What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycereth-26
HumectantCitrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Water
Skin ConditioningMethylpropanediol
SolventGlycerin
HumectantSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantAmylopectin
Lithothamnion Calcareum Extract
Skin ConditioningAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin ConditioningLactic Acid
BufferingPanthenol
Skin ConditioningCitric Acid
BufferingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Phytate
Potassium Sorbate
PreservativeSodium Benzoate
MaskingHydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingMethylglucamine
Pentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningSodium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingT-Butyl Alcohol
PerfumingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeWater, Glycereth-26, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Water, Methylpropanediol, Glycerin, Sodium Hyaluronate, Amylopectin, Lithothamnion Calcareum Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Lactic Acid, Panthenol, Citric Acid, Xanthan Gum, Carbomer, Sodium Phytate, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Methylglucamine, Pentylene Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Crosspolymer, T-Butyl Alcohol, Phenoxyethanol
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantDimethicone
EmollientDimethicone Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingC12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialHydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingImperata Cylindrica Root Extract
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingMethylpropanediol
SolventSqualane
EmollientCetyl Alcohol
EmollientMeadowfoam Estolide
Skin ConditioningDipalmitoyl Hydroxyproline
Skin ConditioningTribehenin
EmollientSodium PCA
HumectantUrea
BufferingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientCollagen Amino Acids
MoisturisingPropanediol
SolventHaematococcus Pluvialis Extract
AntioxidantTrehalose
HumectantLinoleic Acid
CleansingPhytosterols
Skin ConditioningPhospholipids
Skin ConditioningPalmitic Acid
EmollientPolysorbate 60
EmulsifyingSorbitan Isostearate
EmulsifyingCeramide Ng
Skin ConditioningHexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingPEG-10 Phytosterol
EmulsifyingPolyquaternium-51
Skin ConditioningTriacetin
AntimicrobialSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingPalmitoyl Hexapeptide-12
Skin ConditioningSodium Hydroxide
BufferingLactic Acid
BufferingWater, Glycerin, Dimethicone, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Imperata Cylindrica Root Extract, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Methylpropanediol, Squalane, Cetyl Alcohol, Meadowfoam Estolide, Dipalmitoyl Hydroxyproline, Tribehenin, Sodium PCA, Urea, Carbomer, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol, Collagen Amino Acids, Propanediol, Haematococcus Pluvialis Extract, Trehalose, Linoleic Acid, Phytosterols, Phospholipids, Palmitic Acid, Polysorbate 60, Sorbitan Isostearate, Ceramide Ng, Hexylene Glycol, PEG-10 Phytosterol, Polyquaternium-51, Triacetin, Sodium Hyaluronate, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Palmitoyl Hexapeptide-12, Sodium Hydroxide, Lactic Acid
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Carbomer is a polymer of acrylic acid. Its main role is to create a gel consistency.
A high amount of carbomer can cause pilling or balling up of products. Don't worry, most products contain 1% or less of carbomer.
Glycerin is already naturally found in your skin. It helps moisturize and protect your skin.
A study from 2016 found glycerin to be more effective as a humectant than AHAs and hyaluronic acid.
As a humectant, it helps the skin stay hydrated by pulling moisture to your skin. The low molecular weight of glycerin allows it to pull moisture into the deeper layers of your skin.
Hydrated skin improves your skin barrier; Your skin barrier helps protect against irritants and bacteria.
Glycerin has also been found to have antimicrobial and antiviral properties. Due to these properties, glycerin is often used in wound and burn treatments.
In cosmetics, glycerin is usually derived from plants such as soybean or palm. However, it can also be sourced from animals, such as tallow or animal fat.
This ingredient is organic, colorless, odorless, and non-toxic.
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 AcidMethylpropanediol is a synthetic solvent and humectant.
As a solvent, it helps dissolve other ingredients, helping to evenly distribute ingredients throughout the product. This ingredient has also been shown to have antimicrobial properties which makes it a preservative booster.
Methylpropanediol is able to add a bit of moisture to the skin. It also helps other ingredients be better absorbed into the skin, such as salicylic acid.
Learn more about MethylpropanediolPhenoxyethanol 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.
Sodium Hyaluronate is hyaluronic acid's salt form. It is commonly derived from the sodium salt of hyaluronic acid.
Like hyaluronic acid, it is great at holding water and acts as a humectant. This makes it a great skin hydrating ingredient.
Sodium Hyaluronate is naturally occurring in our bodies and is mostly found in eye fluid and joints.
These are some other common types of Hyaluronic Acid:
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. Stay hydrated!
Learn more about Water