What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate
Cleansing
Lauryl Hydroxysultaine
CleansingHydrated Silica
Abrasive
Coconut Acid
Cleansing
Sodium Isethionate
CleansingSodium Chloride
MaskingSodium Sulfate
Disodium EDTA
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Parfum
Masking
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
Bleaching
Propanediol
Solvent
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Fraxinus Rhynchophylla Extract
Skin ConditioningCitric Acid
Buffering
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
Skin Conditioning
Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate
Potassium Hyaluronate
Skin ConditioningPEG-9 Diglycidyl Ether/Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
Skin ConditioningSodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
Humectant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Water, Glycerin, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Lauryl Hydroxysultaine, Hydrated Silica, Coconut Acid, Sodium Isethionate, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Sulfate, Disodium EDTA, Niacinamide, Parfum, Tocopheryl Acetate, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Propanediol, Propylene Glycol, Fraxinus Rhynchophylla Extract, Citric Acid, 1,2-Hexanediol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hyaluronic Acid, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate, Potassium Hyaluronate, PEG-9 Diglycidyl Ether/Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Phenoxyethanol, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate
Cleansing
Cocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Propanediol
Solvent
Sodium Chloride
MaskingPanthenol
Skin Conditioning
Disodium Cocoyl Glutamate
Cleansing
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingGlycolipids
Skin ConditioningSuccinic Acid
BufferingSaccharide Isomerate
Humectant
Beta-Glucan
Skin Conditioning
Avena Sativa Kernel Flour
Abrasive
Glycine
Buffering
Serine
Masking
Glutamic Acid
Humectant
Aspartic Acid
Masking
Leucine
Skin ConditioningAlanine
Masking
Lysine
Skin ConditioningArginine
Masking
Tyrosine
MaskingPhenylalanine
Masking
Proline
Skin Conditioning
Threonine
Valine
MaskingIsoleucine
Skin ConditioningHistidine
Humectant
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Almond Oil/Polyglyceryl-10 Esters
Emulsifying
Polyglyceryl-4 Punicate
EmulsifyingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Salicylic Acid
Masking
Castoryl Maleate
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Hypochlorous Acid
Antiseborrhoeic
Citric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Citrate
BufferingPEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
PPG-26-Buteth-26
Skin ConditioningSodium Hydroxide
BufferingSodium Benzoate
Masking
Disodium EDTA
Parfum
Masking
Sodium Metabisulfite
Antioxidant
Polyquaternium-10
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningMenthyl Lactate
Masking
Water, Glycerin, Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Propanediol, Sodium Chloride, Panthenol, Disodium Cocoyl Glutamate, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Glycolipids, Succinic Acid, Saccharide Isomerate, Beta-Glucan, Avena Sativa Kernel Flour, Glycine, Serine, Glutamic Acid, Aspartic Acid, Leucine, Alanine, Lysine, Arginine, Tyrosine, Phenylalanine, Proline, Threonine, Valine, Isoleucine, Histidine, Allantoin, Almond Oil/Polyglyceryl-10 Esters, Polyglyceryl-4 Punicate, Phenoxyethanol, Salicylic Acid, Castoryl Maleate, Caprylyl Glycol, Pentylene Glycol, Hypochlorous Acid, Citric Acid, Sodium Citrate, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, PPG-26-Buteth-26, Sodium Hydroxide, Sodium Benzoate, Disodium EDTA, Parfum, Sodium Metabisulfite, Polyquaternium-10, Ethylhexylglycerin, Menthyl Lactate
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 GlycerinParfum 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 “FRAGRANCE” or “PARFUM” 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 ParfumPhenoxyethanol 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.
Propanediol 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 Benzoate is a preservative. It's used in both cosmetic and food products to inhibit the growth of mold and bacteria. It is typically produced synthetically.
Both the US FDA and EU Health Committee have approved the use of sodium benzoate. In the US, levels of 0.1% (of the total product) are allowed.
Sodium benzoate works as a preservative by inhibiting the growth of bacteria inside of cells. It prevents the cell from fermenting a type of sugar using an enzyme called phosphofructokinase.
It is the salt of benzoic acid. Foods containing sodium benzoate include soda, salad dressings, condiments, fruit juices, wines, and snack foods.
Studies for using ascorbic acid and sodium benzoate in cosmetics are lacking, especially in skincare routines with multiple steps.
We always recommend speaking with a professional, such as a dermatologist, if you have any concerns.
Learn more about Sodium BenzoateChances are, you eat sodium chloride every day. Sodium Chloride is also known as table salt. This ingredient has many purposes in skincare: thickener, emulsifier, and exfoliator.
You'll most likely find this ingredient in cleansers where it is used to create a gel-like texture. As an emulsifier, it also prevents ingredients from separating.
You might see people debate whether Sodium Chloride is comedogenic, but there actually haven't been any comedogenic tests done on it. Either way, the overall formulation of a product matters a lot more than any single ingredient.
You might see this ingredient used in scrubs as a primary exfoliating ingredient.
Learn more about Sodium ChlorideWater. 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
