What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
Solvent
Dimethicone
Emollient
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Linoleic Acid
Cleansing
Avena Sativa Kernel Extract
Abrasive
Beta-Glucan
Skin Conditioning
Magnesium Carboxymethyl Beta-Glucan
Skin ConditioningHydroxyphenyl Propamidobenzoic Acid
Skin ConditioningDipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Humectant
Arnica Montana Flower Extract
Masking
Piperonyl Glucoside
Skin ProtectingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingPolysilicone-11
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Bisabolol
Antioxidant
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Algin
Masking
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingOleic Acid
Emollient
Palmitic Acid
Emollient
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Benzoic Acid
Masking
Sorbic Acid
Preservative
CI 77288
Cosmetic ColorantLinolenic Acid
Cleansing
Citric Acid
Buffering
Ascorbyl Palmitate
Antioxidant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Glycolic Acid
Buffering
Galactoarabinan
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingWater, Propanediol, Dimethicone, Butylene Glycol, Pentylene Glycol, Glycerin, Hydroxyacetophenone, Linoleic Acid, Avena Sativa Kernel Extract, Beta-Glucan, Magnesium Carboxymethyl Beta-Glucan, Hydroxyphenyl Propamidobenzoic Acid, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Arnica Montana Flower Extract, Piperonyl Glucoside, Carbomer, Polysilicone-11, Panthenol, Bisabolol, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Algin, Xanthan Gum, Oleic Acid, Palmitic Acid, Stearic Acid, Tocopherol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Benzoic Acid, Sorbic Acid, CI 77288, Linolenic Acid, Citric Acid, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Phenoxyethanol, Glycolic Acid, Galactoarabinan, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Sodium Hydroxide
Water
Skin ConditioningUrea
Buffering
Ethylhexyl Stearate
Emollient
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Glycerin
Humectant
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Cyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialPolyglyceryl-6 Distearate
Emulsifying
Sodium Citrate
BufferingSodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Dimethicone
Emollient
Jojoba Esters
Emollient
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Candelilla/Jojoba/Rice Bran Polyglyceryl-3 Esters
Emulsifying
C15-19 Alkane
SolventPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Potassium Cetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingCitric Acid
Buffering
Lauryl Glucoside
CleansingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningTetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Water, Urea, Ethylhexyl Stearate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glycerin, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Cyclopentasiloxane, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Polyglyceryl-6 Distearate, Sodium Citrate, Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Cetearyl Alcohol, Dimethicone, Jojoba Esters, Niacinamide, Candelilla/Jojoba/Rice Bran Polyglyceryl-3 Esters, C15-19 Alkane, Phenoxyethanol, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Citric Acid, Lauryl Glucoside, Ethylhexylglycerin, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Tocopherol
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 AcidDimethicone is a type of synthetic silicone created from natural materials such as quartz. It is also known as polydimethylsiloxane.
What it does:
Dimethicone comes in different viscosities:
Depending on the viscosity, dimethicone has different properties.
Ingredients lists don't always show which type is used, so we recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about the viscosity.
This ingredient is unlikely to cause irritation because it does not get absorbed into skin. However, people with silicone allergies should be careful about using this ingredient.
Note: Dimethicone may contribute to pilling. This is because it is not oil or water soluble, so pilling may occur when layered with products. When mixed with heavy oils in a formula, the outcome is also quite greasy.
Learn more about DimethiconeGlycerin (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 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.
Tocopherol is a fat-soluble antioxidant known as Vitamin E.
You'll find this ingredient in the vast majority of skincare (for good reason). It works to neutralize free radicals, or unstable molecules generated by UV exposure, pollution, and other environmental stressors, before they can cause oxidative damage to your skin cells.
Topically applied tocopherol has been shown to protect against UV damage by ramping up the skin's own natural defense enzymes.
It also acts as a skin conditioning agent; some studies show that regular topical use can improve the skin's water-binding capacity over 2-4 weeks.
This ingredient is especially loved for being a team player. When combined with Vitamin C, the photoprotective effect of both ingredients roughly doubles and the combo also helps reduce UV-induced DNA damage.
This ingredient has some brightening potential but it's more of a prevention ingredient than spot-fader. Cell studies show it can slow down melanin production but it's worth noting that it's not the most powerful brightener out there.
In formulations, it also serves as a stabilizer that helps protect other oxidation-prone ingredients from degrading.
Concentrations usually range from 0.1-1% in most leave-on products.
Learn more about TocopherolWater. 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
