What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCitrus Grandis
Propanediol
Solvent
Glycerin
Humectant
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Ascorbic Acid
Antioxidant
Citrus Limon Peel Extract
EmollientCitrus Grandis Fruit Extract
Astringent
Citrus Nobilis Fruit Extract
MaskingCitrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Extract
Emulsion Stabilising
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Daucus Carota Sativa Root Extract
Skin Conditioning
Beta-Carotene
Skin ConditioningFerulic Acid
Antimicrobial
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Calophyllum Inophyllum Seed Oil
Antimicrobial
Mentha Piperita Extract
CleansingMicrocitrus Australis Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningMicrocitrus Australasica Fruit Extract
Citrus Glauca Fruit Extract
HumectantCaffeine
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate
Antimicrobial
Melaleuca Alternifolia Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract
Skin ConditioningCitrus Junos Peel Extract
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Glycine Soja Oil
Emollient
Phospholipids
Skin Conditioning
PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Citric Acid
Buffering
Disodium EDTA
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningSodium Citrate
BufferingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingWater, Citrus Grandis, Propanediol, Glycerin, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Ascorbic Acid, Citrus Limon Peel Extract, Citrus Grandis Fruit Extract, Citrus Nobilis Fruit Extract, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Daucus Carota Sativa Root Extract, Beta-Carotene, Ferulic Acid, Tocopherol, Calophyllum Inophyllum Seed Oil, Mentha Piperita Extract, Microcitrus Australis Fruit Extract, Microcitrus Australasica Fruit Extract, Citrus Glauca Fruit Extract, Caffeine, Sodium Hyaluronate, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Melaleuca Alternifolia Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract, Citrus Junos Peel Extract, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glycine Soja Oil, Phospholipids, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, Citric Acid, Disodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Citrate, Sodium Hydroxide
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Propanediol
Solvent
Methyl Gluceth-20
Humectant
Salvia Hispanica Seed Extract
Emollient
Sodium PCA
Humectant
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Citric Acid
Buffering
Potassium Hydroxide
BufferingFerulic Acid
Antimicrobial
Wheat Amino Acids
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Lactobacillus Ferment
Skin Conditioning
Hydroxyproline
Skin ConditioningMaltodextrin
Absorbent
Hydrolyzed Gardenia Florida Extract
Antioxidant
Water, Glycerin, Niacinamide, Propanediol, Methyl Gluceth-20, Salvia Hispanica Seed Extract, Sodium PCA, Panthenol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Phenoxyethanol, Citric Acid, Potassium Hydroxide, Ferulic Acid, Wheat Amino Acids, Caprylyl Glycol, Lactobacillus Ferment, Hydroxyproline, Maltodextrin, Hydrolyzed Gardenia Florida Extract
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 AcidFerulic Acid is a plant based antioxidant that can be naturally found in the cell walls of grains like rice, oats, and corn. It has antioxidant and antimicrobial properties, and has the ability to boost the performance of other antioxidants as well.
A well-known study found that adding Ferulic Acid to a solution of Vitamins C and E doubled the photoprotection of skin. This is why you'll often see it paired with Vitamin C or Vitamin E serums rather than sold on its own.
A 2025 review of 18 human studies found that using Ferulic Acid (0.5-1%) daily for one to three months showed improvements in:
As far as allergies go, Ferulic acid is generally well-tolerated but can cause an allergic reaction in very rare cases. It's also worth noting that Ferulic acid is often extracted from plant sources like rice bran or wheat bran, so be sure to path test if you have known grain allergies.
Outside of skincare, researchers are also looking into Ferulic Acid for its potential benefits in areas like diabetes, Alzheimer's, and heart health.
Learn more about Ferulic 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 GlycerinPhenoxyethanol is one of the most widely used preservatives in skincare (and for good reason!).
It has a large spectrum of antimicrobial activity and especially effective bacteria, yeast, and mold while only having a weak effect on your skin's natural microbiome.
On a cellular level, it disrupts the cell membranes of microbes by poking holes that make the cell leak. This shuts down the chemical reactions the microbe needs to make energy so it can no longer survive.
Another perk of this ingredient is that it stays functional across a wide pH range (3-10).
You'll often see it paired with boosters like Ethylhexylglycerin; one study showed that a 1:9 ratio of Ethylhexylglycerin to Phenoxyethanol damages bacterial membranes as effectively as doubling the Phenoxyethanol concentration on its own.
Typical use concentrations range from 0.3-1% depending on the formula, and this ingredient is capped at 1% int the EU.
Safety-wise, the fear mongering does not hold up to the evidence. The EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety and FDA consider it safe as a preservative at up to 1%, including for children of all ages.
Adverse systemic effects only showed up in animal studies at exposures roughly 200x higher than what people get from cosmetics. And despite its very widespread use, this ingredient is a rare sensitizer and allergic reactions are uncommon.
Learn more about PhenoxyethanolPropanediol is an all-star ingredient. It softens, hydrates, and smooths the skin.
It’s often used to:
Propanediol is not likely to cause sensitivity and considered safe to use. It is derived from corn or petroleum with a clear color and no scent.
Learn more about PropanediolSodium Hyaluronate is the salt form of hyaluronic acid. It is a long sugar chain that is naturally found in your skin, joints, and connective tissue that maintains hydration and elasticity.
In skincare, it works as a humectant. It pulls water from the environment and deeper layers of skin and binds it to the surface.
Interestingly, the size of the molecule affects its behavior:
Some clinical evidence links low molecular weight versions to improved wrinkle depth, elasticity, anti-inflammatory effects, and barrier repair.
Many serums use a blend of both weights so you can get surface hydration plus longer-lasting and deeper effects.
You'll typically see concentrations between 0.1-2% for this ingredient.
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. Remember to stay hydrated!
Learn more about Water
