What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine
Cleansing
Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Extract
Emulsion Stabilising
Santalum Album Extract
CleansingPrunus Armeniaca Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningCucumis Melo Cantalupensis Fruit Extract
AstringentButter Extract
Emollient
Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningCitrus Limon Peel Extract
EmollientAnanas Sativus Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningCitrus Grandis Fruit Extract
Astringent
Cocos Nucifera Fruit Extract
Emollient
Passiflora Incarnata Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningRubus Idaeus Fruit Extract
AstringentCoffea Arabica Seed Extract
Masking
Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract
Emollient
Vanilla Planifolia Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Rose Extract
Skin ConditioningCananga Odorata Flower Extract
Perfuming
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Citric Acid
Buffering
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Disodium EDTA
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingWater, Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine, Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Allantoin, Glycerin, Polysorbate 20, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Extract, Santalum Album Extract, Prunus Armeniaca Fruit Extract, Cucumis Melo Cantalupensis Fruit Extract, Butter Extract, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Seed Extract, Citrus Limon Peel Extract, Ananas Sativus Fruit Extract, Citrus Grandis Fruit Extract, Cocos Nucifera Fruit Extract, Passiflora Incarnata Fruit Extract, Rubus Idaeus Fruit Extract, Coffea Arabica Seed Extract, Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract, Vanilla Planifolia Fruit Extract, Rose Extract, Cananga Odorata Flower Extract, Sodium Benzoate, Citric Acid, Potassium Sorbate, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Hydroxide
Water
Skin ConditioningDecyl Glucoside
Cleansing
Cocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Acrylates Copolymer
Jojoba Esters
Emollient
Sodium PCA
Humectant
Glycolic Acid
Buffering
Salicylic Acid
Masking
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Citric Acid
Buffering
Carica Papaya Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningCitrus Grandis Seed Extract
Astringent
Vitis Vinifera Seed Extract
Antimicrobial
Garcinia Mangostana Peel Extract
Skin ConditioningAhnfeltia Concinna Extract
Skin ConditioningCitrus Grandis Peel Oil
Masking
Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil
Masking
Sodium Cocoyl Apple Amino Acids
Skin Conditioning
Glycol Distearate
Emollient
Steareth-4
EmulsifyingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingDisodium EDTA
Sodium Chloride
MaskingGlycerin
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Water, Decyl Glucoside, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Acrylates Copolymer, Jojoba Esters, Sodium PCA, Glycolic Acid, Salicylic Acid, Lactic Acid, Citric Acid, Carica Papaya Fruit Extract, Citrus Grandis Seed Extract, Vitis Vinifera Seed Extract, Garcinia Mangostana Peel Extract, Ahnfeltia Concinna Extract, Citrus Grandis Peel Oil, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil, Sodium Cocoyl Apple Amino Acids, Glycol Distearate, Steareth-4, Sodium Hydroxide, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Chloride, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol
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 AcidDisodium EDTA is a chelating agent. It grabs onto and deactivates metal ions that sneak into your products from water, packaging, or air.
This ingredient mainly works behind the scenes and helps with:
On top of that, this ingredient can counteract the effects of hard water by binding to the minerals in it.
One thing worth knowing is that Disodium EDTA has been shown to be a mild penetration enhancer. It can help other ingredients absorb into skin more effectively which can be a double-edged sword (great for actives, but can also make the active too strong if you have sensitive skin).
Clinical patch testing showed no significant skin irritation at typical use concentrations and minimal dermal absorption.
You'll most likely see this ingredient near the end of an ingredient list. It's typically found in concentrations less than 1%.
Learn more about Disodium EDTAGlycerin (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 GlycerinSodium Hydroxide is also known as lye or caustic soda. It is used to adjust the pH of products; many ingredients require a specific pH to be effective.
In small amounts, sodium hydroxide is considered safe to use. However, large amounts may cause chemical burns due to its high alkaline.
Your skin has a natural pH and acid mantle. This acid mantle helps prevent harmful bacteria from breaking through. The acid mantle also helps keep your skin hydrated.
"Alkaline" refers to a high pH level. A low pH level would be considered acidic.
Learn more about Sodium HydroxideWater. 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
