What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningStearic Acid
Cleansing
Myristic Acid
Cleansing
PEG-8
HumectantPotassium Hydroxide
BufferingLauric Acid
Cleansing
Glycerin
Humectant
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantAlcohol
Antimicrobial
Beeswax
Emulsion Stabilising
Polyquaternium-7
CI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantParfum
Masking
Disodium EDTA
PEG-90m
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Benzoate
Masking
Talc
Abrasive
Sodium Metabisulfite
Antioxidant
Sodium Metaphosphate
BufferingAluminum Hydroxide
EmollientPEG/PPG-14/7 Dimethyl Ether
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
Humectant
Silica
Abrasive
BHT
Antioxidant
Sericin
Skin ConditioningCitric Acid
Buffering
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Hydrolyzed Silk
Humectant
Water, Stearic Acid, Myristic Acid, PEG-8, Potassium Hydroxide, Lauric Acid, Glycerin, Dipropylene Glycol, Alcohol, Beeswax, Polyquaternium-7, CI 77891, Parfum, Disodium EDTA, PEG-90m, Sodium Benzoate, Talc, Sodium Metabisulfite, Sodium Metaphosphate, Aluminum Hydroxide, PEG/PPG-14/7 Dimethyl Ether, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Silica, BHT, Sericin, Citric Acid, Potassium Sorbate, Hydrolyzed Silk
Water
Skin ConditioningPalmitic Acid
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Myristic Acid
Cleansing
Cocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Lauric Acid
Cleansing
Potassium Hydroxide
BufferingStearic Acid
Cleansing
Trehalose
Humectant
Sodium Bicarbonate
Abrasive
Calamine
AbsorbentDisodium EDTA
Salicylic Acid
Masking
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
Emollient
Alpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide
Cleansing
Propanediol
Solvent
Polymnia Sonchifolia Root Juice
Skin ConditioningMaltodextrin
Absorbent
Triethoxycaprylylsilane
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Lactobacillus
Skin ConditioningLactic Acid
Buffering
Solanum Lycopersicum Calyx Extract
Skin ConditioningCitrus Limon Fruit Extract
Masking
Citrus Grandis Extract
AntimicrobialVaccinium Myrtillus Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningMalic Acid
Buffering
Citric Acid
Buffering
Water, Palmitic Acid, Glycerin, Myristic Acid, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Lauric Acid, Potassium Hydroxide, Stearic Acid, Trehalose, Sodium Bicarbonate, Calamine, Disodium EDTA, Salicylic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate, Propylene Glycol, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Alpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide, Propanediol, Polymnia Sonchifolia Root Juice, Maltodextrin, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Butylene Glycol, Lactobacillus, Lactic Acid, Solanum Lycopersicum Calyx Extract, Citrus Limon Fruit Extract, Citrus Grandis Extract, Vaccinium Myrtillus Fruit Extract, Malic Acid, Citric Acid
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 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 GlycerinLauric Acid is a saturated fatty acid naturally found in coconut oil, palm kernel oil, and even breast milk.
In cosmetics, it is an:
Lab studies have found that lauric acid is surprisingly good at killing acne-causing bacteria. However, these tests were done on bacteria in a petri dish and not on real skin, so we can't say for certain it works the same in a formulation on a real face.
The comedogenic rating of 4 comes from the 1972 rabbit ear model using undiluted ingredients. Comedogenicity is highly individual and one comedogenic ingredient cannot predict how a formula will behave on skin.
This ingredient is not fungal acne safe and research has confirmed Malassezia can use it as a food source.
Learn more about Lauric AcidMyristic Acid is a saturated fatty acid. It is naturally found in milk fat. Other sources include palm oil, coconut oil, and butter fat.
Myristic Acid is an emulsifer and cleanser. As an emulsifer, it stabilizes a product by preventing ingredients from separating. Myristic Acid helps clean your skin by acting as a surfactant. It tends to gather oil and dirt on your skin to be easily rinsed away.
One study from 2021 found Myristic Acid to have anti-inflammatory properties.
Learn more about Myristic AcidPotassium hydroxide is commonly known as caustic potash. It is used to fix the pH of a product or as a cleaning agent in soap. In cleansers, it is used for the saponification of oils.
Sapnification is the process of creating fatty acid metal salts from triglycerides and a strong base. During this process, Potassium Hydroxide is used up and is not present in the final product.
Using high concentrations of Potassium Hydroxide have shown to irritate the skin.
Learn more about Potassium HydroxideSodium Hyaluronate is the salt form of hyaluronic acid. It is a long sugar chain that is naturally found in your skin, joints, and connective tissue that maintains hydration and elasticity.
In skincare, it works as a humectant. It pulls water from the environment and deeper layers of skin and binds it to the surface.
Interestingly, the size of the molecule affects its behavior:
Some clinical evidence links low molecular weight versions to improved wrinkle depth, elasticity, anti-inflammatory effects, and barrier repair.
Many serums use a blend of both weights so you can get surface hydration plus longer-lasting and deeper effects.
You'll typically see concentrations between 0.1-2% for this ingredient.
Learn more about Sodium HyaluronateStearic Acid is a fatty acid that is already found in your skin. It's one of the free fatty acids that works alongside ceramides and cholesterols to maintain your barrier.
In cosmetics, it is a multitasker:
Safety-wise, the CIR Expert Panel has concluded it to be safe in cosmetics when formulated to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing.
Free stearic acid is a C18 fatty acid that the Malassezia yeast can substrate, so this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Stearic AcidWater. 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
