What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate
Cleansing
Disodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate
CleansingLauryl Hydroxysultaine
CleansingAcrylates Copolymer
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Glycerin
Humectant
Salicylic Acid
Masking
Chamaecyparis Obtusa Water
MaskingGlyceryl Glucoside
Humectant
Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract
Emollient
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
Emollient
3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Citrus Tangerina Extract
TonicFructan
Skin ConditioningHamamelis Virginiana Leaf Extract
Skin Conditioning
Glycolic Acid
Buffering
Malpighia Glabra Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningPerilla Ocymoides Seed Extract
Antioxidant
Beta-Glucan
Skin Conditioning
Salvia Hispanica Seed Extract
Emollient
Prunella Vulgaris Extract
Antioxidant
Fucus Vesiculosus Extract
Emollient
Arginine
Masking
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Sodium Chloride
MaskingPotassium Hydroxide
BufferingBetaine
Humectant
Ulmus Davidiana Root Extract
Skin Conditioning
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Glucose
Humectant
Sodium Citrate
BufferingMaltodextrin
Absorbent
Lauryl Betaine
CleansingCitric Acid
Buffering
Caprylhydroxamic Acid
Hexadecene
SolventTetradecene
EmollientCyanocobalamin
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Water, Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate, Disodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate, Lauryl Hydroxysultaine, Acrylates Copolymer, Niacinamide, Glycerin, Salicylic Acid, Chamaecyparis Obtusa Water, Glyceryl Glucoside, Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Citrus Tangerina Extract, Fructan, Hamamelis Virginiana Leaf Extract, Glycolic Acid, Malpighia Glabra Fruit Extract, Perilla Ocymoides Seed Extract, Beta-Glucan, Salvia Hispanica Seed Extract, Prunella Vulgaris Extract, Fucus Vesiculosus Extract, Arginine, Butylene Glycol, Sodium Chloride, Potassium Hydroxide, Betaine, Ulmus Davidiana Root Extract, 1,2-Hexanediol, Glucose, Sodium Citrate, Maltodextrin, Lauryl Betaine, Citric Acid, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, Hexadecene, Tetradecene, Cyanocobalamin, Caprylyl Glycol
Water
Skin ConditioningAmmonium Lauryl Sulfate
Cleansing
Hamamelis Virginiana Water
Astringent
Cocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Salicylic Acid
Masking
Sodium Chloride
MaskingEthyl Linoleate
Emollient
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingHydroxypropyl Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Phytosphingosine
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Citric Acid
Buffering
Bakuchiol
Antimicrobial
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Propanediol
Solvent
Glucomannan
Skin ConditioningXylitylglucoside
Humectant
Anhydroxylitol
Humectant
Rutin
Antioxidant
Hydroxycinnamic Acid
Skin ConditioningXylitol
Humectant
Rhamnose
HumectantGlucuronic Acid
Buffering
Glucose
Humectant
Water, Ammonium Lauryl Sulfate, Hamamelis Virginiana Water, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Propylene Glycol, Glycerin, Salicylic Acid, Sodium Chloride, Ethyl Linoleate, Benzyl Alcohol, Sodium Hydroxide, Hydroxypropyl Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Sodium Benzoate, Phytosphingosine, Ceramide NP, Citric Acid, Bakuchiol, Phenoxyethanol, Propanediol, Glucomannan, Xylitylglucoside, Anhydroxylitol, Rutin, Hydroxycinnamic Acid, Xylitol, Rhamnose, Glucuronic Acid, Glucose
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 AcidGlucose is a simple sugar (a monosaccharide). In skincare, it is mostly a humectant and skin conditioning agent.
Mechanistically, it has multiple hydroxyl groups that hydrogen-bond to water. This pulls moisture into the upper layers of skin to keep the surface soft and hydrated.
It's worth knowing sugars are already a natural component of the skin's NMF (natural moisturizing factor) so it's a molecule that your stratum corneum is well-acquainted with.
Just so you know, glucose is hydrophilic (water-loving) and the stratum corneum is a strong barrier to hydrophilic compounds. This just means penetration is slow and most of the action is happening on the surface.
Gram-to-gram, glucose is not as efficient as a humectant as glycerin. This is why you'll likely see glycose paired with stronger humectants for a bigger hydration payoff.
In skincare, glucose is typically derived from corn or other starch sources.
Learn more about GlucoseGlycerin (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 GlycerinSalicylic Acid (also known as beta hydroxy acid or BHA) is a well-known ingredient for treating skin that struggles with acne and clogged pores. It exfoliates both the skin's surface and deep within the pores to help clear out buildup, control oil, and reduce inflammation.
Unlike AHAs (alpha hydroxy acids), salicylic acid is oil-soluble. This allows it to penetrate into pores which makes it especially effective for treating blackheads and preventing future breakouts.
Salicylic acid is also known for its soothing properties. It has a similar structure to aspirin and can calm inflamed or irritated skin, making it a good option for acne-prone skin that is also sensitive.
Concentrations of 0.5-2% are recognized by the U.S. FDA as an over-the-counter topical acne product.
It can cause irritation and/or dryness if one's skin already has a compromised moisture barrier, so it's best to focus on repairing that before introducing this ingredient into your routine.
While salicylic acid does not increase sun sensitivity, it’s still important to wear sunscreen daily to protect your skin.
If you are looking for the ingredient called BHA or Butylated Hydroxyanisole, click here.
Learn more about Salicylic AcidChances are, you eat sodium chloride every day. Sodium Chloride is also known as table salt. This ingredient has many purposes in skincare: thickener, emulsifier, and exfoliator.
You'll most likely find this ingredient in cleansers where it is used to create a gel-like texture. As an emulsifier, it also prevents ingredients from separating.
You might see people debate whether Sodium Chloride is comedogenic, but there actually haven't been any comedogenic tests done on it. Either way, the overall formulation of a product matters a lot more than any single ingredient.
You might see this ingredient used in scrubs as a primary exfoliating ingredient.
Learn more about Sodium ChlorideWater. 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
