What's inside
What's inside
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
Solvent
Glycerin
Humectant
Tetrahydroxypropyl Ethylenediamine
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingSaccharide Isomerate
Humectant
Citric Acid
Buffering
Hydrolyzed Lupine Protein
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
Medicago Sativa Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningSodium Chloride
MaskingPotassium Chloride
Sodium Citrate
BufferingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningWater
Skin ConditioningRosa Damascena Flower Water
Masking
Citrus Aurantium Amara Flower Water
MaskingButylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingCaffeine
Skin Conditioning
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningSodium Hydroxide
BufferingAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder
Skin Conditioning
Citric Acid
Buffering
Ginkgo Biloba Leaf Extract
Skin Conditioning
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Centaurea Cyanus Flower Extract
Astringent
Marrubium Vulgare Extract
Skin ConditioningSodium Benzoate
Masking
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
Masking
Phenethyl Alcohol
MaskingDehydroacetic Acid
Preservative
Furcellaria Lumbricalis Extract
Skin ConditioningCI 42090
Cosmetic ColorantLapsana Communis Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract
Skin ConditioningMaris Sal
Skin ConditioningWater, Rosa Damascena Flower Water, Citrus Aurantium Amara Flower Water, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Carbomer, Caffeine, Propylene Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Hydroxide, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder, Citric Acid, Ginkgo Biloba Leaf Extract, Benzyl Alcohol, Centaurea Cyanus Flower Extract, Marrubium Vulgare Extract, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Phenethyl Alcohol, Dehydroacetic Acid, Furcellaria Lumbricalis Extract, CI 42090, 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.
Carbomer is a high-molecular weight polymer of acrylic acid. It is used to form gels and thicken formulas.
Due to its large molecular size, carbomer has minimal skin penetration and is considered an inert ingredient.
A high amount of carbomer can cause pilling or balling up of products. Don't worry, most products contain 1% or less of carbomer.
Learn more about CarbomerCitric 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 AcidEthylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:
The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure.
Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.
Learn more about EthylhexylglycerinGlycerin (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.
Water. 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
