What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium Ascorbyl Phosphate
Antioxidant
Glycerin
Humectant
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Terminalia Ferdinandiana Fruit Extract
Antioxidant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningMagnesium Aspartate
Skin ConditioningZinc Gluconate
Skin Conditioning
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialCopper Gluconate
Skin Conditioning
Citric Acid
Buffering
Glucose
Humectant
Bioflavonoids
Skin ConditioningChlorogenic Acids
Antioxidant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Water, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Glycerin, Niacinamide, Terminalia Ferdinandiana Fruit Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Magnesium Aspartate, Zinc Gluconate, Pentylene Glycol, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Copper Gluconate, Citric Acid, Glucose, Bioflavonoids, Chlorogenic Acids, Phenoxyethanol
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Glycereth-26
Humectant
Isononyl Isononanoate
EmollientDimethicone
Emollient
Propanediol
Solvent
Trametes Versicolor Extract
Ascorbyl Glucoside
Antioxidant
Algae Extract
EmollientAcetyl Glucosamine
Skin Conditioning
Hydroxyethyl Urea
Humectant
Lens Esculenta Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningPyrus Malus Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Avena Sativa Kernel Extract
Abrasive
Bis-PEG-18 Methyl Ether Dimethyl Silane
EmollientCitrullus Lanatus Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Triticum Vulgare Germ Extract
Skin ConditioningResveratrol
Antioxidant
Artemia Extract
Skin ConditioningTocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Sucrose
Humectant
Trehalose
Humectant
Salicylic Acid
Masking
PEG-75
HumectantYeast Extract
Skin ConditioningSodium Hydroxide
BufferingOleth-3 Phosphate
Sorbitol
Humectant
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Hordeum Distichon Extract
Skin ProtectingOleth-3
Emulsifying
Sodium Polyaspartate
HumectantCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingMyrtus Communis Leaf Extract
Perfuming
Caffeine
Skin Conditioning
Oleth-5
Emulsifying
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingDipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Humectant
Propylene Glycol Caprylate
Skin ConditioningSqualane
Emollient
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Choleth-24
EmulsifyingCeteth-24
CleansingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSodium Lactate
Buffering
Oryzanol
Skin ConditioningSodium PCA
Humectant
Glyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer
HumectantEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningGlucose
Humectant
Parfum
Masking
Sodium Citrate
BufferingCitric Acid
Buffering
Disodium EDTA
BHT
Antioxidant
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Water, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Glycereth-26, Isononyl Isononanoate, Dimethicone, Propanediol, Trametes Versicolor Extract, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Algae Extract, Acetyl Glucosamine, Hydroxyethyl Urea, Lens Esculenta Fruit Extract, Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract, Avena Sativa Kernel Extract, Bis-PEG-18 Methyl Ether Dimethyl Silane, Citrullus Lanatus Fruit Extract, Triticum Vulgare Germ Extract, Resveratrol, Artemia Extract, Tocopheryl Acetate, Sucrose, Trehalose, Salicylic Acid, PEG-75, Yeast Extract, Sodium Hydroxide, Oleth-3 Phosphate, Sorbitol, Caprylyl Glycol, Hordeum Distichon Extract, Oleth-3, Sodium Polyaspartate, Carbomer, Myrtus Communis Leaf Extract, Caffeine, Oleth-5, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Propylene Glycol Caprylate, Squalane, Sodium Hyaluronate, Choleth-24, Ceteth-24, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Lactate, Oryzanol, Sodium PCA, Glyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer, Ethylhexylglycerin, Glucose, Parfum, Sodium Citrate, Citric Acid, Disodium EDTA, BHT, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Phenoxyethanol
Reviews
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 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 EthylhexylglycerinGlucose is a simple sugar (a monosaccharide). In skincare, it is mostly a humectant and skin conditioning agent.
Mechanistically, it has multiple hydroxyl groups that hydrogen-bond to water. This pulls moisture into the upper layers of skin to keep the surface soft and hydrated.
It's worth knowing sugars are already a natural component of the skin's NMF (natural moisturizing factor) so it's a molecule that your stratum corneum is well-acquainted with.
Just so you know, glucose is hydrophilic (water-loving) and the stratum corneum is a strong barrier to hydrophilic compounds. This just means penetration is slow and most of the action is happening on the surface.
Gram-to-gram, glucose is not as efficient as a humectant as glycerin. This is why you'll likely see glycose paired with stronger humectants for a bigger hydration payoff.
In skincare, glucose is typically derived from corn or other starch sources.
Learn more about GlucoseGlycerin (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 Hyaluronate is the salt form of hyaluronic acid. It is a long sugar chain that is naturally found in your skin, joints, and connective tissue that maintains hydration and elasticity.
In skincare, it works as a humectant. It pulls water from the environment and deeper layers of skin and binds it to the surface.
Interestingly, the size of the molecule affects its behavior:
Some clinical evidence links low molecular weight versions to improved wrinkle depth, elasticity, anti-inflammatory effects, and barrier repair.
Many serums use a blend of both weights so you can get surface hydration plus longer-lasting and deeper effects.
You'll typically see concentrations between 0.1-2% for this ingredient.
Learn more about Sodium HyaluronateWater. 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
