What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
Solvent
Bifida Ferment Lysate 3.6%
Skin Conditioning
Lactobacillus Ferment Lysate 3.6%
Skin Conditioning
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantPentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Lactococcus Ferment Lysate
Skin Conditioning
Pichia Ferment Lysate Filtrate
HumectantSaccharomyces Ferment Lysate Filtrate
Skin Conditioning
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Colostrum
Skin Conditioning
Chlorella Vulgaris Extract
Skin ConditioningXylitol
Humectant
Vincetoxicum Atratum Extract
Skin ConditioningAlthaea Rosea Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningHyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Milk Lipids
Skin Conditioning
Betaine
Humectant
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Glucose
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Fructooligosaccharides
Humectant
Fructose
Humectant
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningDiphenyl Dimethicone
Emollient
Adenosine
Skin Conditioning
Triethylhexanoin
MaskingSodium Citrate
BufferingSodium Phytate
Citric Acid
Buffering
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Beta-Glucan
Skin Conditioning
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Magnesium Chloride
Tetradecyl Aminobutyroylvalylaminobutyric Urea Trifluoroacetate
Skin ConditioningWater, Propanediol, Bifida Ferment Lysate 3.6%, Lactobacillus Ferment Lysate 3.6%, Dipropylene Glycol, Pentylene Glycol, Butylene Glycol, Lactococcus Ferment Lysate, Pichia Ferment Lysate Filtrate, Saccharomyces Ferment Lysate Filtrate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Colostrum, Chlorella Vulgaris Extract, Xylitol, Vincetoxicum Atratum Extract, Althaea Rosea Flower Extract, Hyaluronic Acid, Milk Lipids, Betaine, Panthenol, Glucose, Glycerin, Fructooligosaccharides, Fructose, Ethylhexylglycerin, Diphenyl Dimethicone, Adenosine, Triethylhexanoin, Sodium Citrate, Sodium Phytate, Citric Acid, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Beta-Glucan, Tocopherol, Magnesium Chloride, Tetradecyl Aminobutyroylvalylaminobutyric Urea Trifluoroacetate
Water
Skin ConditioningMethylpropanediol
SolventGlycerin
Humectant
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Pvp
Emulsion StabilisingChlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
PPG-26-Buteth-26
Skin ConditioningHydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Vaccinium Vitis-Idaea Fruit Extract
Antioxidant
Sodium Citrate
BufferingParfum
Masking
Tromethamine
BufferingCitric Acid
Buffering
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingGluconolactone
Skin Conditioning
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
Antioxidant
Calcium Gluconate
HumectantTocopherol
Antioxidant
Water, Methylpropanediol, Glycerin, Pentylene Glycol, Pvp, Chlorphenesin, PPG-26-Buteth-26, Hydroxyacetophenone, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Vaccinium Vitis-Idaea Fruit Extract, Sodium Citrate, Parfum, Tromethamine, Citric Acid, Xanthan Gum, Gluconolactone, Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Benzoate, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Calcium Gluconate, 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 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 GlycerinHyaluronic acid (HA) is a glycosaminoglycan (basically a long sugar chain) that your skin already makes on its own. In your skin, HA lives in the extracellular matrix and acts as the body's moisture reservoir.
Topically, HA is a humectant that binds water and helps skin look more plump, smooth, and hydrated.
The only catch is that HA isn't a single thing; it actually comes in a wide range of molecular weights (~50 - 2,000+ kDA) and size matters.
Some clinical evidence links low molecular weight versions to improved wrinkle depth, elasticity, anti-inflammatory effects, and barrier repair.
This is why the best HA serums blend the two sizes together so you get the best of both worlds.
The majority of cosmetic HA is produced by bacterial fermentation, typically using Streptococcus or Bacillus strains. Typical use levels in skincare sit around 0.1-2%.
A clinical study using a 0.2% low-molecular weight HA gel showed improvement in facial seborrheic dermatitis with excellent tolerance.
These are some other common types of Hyaluronic Acid:
Learn more about Hyaluronic AcidPentylene glycol is typically used within a product to thicken it. It also adds a smooth, soft, and moisturizing feel to the product. It is naturally found in plants such as sugar beets.
The hydrophilic trait of Pentylene Glycol makes it a humectant. As a humectant, Pentylene Glycol helps draw moisture from the air to your skin. This can help keep your skin hydrated.
This property also makes Pentylene Glycol a great texture enhancer. It can also help thicken or stabilize a product.
Pentylene Glycol also acts as a mild preservative and helps to keep a product microbe-free.
Some people may experience mild eye and skin irritation from Pentylene Glycol. We always recommend speaking with a professional about using this ingredient in your routine.
Pentylene Glycol has a low molecular weight and is part of the 1,2-glycol family.
Learn more about Pentylene GlycolSodium Citrate is the sodium salts of citric acid. In skincare, it is used to alter pH levels and acts as a preservative.
Its main functions are to maintain the pH of a product and neutralize metal ions.
The acidity of our skin is maintained by our glands and skin biome; normal pH level of skin is slightly acidic (~4.75-5.5).
Being slightly acidic allows our skin to create an "acid mantle". This acid mantle is a thin barrier that protects our skin from bacteria and contaminants.
Learn more about Sodium CitrateTocopherol 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
