What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Sucrose
Humectant
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium Lauroyl Methyl Isethionate
CleansingGlycerin
Humectant
Cocamide Mea
Emulsifying
Sodium Lauroamphoacetate
CleansingPropanediol
Solvent
PEG-100 Stearate
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Silica
Abrasive
Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin Conditioning
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialCocos Nucifera Oil
Masking
Menthyl Lactate
Masking
Epilobium Angustifolium Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Hibiscus Esculentus Extract
Skin ConditioningApium Graveolens Seed Extract
Antioxidant
Biotinoyl Tripeptide-1
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Capryloyl Glycine
CleansingXylitylglucoside
Humectant
Saccharide Isomerate
Humectant
Apigenin
Antioxidant
Oleanolic Acid
Skin ConditioningHexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingPPG-26-Buteth-26
Skin ConditioningPEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
PEG-150 Distearate
Emulsifying
Parfum
Masking
Cocamide Mipa
Emulsifying
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Lactobacillus Ferment Lysate
Skin Conditioning
BHT
Antioxidant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate
Antimicrobial
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Sodium Citrate
BufferingCitric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Metabisulfite
Antioxidant
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingLinalool
Perfuming
Benzyl Salicylate
Perfuming
Citronellol
Perfuming
Geraniol
Perfuming
Butylphenyl Methylpropional
Perfuming
Sucrose, Water, Sodium Lauroyl Methyl Isethionate, Glycerin, Cocamide Mea, Sodium Lauroamphoacetate, Propanediol, PEG-100 Stearate, Glyceryl Stearate, Silica, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Menthyl Lactate, Epilobium Angustifolium Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract, Hydrolyzed Hibiscus Esculentus Extract, Apium Graveolens Seed Extract, Biotinoyl Tripeptide-1, Panthenol, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Capryloyl Glycine, Xylitylglucoside, Saccharide Isomerate, Apigenin, Oleanolic Acid, Hexylene Glycol, PPG-26-Buteth-26, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Caprylyl Glycol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, PEG-150 Distearate, Parfum, Cocamide Mipa, Sodium Benzoate, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Lactobacillus Ferment Lysate, BHT, Butylene Glycol, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Citrate, Citric Acid, Sodium Metabisulfite, Sodium Hydroxide, Linalool, Benzyl Salicylate, Citronellol, Geraniol, Butylphenyl Methylpropional
Water
Skin ConditioningCocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emollient
Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine
Cleansing
Glycerin
Humectant
Glyceryl Caprylate/Caprate
EmollientHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Cocamide Mipa
Emulsifying
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Coco-Glucoside
Cleansing
Glyceryl Oleate
Emollient
Parfum
Masking
Castoryl Maleate
Skin ConditioningSalicylic Acid
Masking
Olea Europaea Seed Powder
Abrasive
Citric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Water, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine, Glycerin, Glyceryl Caprylate/Caprate, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Cocamide Mipa, Stearic Acid, Coco-Glucoside, Glyceryl Oleate, Parfum, Castoryl Maleate, Salicylic Acid, Olea Europaea Seed Powder, Citric Acid, Sodium Benzoate
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 AcidWe don't have a description for Cocamide Mipa yet.
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 GlycerinParfum is a catch-all term for an ingredient or more that is used to give a scent to products.
Also called "fragrance", this ingredient can be a blend of hundreds of chemicals or plant oils. This means every product with "fragrance" or "parfum" in the ingredients list is a different mixture.
For instance, Habanolide is a proprietary trade name for a specific aroma chemical. When used as a fragrance ingredient in cosmetics, most aroma chemicals fall under the broad labeling category of “FRAGRANCE” or “PARFUM” according to EU and US regulations.
The term 'parfum' or '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 by INCI standards.
One example is Calendula flower extract. Calendula is an essential oil that still imparts a scent or 'fragrance'.
Depending on the blend, the ingredients in the mixture can cause allergies and sensitivities on the skin. Some ingredients that are known EU allergens include linalool and citronellol.
Parfum can also be used to mask or cover an unpleasant scent.
The bottom line is: not all fragrances/parfum/ingredients are created equally. If you are worried about fragrances, we recommend taking a closer look at an ingredient. And of course, we always recommend speaking with a professional.
Learn more about ParfumSodium 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 BenzoateWater. 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
