What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Dimethicone
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Alcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
PPG-3 Dipivalate
Skin ConditioningGlyceryl Stearate Se
Emulsifying
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Pentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate
Emollient
Hydrogenated Polydecene
EmollientMyristyl Myristate
Emollient
PEG-100 Stearate
Surfactant
Silica
Abrasive
Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-2
Emollient
Potassium Methoxysalicylate
BleachingBehenyl Alcohol
Emollient
Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingStearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Polyvinyl Alcohol
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Isohexadecane
EmollientParfum
Masking
Polysorbate 80
Emulsifying
Sorbitan Tristearate
EmulsifyingTrisodium EDTA
Erythritol
Humectant
PEG/PPG-14/7 Dimethyl Ether
Skin ConditioningPEG/PPG-17/4 Dimethyl Ether
Skin ConditioningTocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Rosa Damascena Flower Water
Masking
Sodium Citrate
BufferingSuccinoglycan
Skin ConditioningAlcohol
Antimicrobial
Sorbitan Oleate
Emulsifying
Caffeine
Skin Conditioning
Citric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Metaphosphate
BufferingLavandula Angustifolia Oil
Masking
Phytosteryl/Octyldodecyl Lauroyl Glutamate
Skin ConditioningLimonene
Perfuming
Hexyl Cinnamal
Perfuming
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Linalool
Perfuming
Citronellol
Perfuming
Sodium Metabisulfite
Antioxidant
CI 77492
Cosmetic ColorantAngelica Acutiloba Root Extract
Skin ConditioningAngelica Keiskei Leaf/Stem Extract
Skin ConditioningOlea Europaea Leaf Extract
Perfuming
Lamium Album Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract
Skin ConditioningCellulose
Absorbent
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Inositol
Humectant
Carthamus Tinctorius Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningCI 77491
Cosmetic ColorantZiziphus Jujuba Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningRosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialHydrolyzed Silk
Humectant
Bupleurum Falcatum Root Extract
Skin ConditioningWater, Butylene Glycol, Dimethicone, Glycerin, Alcohol Denat., PPG-3 Dipivalate, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Cetyl Alcohol, Pentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate, Hydrogenated Polydecene, Myristyl Myristate, PEG-100 Stearate, Silica, Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-2, Potassium Methoxysalicylate, Behenyl Alcohol, Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Stearyl Alcohol, Polyvinyl Alcohol, Phenoxyethanol, Isohexadecane, Parfum, Polysorbate 80, Sorbitan Tristearate, Trisodium EDTA, Erythritol, PEG/PPG-14/7 Dimethyl Ether, PEG/PPG-17/4 Dimethyl Ether, Tocopheryl Acetate, Rosa Damascena Flower Water, Sodium Citrate, Succinoglycan, Alcohol, Sorbitan Oleate, Caffeine, Citric Acid, Sodium Metaphosphate, Lavandula Angustifolia Oil, Phytosteryl/Octyldodecyl Lauroyl Glutamate, Limonene, Hexyl Cinnamal, Tocopherol, Linalool, Citronellol, Sodium Metabisulfite, CI 77492, Angelica Acutiloba Root Extract, Angelica Keiskei Leaf/Stem Extract, Olea Europaea Leaf Extract, Lamium Album Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract, Cellulose, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Inositol, Carthamus Tinctorius Flower Extract, CI 77491, Ziziphus Jujuba Fruit Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Hydrolyzed Silk, Bupleurum Falcatum Root Extract
Water
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Glycerin
Humectant
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Olus Oil
Emollient
Cetyl Lactate
EmollientPropanediol
Solvent
C12-16 Alcohols
EmollientCaprylyl Caprylate/Caprate
Emollient
Jojoba Oil/Macadamia Seed Oil Esters
Skin Conditioning
Glyceryl Stearate Citrate
Emollient
Palmitic Acid
Emollient
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Oryza Sativa Bran Extract
Skin Conditioning
Dilinoleic Acid/Propanediol Copolymer
EmollientSqualene
Emollient
Ophiopogon Japonicus Root Extract
Skin ConditioningXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPhytosteryl Sunflowerseedate
Skin ConditioningGlycine Soja Extract
Skin ConditioningPentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide AP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide EOP
Skin Conditioning
Hydrolyzed Rice Protein
Skin ConditioningChondrus Crispus Extract
Skin Conditioning
Hydrogenated Vegetable Glycerides
EmollientHelianthus Annuus Extract
Emollient
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Citric Acid
Buffering
Phytosteryl Macadamiate
Skin Conditioning
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Phytosterols
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate
EmulsifyingGluconolactone
Skin Conditioning
Phenethyl Alcohol
MaskingPhytosphingosine
Skin Conditioning
Cholesterol
Emollient
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingPotassium Sorbate
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningSodium Benzoate
Masking
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Water, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glycerin, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Olus Oil, Cetyl Lactate, Propanediol, C12-16 Alcohols, Caprylyl Caprylate/Caprate, Jojoba Oil/Macadamia Seed Oil Esters, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Palmitic Acid, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Oryza Sativa Bran Extract, Dilinoleic Acid/Propanediol Copolymer, Squalene, Ophiopogon Japonicus Root Extract, Xanthan Gum, Phytosteryl Sunflowerseedate, Glycine Soja Extract, Pentylene Glycol, Ceramide NP, Ceramide AP, Ceramide EOP, Hydrolyzed Rice Protein, Chondrus Crispus Extract, Hydrogenated Vegetable Glycerides, Helianthus Annuus Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Citric Acid, Phytosteryl Macadamiate, Tocopherol, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Phytosterols, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Gluconolactone, Phenethyl Alcohol, Phytosphingosine, Cholesterol, Carbomer, Potassium Sorbate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Benzoate, Phenoxyethanol
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 GlycerinPhenoxyethanol 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.
This is a botanical extract from the rosemary plant (the same one you cook with). In skincare, it mostly works as a skin conditioning agent.
Its activity comes from a handful of polyphenols, carnosic acid, carnosol, and rosmarinic acid. Almost 90% of the antioxidant activity of this ingredient can be attributed to canosol and carnosic acid.
These compounds protect your skin two ways:
1) They fight off free radicals, or the unstable molecules from things like sun and pollution that age and damage skin.
2) They help calm inflammation by switching off the chemical signals that tell skin to get red and irritated.
Lab studies also suggest that rosmarinic acid may help protect collagen and slow sugar-related damage to it.
The Cosmetic Ingredient Review has concluded rosemary-derived ingredients to be safe when formulated to be non-sensitizing.
Rosemary can occasionally cause allergic contact dermatitis (due to carnosol), so be sure to patch test if you have reactive or fragrance-sensitive skin.
Learn more about Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf ExtractTocopherol 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
