What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium Lauroyl Methyl Isethionate
CleansingCocamidopropylamine Oxide
Cleansing
Glycerin
Humectant
Acrylates Copolymer
Glycol Distearate
Emollient
Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
C13-15 Alkane
SolventGuar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride
Skin ConditioningPolyquaternium-7
Bisabolol
Antioxidant
Citric Acid
Buffering
Disodium EDTA
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningAminomethyl Propanol
BufferingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingTocopherol
Antioxidant
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Water, Sodium Lauroyl Methyl Isethionate, Cocamidopropylamine Oxide, Glycerin, Acrylates Copolymer, Glycol Distearate, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, C13-15 Alkane, Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Polyquaternium-7, Bisabolol, Citric Acid, Disodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Aminomethyl Propanol, Sodium Hydroxide, Tocopherol, Sodium Benzoate
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate
Cleansing
Cocamide Mea
Emulsifying
Glycerin
Humectant
Cocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Avena Sativa Bran Extract
Abrasive
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Polyquaternium-10
Glycol Distearate
Emollient
Coco-Glucoside
Cleansing
Glyceryl Oleate
Emollient
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Polyquaternium-7
Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride
Skin ConditioningPEG-150 Distearate
Emulsifying
Citric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate
Antimicrobial
Hydrogenated Palm Glycerides Citrate
Emollient
Magnesium Nitrate
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingMethylisothiazolinone
Preservative
Methylchloroisothiazolinone
Preservative
Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate
CleansingSodium Acetate
BufferingMagnesium Chloride
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Sodium Chloride
MaskingWater, Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate, Cocamide Mea, Glycerin, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Avena Sativa Bran Extract, Panthenol, Tocopherol, Polyquaternium-10, Glycol Distearate, Coco-Glucoside, Glyceryl Oleate, Butylene Glycol, Polyquaternium-7, Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, PEG-150 Distearate, Citric Acid, Sodium Benzoate, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Hydrogenated Palm Glycerides Citrate, Magnesium Nitrate, Sodium Hydroxide, Methylisothiazolinone, Methylchloroisothiazolinone, Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate, Sodium Acetate, Magnesium Chloride, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Chloride
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 GlycerinGlycol Distearate serves as a pearlizing or opacifying agent in cosmetic products.
It's often included in cleansers and haircare products to give them a lustrous or shimmering appearance.
It is derived from stearic acid, a natural fatty acid commonly found in vegetable oils and animal fats.
Glycol Distearate isn't fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Glycol DistearateThis ingredient is derived from guar gum. It is a skin conditioning agent that creates a thin, breathable film to reduce water loss during cleansing.
This leaves the skin feeling soft rather than stripped and also contributes to a creamier lather.
Due to the large molecule size, this ingredient is unlikely to penetrate skin.
Learn more about Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium ChloridePhenoxyethanol 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.
Polyquaternium-7 is a light to clear colored liquid. It is commonly found in haircare products for its film-forming and anti-static properties.
According to a manufacturer, it is a non-paraben and specially developed for negatively charged surfactant systems. This makes it a great hairstyle holder and helps to improve wet hair detangling without adding buildup.
Sodium 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 BenzoateSodium 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 HydroxideTocopherol 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
