What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
Solvent
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate
Antioxidant
3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid
Skin Conditioning
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Ascorbyl Glucoside
Antioxidant
Triethyl Citrate
Masking
Glycerin
Humectant
PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate
Skin Conditioning
Tamarindus Indica Seed Gum
Emulsion Stabilising
Glyceryl Caprylate
EmollientPhytic Acid
Citric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Gluconate
Skin ConditioningSodium Hydroxide
BufferingSodium Metabisulfite
Antioxidant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Sodium Dehydroacetate
Preservative
Chlorella Vulgaris Extract
Skin ConditioningGlucose
Humectant
Capsicum Annuum Fruit Extract
Antimicrobial
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialWater, Propanediol, Pentylene Glycol, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, 1,2-Hexanediol, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Triethyl Citrate, Glycerin, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Tamarindus Indica Seed Gum, Glyceryl Caprylate, Phytic Acid, Citric Acid, Sodium Gluconate, Sodium Hydroxide, Sodium Metabisulfite, Tocopherol, Sodium Dehydroacetate, Chlorella Vulgaris Extract, Glucose, Capsicum Annuum Fruit Extract, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
Water
Skin ConditioningCoco-Caprylate/Caprate
Emollient
Cocoglycerides
Emollient
Polyglyceryl-6 Distearate
Emulsifying
Glycerin
Humectant
Cocos Nucifera Oil
Masking
Jojoba Esters
Emollient
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Beheneth-25
CleansingButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil Unsaponifiables
Emollient
Polyglycerin-3
Humectant
Sodium Polyacrylate
Absorbent
Parfum
Masking
Glyceryl Caprylate
EmollientXylitylglucoside
Humectant
Sodium Acrylates Copolymer
Anigozanthos Flavidus Extract
Skin ConditioningAnhydroxylitol
Humectant
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Polyglyceryl-3 Beeswax
Emulsifying
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Jojoba Esters
Skin Conditioning
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Lecithin
Emollient
Xylitol
Humectant
Avena Sativa Kernel Extract
Abrasive
Disodium EDTA
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Acacia Decurrens Flower Wax
Emollient
Helianthus Annuus Seed Wax
Skin Conditioning
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Betaine
Humectant
Sorbitol
Humectant
Glucose
Humectant
Marrubium Vulgare Extract
Skin ConditioningHelianthus Annuus Extract
Emollient
Kalanchoe Pinnata Leaf Extract
MaskingBalanites Roxburghii Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Mitracarpus Scaber Extract
Skin ConditioningSodium Benzoate
Masking
Phenethyl Alcohol
MaskingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Steareth-20
CleansingCitric Acid
Buffering
Furcellaria Lumbricalis Extract
Skin ConditioningPotassium Sorbate
Preservative
CI 15985
Cosmetic ColorantLapsana Communis Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract
Skin ConditioningMaris Sal
Skin ConditioningWater, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Cocoglycerides, Polyglyceryl-6 Distearate, Glycerin, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Jojoba Esters, 1,2-Hexanediol, Beheneth-25, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil Unsaponifiables, Polyglycerin-3, Sodium Polyacrylate, Parfum, Glyceryl Caprylate, Xylitylglucoside, Sodium Acrylates Copolymer, Anigozanthos Flavidus Extract, Anhydroxylitol, Cetyl Alcohol, Polyglyceryl-3 Beeswax, Ethylhexylglycerin, Hydrolyzed Jojoba Esters, Tocopheryl Acetate, Lecithin, Xylitol, Avena Sativa Kernel Extract, Disodium EDTA, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Acacia Decurrens Flower Wax, Helianthus Annuus Seed Wax, Butylene Glycol, Betaine, Sorbitol, Glucose, Marrubium Vulgare Extract, Helianthus Annuus Extract, Kalanchoe Pinnata Leaf Extract, Balanites Roxburghii Seed Oil, Mitracarpus Scaber Extract, Sodium Benzoate, Phenethyl Alcohol, Phenoxyethanol, Steareth-20, Citric Acid, Furcellaria Lumbricalis Extract, Potassium Sorbate, CI 15985, Lapsana Communis Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract, Maris Sal
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
1,2-Hexanediol is a synthetic liquid and another multi-functional powerhouse.
It is a:
- Humectant, drawing moisture into the skin
- Emollient, helping to soften skin
- Solvent, dispersing and stabilizing formulas
- Preservative booster, enhancing the antimicrobial activity of other preservatives
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 AcidGlucose is a simple sugar (a monosaccharide). In skincare, it is mostly a humectant and skin conditioning agent.
Mechanistically, it has multiple hydroxyl groups that hydrogen-bond to water. This pulls moisture into the upper layers of skin to keep the surface soft and hydrated.
It's worth knowing sugars are already a natural component of the skin's NMF (natural moisturizing factor) so it's a molecule that your stratum corneum is well-acquainted with.
Just so you know, glucose is hydrophilic (water-loving) and the stratum corneum is a strong barrier to hydrophilic compounds. This just means penetration is slow and most of the action is happening on the surface.
Gram-to-gram, glucose is not as efficient as a humectant as glycerin. This is why you'll likely see glycose paired with stronger humectants for a bigger hydration payoff.
In skincare, glucose is typically derived from corn or other starch sources.
Learn more about GlucoseGlycerin (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 GlycerinGlyceryl Caprylate comes from glycerin and caprylic acid. It is an emollient, co-emulsifier, and preservative booster.
Its short C8 fatty acid chain makes it behave differently from its longer-chain emollient cousins like Glyceryl Stearate. It feels more lightweight, fast-absorbing, and silky instead of rich and waxy.
As a co-emulsifier, its "head" and "tail" sit at the oil-water interface. But overall, the short C8 tail and not being water soluble means it doesn't really have the muscle to emulsify a formula on its own. That's why you'll often see it paired with a primary emulsifier like Cetearyl Glucoside.
Interestingly, Glyceryl Caprylate acts as a preservative booster. This is because its fatty-acid backbone disrupts microbial lipid membranes. It shows excellent activity against bacteria and yeast but is weaker against mold.
Typical concentrations range from 0.5-1% and this ingredient is generally non-irritating.
Because this ingredient has a C8 fatty acid chain, it is outside the range that the Malassezia yeast metabolizes (making it fungal acne safe).
Learn more about Glyceryl CaprylateWater. 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
