What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGalactomyces Ferment Filtrate
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Glycerin
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
PEG-150
HumectantCellulose Gum
Emulsion StabilisingDisodium EDTA
Citric Acid
Buffering
Salicylic Acid
Masking
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Malic Acid
Buffering
Sodium Citrate
BufferingSodium Benzoate
Masking
Methylparaben
Preservative
Illite Extract
Skin ConditioningWater
Skin ConditioningPEG-40 Glyceryl Cocoate
Emulsifying
Coco-Betaine
Cleansing
Glycerin
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Sodium Coceth Sulfate
Cleansing
Maltitol
HumectantSodium Cocoyl Isethionate
Cleansing
Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate
Cleansing
PEG-120 Methyl Glucose Dioleate
Emulsifying
Aframomum Angustifolium Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningPaeonia Lactiflora Root Extract
Skin ConditioningLilium Candidum Bulb Extract
Skin ConditioningJasminum Officinale Flower Extract
Masking
Sodium Surfactin
CleansingPolyquaternium-22
Hydrolyzed Soy Protein
Humectant
Ascorbyl Glucoside
Antioxidant
Xylitol
Humectant
Trehalose
Humectant
Palmaria Palmata Extract
Skin ProtectingNiacinamide
Smoothing
Parfum
Masking
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Disodium EDTA
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingSodium Benzoate
Masking
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Metabisulfite
Antioxidant
Water, PEG-40 Glyceryl Cocoate, Coco-Betaine, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Sodium Coceth Sulfate, Maltitol, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate, PEG-120 Methyl Glucose Dioleate, Aframomum Angustifolium Seed Extract, Paeonia Lactiflora Root Extract, Lilium Candidum Bulb Extract, Jasminum Officinale Flower Extract, Sodium Surfactin, Polyquaternium-22, Hydrolyzed Soy Protein, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Xylitol, Trehalose, Palmaria Palmata Extract, Niacinamide, Parfum, Caprylyl Glycol, Disodium EDTA, Lactic Acid, Sodium Hydroxide, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Metabisulfite
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Butylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:
Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient that works well with other ingredients.
Though this ingredient works well with most skin types, some people with sensitive skin may experience a reaction such as allergic rashes, closed comedones, or itchiness.
Learn more about Butylene GlycolDisodium EDTA is a chelating agent. It grabs onto and deactivates metal ions that sneak into your products from water, packaging, or air.
This ingredient mainly works behind the scenes and helps with:
On top of that, this ingredient can counteract the effects of hard water by binding to the minerals in it.
One thing worth knowing is that Disodium EDTA has been shown to be a mild penetration enhancer. It can help other ingredients absorb into skin more effectively which can be a double-edged sword (great for actives, but can also make the active too strong if you have sensitive skin).
Clinical patch testing showed no significant skin irritation at typical use concentrations and minimal dermal absorption.
You'll most likely see this ingredient near the end of an ingredient list. It's typically found in concentrations less than 1%.
Learn more about Disodium EDTAGlycerin (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 GlycerinLactic Acid is another well-loved alpha hydroxy acid (AHA). It is gentler than glycolic acid but still highly effective.
Its main role is to exfoliate the surface of the skin by loosening the âglueâ that holds dead skin cells together. Shedding those old cells leads to smoother, softer, and more even-toned skin.
Because lactic acid molecules are larger than glycolic acid, they donât penetrate as deeply. This means theyâre less likely to sting or irritate, making it a great choice for beginners or those with sensitive skin.
Like glycolic acid, it can:
Lactic acid also acts as a humectant (like hyaluronic acid). It can draw water into the skin to improve hydration and also plays a role in the skin's natural moisturizing factor (NMF) in the form of sodium lactate.
Studies show it can boost ceramide production to strengthen the skin barrier and even help balance the skinâs microbiome.
To get results, choose products with a pH between 3-4.
Lower strengths (5-12%) focus on surface exfoliation; higher strengths (12% and up) can reach deeper in the dermis (deeper, supportive layer) to improve skin texture and firmness over time.
Though it was originally derived from milk, most modern lactic acid used in skincare is vegan. It is made through non-dairy fermentation to create a bio-identical and stable form suitable for all formulations.
When lactic acid shows up near the end of an ingredient list, it usually means the brand added just a tiny amount to adjust the productâs pH.
Legend has it that Cleopatra used to bathe in sour milk to help reduce wrinkles.
Lactic acid is truly a gentle multitasker: it exfoliates, hydrates, strengthens, and brightens. It's a great ingredient for giving your skin a smooth, glowing, and healthy look without the harshness of stronger acids.
Read more about some other popular AHA's here:
Learn more about Lactic AcidSodium 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
