What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Glycerin
Humectant
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Ceteareth-20
CleansingSweet Almond Amino Acids
HumectantSesamum Indicum Seed Oil
Emollient
Raoulia Australis Callus Extract
Antioxidant
Pelargonium Graveolens Flower Oil
Masking
Calendula Officinalis Flower
Skin Conditioning
Wheat Germ Acid
Cleansing
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Panax Ginseng Leaf/Root/Stem Extract 1%
Antioxidant
Gluconolactone
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Citric Acid
Buffering
Water, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glycerin, Glyceryl Stearate, Ceteareth-20, Sweet Almond Amino Acids, Sesamum Indicum Seed Oil, Raoulia Australis Callus Extract, Pelargonium Graveolens Flower Oil, Calendula Officinalis Flower, Wheat Germ Acid, Tocopherol, Panax Ginseng Leaf/Root/Stem Extract 1%, Gluconolactone, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, Citric Acid
Water
Skin ConditioningCamellia Oleifera Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Cetearyl Glucoside
Emulsifying
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Rosa Damascena Flower Oil
Masking
Pelargonium Graveolens Flower Oil
Masking
Santalum Acuminatum Fruit Extract
Antioxidant
Calendula Officinalis Flower Oil
Masking
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Sodium Levulinate
Skin ConditioningSodium Anisate
AntimicrobialXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingLactic Acid
Buffering
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Citric Acid
Buffering
Benzyl Benzoate
Antimicrobial
Beta-Caryophyllene
Masking
Cinnamal
Perfuming
Citral
Perfuming
Water, Camellia Oleifera Seed Oil, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glycerin, Glyceryl Stearate, Cetearyl Glucoside, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Rosa Damascena Flower Oil, Pelargonium Graveolens Flower Oil, Santalum Acuminatum Fruit Extract, Calendula Officinalis Flower Oil, Tocopherol, Sodium Levulinate, Sodium Anisate, Xanthan Gum, Lactic Acid, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Citric Acid, Benzyl Benzoate, Beta-Caryophyllene, Cinnamal, Citral
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 GlycerinGlyceryl Stearate is made by reacting glycerin with stearic acid (typically sourced from plant oils like palm or coconut). It's an emulsifier, emollient, and mild occlusive.
Emulsifiers help ingredients like oil and water stay mixed so your formula stays nicely blended and uniform in texture.
This ingredient is typically used in concentrations between 1-10%. Studies have found it to be non-sensitizing, non-phototoxic, and non-photoallergenic.
A close cousin of this ingredient is Glyceryl Stearate SE ("self-emulsifying"). This just has a small amount of sodium or potassium stearate added so it can emulsify without a co-emulsifier.
Since this ingredient is an ester of a C18 fatty acid, it may not be fungal acne safe. The Malassezia yeast can potentially metabolize within the C11-C24 range.
Fun fact: The human body also creates Glyceryl Stearate naturally.
Learn more about Glyceryl StearatePelargonium Graveolens Flower Oil is the pressed oil of the Rose Geranium plant. It is volatile, meaning it evaporates off the skin.
Fragrant components of Rose Geranium include citronellol and geraniol. These may cause allergies and skin-sensitivity. We recommend speaking with a professional if you have any concerns.
The scent of Rose Geranium closely resembles traditional roses.
Learn more about Pelargonium Graveolens Flower OilPotassium Sorbate is a preservative used to prevent yeast and mold in products. It is commonly found in both cosmetic and food products.
This ingredient comes from potassium salt derived from sorbic acid. Sorbic acid is a natural antibiotic and effective against fungus.
Both potassium sorbate and sorbic acid can be found in baked goods, cheeses, dried meats, dried fruit, ice cream, pickles, wine, yogurt, and more.
You'll often find this ingredient used with other preservatives.
Learn more about Potassium SorbateSodium Benzoate is a preservative. It's used in both cosmetic and food products to inhibit the growth of mold and bacteria. It is typically produced synthetically.
Both the US FDA and EU Health Committee have approved the use of sodium benzoate. In the US, levels of 0.1% (of the total product) are allowed.
Sodium benzoate works as a preservative by inhibiting the growth of bacteria inside of cells. It prevents the cell from fermenting a type of sugar using an enzyme called phosphofructokinase.
It is the salt of benzoic acid. Foods containing sodium benzoate include soda, salad dressings, condiments, fruit juices, wines, and snack foods.
Studies for using ascorbic acid and sodium benzoate in cosmetics are lacking, especially in skincare routines with multiple steps.
We always recommend speaking with a professional, such as a dermatologist, if you have any concerns.
Learn more about Sodium BenzoateTocopherol 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
