What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Undaria Pinnatifida Extract
Skin ConditioningCorallina Officinalis Extract
Skin Conditioning
Caprooyl Tetrapeptide-3
Skin Protecting
Chenopodium Quinoa Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningCaffeine
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Albizia Julibrissin Bark Extract
MaskingDextran
Darutoside
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Gardenia Florida Extract
Antioxidant
Maltodextrin
Absorbent
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Citric Acid
Buffering
Lonicera Japonica Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningLonicera Caprifolium Flower Extract
Perfuming
Water, Glycerin, Undaria Pinnatifida Extract, Corallina Officinalis Extract, Caprooyl Tetrapeptide-3, Chenopodium Quinoa Seed Extract, Caffeine, Sodium Hyaluronate, Albizia Julibrissin Bark Extract, Dextran, Darutoside, Hydrolyzed Gardenia Florida Extract, Maltodextrin, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, Citric Acid, Lonicera Japonica Flower Extract, Lonicera Caprifolium Flower Extract
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Squalane
Emollient
Propylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate
EmollientCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Methyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Steareth-21
CleansingCetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Stearyl Alcohol
Emollient
C10-18 Triglycerides
Emollient
Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Saccharomyces Ferment Filtrate
Humectant
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Avena Sativa Kernel Extract
Abrasive
Morinda Citrifolia Fruit Juice
Skin ConditioningSaccharomyces Cerevisiae Extract
Skin Conditioning
Litchi Chinensis Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningRubus Fruticosus Leaf Extract
MaskingTocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Ascorbyl Tetraisopalmitate
Antioxidant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Biotin
AntiseborrhoeicGlyceryl Hydroxystearate
Emollient
Steareth-2
EmulsifyingStearalkonium Hectorite
Gel FormingSodium Polyacrylate
Absorbent
Parfum
Masking
Dimethicone
Emollient
Silica
Abrasive
Propylene Carbonate
SolventAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Maltodextrin
Absorbent
Tromethamine
BufferingAdenosine
Skin Conditioning
CI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantBiosaccharide Gum-2
Skin ConditioningCaramel
Cosmetic ColorantHydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingAlgin
Masking
BHT
Antioxidant
Sodium Citrate
BufferingTin Oxide
Abrasive
Acacia Senegal Gum
MaskingCitric Acid
Buffering
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPotassium Sorbate
Preservative
Serine
Masking
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Linalool
Perfuming
Water, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Squalane, Propylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Methyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer, Pentylene Glycol, Steareth-21, Cetyl Alcohol, Stearyl Alcohol, C10-18 Triglycerides, Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil, Saccharomyces Ferment Filtrate, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Avena Sativa Kernel Extract, Morinda Citrifolia Fruit Juice, Saccharomyces Cerevisiae Extract, Litchi Chinensis Seed Extract, Rubus Fruticosus Leaf Extract, Tocopheryl Acetate, Ascorbyl Tetraisopalmitate, Tocopherol, Biotin, Glyceryl Hydroxystearate, Steareth-2, Stearalkonium Hectorite, Sodium Polyacrylate, Parfum, Dimethicone, Silica, Propylene Carbonate, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Sodium Hyaluronate, Maltodextrin, Tromethamine, Adenosine, CI 77891, Biosaccharide Gum-2, Caramel, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Algin, BHT, Sodium Citrate, Tin Oxide, Acacia Senegal Gum, Citric Acid, Ethylhexylglycerin, Potassium Sorbate, Serine, Phenoxyethanol, Linalool
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
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 GlycerinMaltodextrin is a polysaccharide. It is derived from starch such as rice, corn, wheat, or potato starch.
In food, Maltodextrin is used to improve the texture and thicken a product. Due to its structure, it can help create a gel texture. As an emulsion stabilizer, it helps keep the ingredients in a product together.
As a polysaccharide, Maltodextrin has moisturizing properties. Polysaccharides are a type of carbohydrate. The top layer of skin uses polysaccharides to retain water, keeping the skin hydrated.
Maltodextrin is water soluble and has a sweet taste.
Learn more about MaltodextrinPotassium Sorbate is a preservative used to prevent yeast and mold in products. It is commonly found in both cosmetic and food products.
This ingredient comes from potassium salt derived from sorbic acid. Sorbic acid is a natural antibiotic and effective against fungus.
Both potassium sorbate and sorbic acid can be found in baked goods, cheeses, dried meats, dried fruit, ice cream, pickles, wine, yogurt, and more.
You'll often find this ingredient used with other preservatives.
Learn more about Potassium SorbateSodium 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
