What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate
CleansingCocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Lauryl Glucoside
CleansingGlycerin
Humectant
PEG-120 Methyl Glucose Trioleate
Cleansing
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Betaine
Humectant
Sodium Cocoyl Glutamate
Cleansing
Parfum
Masking
Propanediol
Solvent
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Bisabolol
Antioxidant
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Cocos Nucifera Oil
Masking
Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Macadamia Integrifolia Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil
Emollient
Pyridoxine Hcl
Skin ConditioningSaccharide Isomerate
Humectant
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Magnesium Aspartate
Skin ConditioningZinc Gluconate
Skin Conditioning
Hydrolyzed Cottonseed Protein
Skin ConditioningPalmitoyl Myristyl Serinate
Skin ConditioningCopper Gluconate
Skin Conditioning
Glycol Cetearate
Emollient
Citric Acid
Buffering
Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride
Skin ConditioningPEG-8
HumectantPolyquaternium-10
Polyquaternium-47
Skin ConditioningCellulose
Absorbent
Cellulose Gum
Emulsion StabilisingTrisodium Phosphate
BufferingPEG-8/Smdi Copolymer
Tetrasodium EDTA
Sodium Polyacrylate
Absorbent
Sodium Citrate
BufferingDisodium EDTA
Biotin
AntiseborrhoeicSodium Benzoate
Masking
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Benzoic Acid
Masking
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Limonene
Perfuming
Citral
Perfuming
Water, Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Lauryl Glucoside, Glycerin, PEG-120 Methyl Glucose Trioleate, Pentylene Glycol, Betaine, Sodium Cocoyl Glutamate, Parfum, Propanediol, Panthenol, Bisabolol, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil, Macadamia Integrifolia Seed Oil, Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil, Pyridoxine Hcl, Saccharide Isomerate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Magnesium Aspartate, Zinc Gluconate, Hydrolyzed Cottonseed Protein, Palmitoyl Myristyl Serinate, Copper Gluconate, Glycol Cetearate, Citric Acid, Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, PEG-8, Polyquaternium-10, Polyquaternium-47, Cellulose, Cellulose Gum, Trisodium Phosphate, PEG-8/Smdi Copolymer, Tetrasodium EDTA, Sodium Polyacrylate, Sodium Citrate, Disodium EDTA, Biotin, Sodium Benzoate, Phenoxyethanol, Benzoic Acid, Potassium Sorbate, Limonene, Citral
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium Cocoyl Isethionate
Cleansing
Sodium Lauryl Sulfoacetate
CleansingCoco-Betaine
Cleansing
Brassicamidopropyl Dimethylamine
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
Solvent
Hydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate
Cetyl Stearate
Emollient
Citric Acid
Buffering
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Maltooligosyl Glucoside
Skin ConditioningSodium Benzoate
Masking
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Hydroxypropyl Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride
Isostearyl Isostearate
Emollient
Potassium Cetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingHydrogenated Starch Hydrolysate
HumectantPotassium Sorbate
Preservative
Glycerin
Humectant
Adansonia Digitata Seed Oil
Emollient
Avena Sativa Kernel Oil
Skin Conditioning
O-Cymen-5-Ol
Antimicrobial
Punica Granatum Seed Oil
Emollient
Pelargonium Graveolens Flower Oil
Masking
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Avena Strigosa Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningLecithin
Emollient
Rosa Damascena Extract
MaskingHydrolyzed Wheat Protein
Skin ConditioningMaltodextrin
Absorbent
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Acetyl Tyrosine
Skin ConditioningAdenosine
Skin Conditioning
Arginine
Masking
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Lysine
Skin ConditioningMoringa Oleifera Seed Oil
Emollient
Ornithine
Skin ConditioningPanax Ginseng Root Extract
Emollient
Proline
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingTocopherol
Antioxidant
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingBrassica Alba Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningHydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Oligopeptide-177
Oligopeptide-6
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Chloride
MaskingCitronellol
Perfuming
Geraniol
Perfuming
Water, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Sodium Lauryl Sulfoacetate, Coco-Betaine, Brassicamidopropyl Dimethylamine, Propanediol, Hydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate, Cetyl Stearate, Citric Acid, Hydroxyacetophenone, Maltooligosyl Glucoside, Sodium Benzoate, Cetyl Alcohol, Hydroxypropyl Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Isostearyl Isostearate, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Hydrogenated Starch Hydrolysate, Potassium Sorbate, Glycerin, Adansonia Digitata Seed Oil, Avena Sativa Kernel Oil, O-Cymen-5-Ol, Punica Granatum Seed Oil, Pelargonium Graveolens Flower Oil, Stearic Acid, Avena Strigosa Seed Extract, Lecithin, Rosa Damascena Extract, Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein, Maltodextrin, Niacinamide, Acetyl Tyrosine, Adenosine, Arginine, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Lysine, Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil, Ornithine, Panax Ginseng Root Extract, Proline, Sodium Hydroxide, Tocopherol, Xanthan Gum, Brassica Alba Seed Extract, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Oligopeptide-177, Oligopeptide-6, Sodium Chloride, Citronellol, Geraniol
Alternatives
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 GlycerinMoringa Oleifera Seed Oil is a lightweight oil from the seeds of the Moringa oleifera tree. In cosmetics, it's an emollient that forms a light film to slow water loss and soften skin.
Its fatty acid composition is dominated by oleic acid (70-78%), with smaller amounts of behenic, palmitic, and stearic acids (this profile is actually pretty similar to olive oil).
Notably, this ingredient is oxidatively stable for an oil and resists going rancid as fast as other oils.
A small, in vivo study on 32 participants found a cream with this ingredient increased skin hydration with no reported skin irritation. It also found the tocopherol content gave it some antioxidant activity as well.
One thing to flag for fungal acne:
Because this oil is so high in oleic acid, Malassezia can use it as a food source and this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
For everyone else, this ingredient is well-tolerated and nourishing with a good safety track record.
Learn more about Moringa Oleifera Seed 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 SorbatePropanediol is an all-star ingredient. It softens, hydrates, and smooths the skin.Â
It’s often used to:
Propanediol is not likely to cause sensitivity and considered safe to use. It is derived from corn or petroleum with a clear color and no scent.
Learn more about PropanediolSodium 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 BenzoateWater. 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
