What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningLactic Acid
Buffering
Tromethamine
Buffering1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Cetearyl Olivate
Sorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Glycerin
Humectant
Hydrogenated Polydecene
EmollientJania Rubens Extract
Skin ConditioningPanax Ginseng Root Extract
Emollient
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Camellia Japonica Flower Extract
EmollientCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Saccharomyces/Viscum Album Ferment Extract
Skin Conditioning
Lactobacillus/Soybean Ferment Extract
Skin ConditioningSaccharomyces/Imperata Cylindrica Root Ferment Extract
Emollient
Saccharomyces/Rice Ferment Filtrate
Skin Conditioning
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Xylitol
Humectant
Polyglutamic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
Skin Conditioning
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
Humectant
Ginkgo Biloba Leaf Extract
Skin Conditioning
Phellinus Linteus Extract
Skin ConditioningTremella Fuciformis Extract
Humectant
Morus Alba Root Extract
BleachingPropanediol
Solvent
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Acetyl Hexapeptide-8
Humectant
Copper Tripeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4
Skin Conditioning
Oligopeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Oligopeptide-2
Skin Conditioning
Adenosine
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate
Emulsion StabilisingPentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Ethyl Hexanediol
SolventEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningWater, Lactic Acid, Tromethamine, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, Glycerin, Hydrogenated Polydecene, Jania Rubens Extract, Panax Ginseng Root Extract, Ceramide NP, Camellia Japonica Flower Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Saccharomyces/Viscum Album Ferment Extract, Lactobacillus/Soybean Ferment Extract, Saccharomyces/Imperata Cylindrica Root Ferment Extract, Saccharomyces/Rice Ferment Filtrate, Butylene Glycol, Xylitol, Polyglutamic Acid, Hyaluronic Acid, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Ginkgo Biloba Leaf Extract, Phellinus Linteus Extract, Tremella Fuciformis Extract, Morus Alba Root Extract, Propanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Copper Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4, Oligopeptide-1, Oligopeptide-2, Adenosine, Sodium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Pentylene Glycol, Ethyl Hexanediol, Ethylhexylglycerin
Water
Skin ConditioningAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Betula Alba Juice
AstringentGluconolactone
Skin Conditioning
Glycolic Acid
Buffering
Gossypium Herbaceum Fruit Water
MaskingLactic Acid
Buffering
Isoamyl Laurate
Emollient
Potassium Hydroxide
BufferingPolyacrylate Crosspolymer-6
Emulsion StabilisingSilica
Abrasive
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingNeopentyl Glycol Diheptanoate
EmollientPolyglyceryl-3 Laurate
EmulsifyingGluconic Acid
Citrus Limon Fruit Extract
Masking
Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Humectant
Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
Bleaching
Saccharum Officinarum Extract
MoisturisingChamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
Masking
Citrus Aurantifolia Peel Extract
Cleansing
Citrus Limon Peel Oil
Masking
Santalum Album Extract
CleansingGlycerin
Humectant
Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate
Antimicrobial
Sodium Riboflavin Phosphate
Skin ConditioningCitrus Aurantium Bergamia Peel Oil
Perfuming
Triethyl Citrate
Masking
Isododecane
EmollientPolysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Sorbitan Isostearate
Emulsifying
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingPentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
Antioxidant
Dimethylhydroxy Furanone
MaskingVanillin
Masking
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Limonene
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Citral
Perfuming
Water, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Betula Alba Juice, Gluconolactone, Glycolic Acid, Gossypium Herbaceum Fruit Water, Lactic Acid, Isoamyl Laurate, Potassium Hydroxide, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Silica, Sodium Hydroxide, Neopentyl Glycol Diheptanoate, Polyglyceryl-3 Laurate, Gluconic Acid, Citrus Limon Fruit Extract, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Saccharum Officinarum Extract, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Citrus Aurantifolia Peel Extract, Citrus Limon Peel Oil, Santalum Album Extract, Glycerin, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Sodium Riboflavin Phosphate, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Peel Oil, Triethyl Citrate, Isododecane, Polysorbate 60, Sorbitan Isostearate, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Dimethylhydroxy Furanone, Vanillin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Limonene, Linalool, Citral
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
1,2-Hexanediol is a synthetic liquid and another multi-functional powerhouse.Â
It is a:
- Humectant, drawing moisture into the skin
- Emollient, helping to soften skin
- Solvent, dispersing and stabilizing formulas
- Preservative booster, enhancing the antimicrobial activity of other preservativesÂ
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 GlycolGlycerin (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 GlycerinLactic Acid is another well-loved alpha hydroxy acid (AHA). It is gentler than glycolic acid but still highly effective.
Its main role is to exfoliate the surface of the skin by loosening the âglueâ that holds dead skin cells together. Shedding those old cells leads to smoother, softer, and more even-toned skin.
Because lactic acid molecules are larger than glycolic acid, they donât penetrate as deeply. This means theyâre less likely to sting or irritate, making it a great choice for beginners or those with sensitive skin.
Like glycolic acid, it can:
Lactic acid also acts as a humectant (like hyaluronic acid). It can draw water into the skin to improve hydration and also plays a role in the skin's natural moisturizing factor (NMF) in the form of sodium lactate.
Studies show it can boost ceramide production to strengthen the skin barrier and even help balance the skinâs microbiome.
To get results, choose products with a pH between 3-4.
Lower strengths (5-12%) focus on surface exfoliation; higher strengths (12% and up) can reach deeper in the dermis (deeper, supportive layer) to improve skin texture and firmness over time.
Though it was originally derived from milk, most modern lactic acid used in skincare is vegan. It is made through non-dairy fermentation to create a bio-identical and stable form suitable for all formulations.
When lactic acid shows up near the end of an ingredient list, it usually means the brand added just a tiny amount to adjust the productâs pH.
Legend has it that Cleopatra used to bathe in sour milk to help reduce wrinkles.
Lactic acid is truly a gentle multitasker: it exfoliates, hydrates, strengthens, and brightens. It's a great ingredient for giving your skin a smooth, glowing, and healthy look without the harshness of stronger acids.
Read more about some other popular AHA's here:
Learn more about Lactic AcidWater. 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
