What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningHamamelis Virginiana Leaf Water
Astringent
Cocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Glycerin
Humectant
Sodium Laureth Sulfate
Cleansing
PEG-7 Glyceryl Cocoate
Emulsifying
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingBenzophenone-4
UV Absorber
Citric Acid
Buffering
Hydrated Silica
Abrasive
Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin
MaskingIodopropynyl Butylcarbamate
Preservative
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Pantolactone
Humectant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Sodium Chloride
MaskingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingThymus Vulgaris Flower/Leaf Extract
MaskingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingZinc PCA
Humectant
Water, Hamamelis Virginiana Leaf Water, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Glycerin, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, PEG-7 Glyceryl Cocoate, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Benzophenone-4, Citric Acid, Hydrated Silica, Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin, Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate, Niacinamide, Panthenol, Pantolactone, Phenoxyethanol, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Hydroxide, Thymus Vulgaris Flower/Leaf Extract, Xanthan Gum, Zinc PCA
Water
Skin ConditioningAmmonium Lauryl Sulfate
Cleansing
Citrus Limon Fruit Extract
Masking
Cocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Sodium Cocoyl Glutamate
Cleansing
Disodium Cocoyl Glutamate
Cleansing
Glycerin
Humectant
Honey
Humectant
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingParfum
Masking
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingHydrogenated Jojoba Oil
Abrasive
Citric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Metabisulfite
Antioxidant
Methylchloroisothiazolinone
Preservative
Disodium EDTA
Water, Ammonium Lauryl Sulfate, Citrus Limon Fruit Extract, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Sodium Cocoyl Glutamate, Disodium Cocoyl Glutamate, Glycerin, Honey, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Parfum, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Hydroxide, Hydrogenated Jojoba Oil, Citric Acid, Sodium Metabisulfite, Methylchloroisothiazolinone, Disodium EDTA
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer is a synthetic polymer. It is used to thicken, emulsify, and improve the texture of products.
As an emulsifier, it helps stabilize oil-in-water emulsions to give products an elegant feel when applied.
It can also form a thin protective film on skin. One study found that a formula using this polymer helped slow down how quickly other ingredients (like DEET) were absorbed through skin.
A 2024 study of over 1,300 patients confirmed that sensitization to this ingredient is rare. It is also non-mutagenic and has a clean track record.
Learn more about Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate CrosspolymerCitric 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 AcidCocamidopropyl Betaine is a fatty acid created by mixing similar compounds in coconut oil and dimethylaminopropylamine, a compound with two amino groups.
This ingredient is a surfactant and cleanser. It helps gather the dirt, pollutants, and other impurities in your skin to be washed away. It also helps thicken a product and make the texture more creamy.
Being created from coconut oil means Cocamidopropyl Betaine is hydrating for the skin.
While Cocamidopropyl Betaine was believed to be an allergen, a study from 2012 disproved this. It found two compounds in unpure Cocamidopropyl Betaine to be the irritants: aminoamide and 3-dimethylaminopropylamine. High-grade and pure Cocamidopropyl Betaine did not induce allergic reactions during this study.
Learn more about Cocamidopropyl BetaineGlycerin (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.
Sodium 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 HydroxideWater. 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
