bacteria (which is where the marketing claims about it being good for acne-prone skin originate), real formulas use it at fragrance-level concentrations under 1% so there's likely no skin benefit.
You should know this ingredient is a known EU fragrance allergen.
Animal studies classifies this ingredient as a weak-to-moderate skin sensitizer and clinical patch testing on eczema patients confirmed it to be both a contact allergen and irritant.
The term 'citral' is a collective term for two geometric isomers: geranial/Citral A and neral/Citral B.
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 CitralGlycerin (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 GlycerinHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil is a plant oil derived from the seeds of a sunflower.
It is rich in fatty acids, primarily linoleic acid and oleic acid. This gives it emollient and skin conditioning properties.
The reason this ingredient is so effective is because it forms a thin film on the skin that reduces transepidermal water loss (TEWL) while supplying linoleic acid to the stratum corneum to improve barrier strength.
The high linoleic acid content is particularly noteworthy for acne-prone skin.
Research suggests that acne-prone skin tends to be deficient in linoleic acid in sebum. Topical application may help replenish this to support a healthier follicular environment and less comedone-promoting sebum.
One randomized study found sunflower seed oil preserved skin barrier integrity in adult volunteers with and without atopic dermatitis (outperforming olive oil).
This ingredient is well-studied, gentle, and an effective emollient suitable for most skin types.
On fungal acne: This ingredient may not be Fungal acne (Malassezia folliculitis) safe. This is because it contains fatty acids with carbon chain lengths in the C11-C24 range.
Learn more about Helianthus Annuus Seed OilLimonene 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 LinaloolWater. 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
