What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Decyl Glucoside
Cleansing
Glycerin
Humectant
PEG-20 Methyl Glucose Sesquistearate
Emulsifying
PPG-20 Methyl Glucose Ether
Skin ConditioningMethyl Gluceth-20
Humectant
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Stearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Polyacrylamide
Camellia Oleifera Leaf
MaskingChamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
Masking
Sapindus Mukorossi Peel Extract
Skin ConditioningMethyl Glucose Sesquistearate
Emollient
C13-14 Isoparaffin
Emollient
Laureth-7
EmulsifyingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingDisodium EDTA
Citric Acid
Buffering
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Hexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningWater, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Decyl Glucoside, Glycerin, PEG-20 Methyl Glucose Sesquistearate, PPG-20 Methyl Glucose Ether, Methyl Gluceth-20, Glyceryl Stearate, Stearyl Alcohol, Polyacrylamide, Camellia Oleifera Leaf, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Sapindus Mukorossi Peel Extract, Methyl Glucose Sesquistearate, C13-14 Isoparaffin, Laureth-7, Xanthan Gum, Disodium EDTA, Citric Acid, Caprylyl Glycol, Hexylene Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin
Water
Skin ConditioningDimethicone
Emollient
Isododecane
EmollientHamamelis Virginiana Water
Astringent
Disodium Cocoamphodiacetate
CleansingSucrose
Humectant
PEG-32
HumectantGentiana Lutea Root Extract
Skin ConditioningSilybum Marianum Extract
Skin Conditioning
Algae Extract
EmollientZinc PCA
Humectant
Sorbitol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Caffeine
Skin Conditioning
PPG-26-Buteth-26
Skin ConditioningPEG-4 Dilaurate
Emulsifying
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Hexylene Glycol
Emulsifying1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
PEG-6
HumectantCitric Acid
Buffering
Lauramidopropyl Betaine
CleansingParfum
Masking
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Water, Dimethicone, Isododecane, Hamamelis Virginiana Water, Disodium Cocoamphodiacetate, Sucrose, PEG-32, Gentiana Lutea Root Extract, Silybum Marianum Extract, Algae Extract, Zinc PCA, Sorbitol, Glycerin, Caffeine, PPG-26-Buteth-26, PEG-4 Dilaurate, Caprylyl Glycol, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Hexylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, PEG-6, Citric Acid, Lauramidopropyl Betaine, Parfum, Phenoxyethanol
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Caprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.
Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.
Because it is not a free-fatty acid or alcohol, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolCitric 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 GlycerinHexylene Glycol is a multitasker ingredient that works as a solvent, humectant, emulsifier, viscosity reducer, and preservative booster.
It is able to dissolve both water and oil-soluble ingredients to stabilize tricky actives and make products spread more easily.
As a humectant, it pulls water into the skin. But it's a pretty minor moisturizing ingredient compared to other humectants, like glycerin.
Interestingly, it can act as a mild penetration enhancer. One in vitro study on human skin found a 12% concentration upped the absorption of mometasone furoate (a medicinal ingredient used to treat inflammatory skin conditions) up to 7%.
This ingredient is typically used at levels of 0.1-10% depending on the role it's playing.
A patch test study on eczema patients didn't find a significant increase in irritation versus the control group, but the potential for irritation rises at higher concentrations.
Learn more about Hexylene GlycolPhenoxyethanol 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.
Water. 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
