What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Hydrogenated Polydecene
EmollientCetyl Ethylhexanoate
EmollientSorbitol
Humectant
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Isododecane
EmollientDimethicone
Emollient
Diphenylsiloxy Phenyl Trimethicone
Skin Conditioning
Sucrose Stearate
EmollientPPG-15-Buteth-20
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil
Emollient
Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil
Masking
PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate
Cleansing
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSodium Citrate
BufferingCitric Acid
Buffering
Pyrus Malus Fruit Water
MaskingSodium Metaphosphate
BufferingTocopherol
Antioxidant
Citrus Depressa Peel Extract
HumectantDipropylene Glycol
HumectantAlcohol
Antimicrobial
Trisodium EDTA
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
CI 77492
Cosmetic ColorantBHT
Antioxidant
Hydrogenated Polydecene, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Sorbitol, Water, Glycerin, Isododecane, Dimethicone, Diphenylsiloxy Phenyl Trimethicone, Sucrose Stearate, PPG-15-Buteth-20, Butylene Glycol, Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil, Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil, PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Citrate, Citric Acid, Pyrus Malus Fruit Water, Sodium Metaphosphate, Tocopherol, Citrus Depressa Peel Extract, Dipropylene Glycol, Alcohol, Trisodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol, CI 77492, BHT
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Lauric Acid
Cleansing
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate
Cleansing
Maltooligosyl Glucoside
Skin ConditioningPalmitic Acid
Emollient
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingHydrogenated Starch Hydrolysate
HumectantParfum
Masking
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
PEG-100 Stearate
Pentaerythrityl Tetrabehenate
EmollientNymphaea Alba Root Extract
Skin ConditioningDipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Humectant
Coco-Betaine
Cleansing
Potassium Hydroxide
BufferingChlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate
Cleansing
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Citric Acid
Buffering
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Polyquaternium-22
Water, Glycerin, Lauric Acid, Stearic Acid, Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate, Maltooligosyl Glucoside, Palmitic Acid, Sodium Hydroxide, Hydrogenated Starch Hydrolysate, Parfum, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Pentaerythrityl Tetrabehenate, Nymphaea Alba Root Extract, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Coco-Betaine, Potassium Hydroxide, Chlorphenesin, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, Tocopherol, Citric Acid, Caprylyl Glycol, Polyquaternium-22
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 GlycerinThis gentle cleansing and foaming ingredient is known for leaving a smooth feeling in skin and hair. It is made using coconut oil.
According to the manufacturer, it is soluble in water and has resistance to hard water, acid, and alkali.
Due to its coconut base, it may not be Malassezia folliculitis safe.
Learn more about Sodium Methyl Cocoyl TaurateTocopherol 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
