What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningLactic Acid
Buffering
Glycerin
Humectant
Propanediol
Solvent
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingGlycolic Acid
Buffering
PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Hydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingPPG-26-Buteth-26
Skin ConditioningPolysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Mentha Piperita Oil
Masking
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract
Emollient
Citrullus Lanatus Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Salix Alba Bark Extract
Astringent
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningParfum
Masking
CI 45430
Cosmetic ColorantCI 15985
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Lactic Acid, Glycerin, Propanediol, Sodium Hydroxide, Glycolic Acid, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Hydroxyethylcellulose, PPG-26-Buteth-26, Polysorbate 20, Mentha Piperita Oil, Allantoin, Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract, Citrullus Lanatus Fruit Extract, Salix Alba Bark Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Parfum, CI 45430, CI 15985
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Ethylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:
The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure.
Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.
Learn more about EthylhexylglycerinGlycerin (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 GlycerinGlycolic Acid is arguably the most famous alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) with tons of research backing its benefits.
It is found naturally in sugar cane but the form used in skincare is usually synthetic for purity and stability.
Glycolic acid removes the top layer of dead skin cells to allow newer and fresher ones to emerge.
AHAs work by breaking down the structural āglueā that holds old skin cells in place. When that buildup is gone, your skin can renew itself more efficiently.
Research also shows glycolic acid stimulates collagen production, helping to firm and thicken the skin over time. This is one of its biggest advantages over other AHAs.
Overall, glycolic acid helps with:
Fun fact: Glycolic acid boosts skin hydration by helping it produce molecules that increase hyaluronic acid naturally.
To work best, glycolic acid products should have a pH between 3-4 (thatās where exfoliation is most effective but still gentle on skin).
The pH and concentration of a product are key to its effectiveness:
It is normal to feel a slight stinging sensation when using glycolic acid. This usually fades as your skin adjusts.
Because glycolic acid has the smallest molecular size in the AHA family, it can penetrate deeper, which enhances its effectiveness but also makes it more likely to irritate sensitive skin.
If your skin is very sensitive or prone to rosacea, glycolic acid may be too strong; in that case, try milder options like lactic acid or a PHA instead.
Recent studies suggest glycolic acid might even help protect against UV damage. But donāt skip sunscreen! Freshly exfoliated skin is more sensitive to the sun.
Glycolic acid is a skincare superstar. It smooths, brightens, hydrates, and firms the skin. Unless youāre highly sensitive, itās well worth adding to your routine.
Read more about some other popular AHA's here:
Learn more about Glycolic AcidParfum is a catch-all term for an ingredient or more that is used to give a scent to products.
Also called "fragrance", this ingredient can be a blend of hundreds of chemicals or plant oils. This means every product with "fragrance" or "parfum" in the ingredients list is a different mixture.
For instance, Habanolide is a proprietary trade name for a specific aroma chemical. When used as a fragrance ingredient in cosmetics, most aroma chemicals fall under the broad labeling category of āFRAGRANCEā or āPARFUMā according to EU and US regulations.
The term 'parfum' or 'fragrance' is not regulated in many countries. In many cases, it is up to the brand to define this term.
For instance, many brands choose to label themselves as "fragrance-free" because they are not using synthetic fragrances. However, their products may still contain ingredients such as essential oils that are considered a fragrance by INCI standards.
One example is Calendula flower extract. Calendula is an essential oil that still imparts a scent or 'fragrance'.
Depending on the blend, the ingredients in the mixture can cause allergies and sensitivities on the skin. Some ingredients that are known EU allergens include linalool and citronellol.
Parfum can also be used to mask or cover an unpleasant scent.
The bottom line is: not all fragrances/parfum/ingredients are created equally. If you are worried about fragrances, we recommend taking a closer look at an ingredient. And of course, we always recommend speaking with a professional.
Learn more about ParfumPEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil is an emulsifier derived from castor oil.
As an emulsifying agent, it helps other ingredients like fragrances and fat-soluble vitamins dissolve cohesively.
Due to its large molecule size, it doesn't penetrate beyond the skin's surface.
This ingredient has a solid regulatory track record; the CIR Expert Panel first concluded it was safe for use in cosmetics at concentrations up to 100% in 1997. A 2012 reassessment reaffirmed that finding. Safety studies have also found no irritation or evidence of toxicity.
A 2019 study did find this ingredient to grow Malassezia, so this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor OilPhenoxyethanol 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
