What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium Cocoyl Isethionate
Cleansing
Glycerin
Humectant
Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate
Cleansing
Coco-Betaine
Cleansing
Centella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Potassium Cocoyl Glycinate
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Potassium Cocoate
Emulsifying
Potassium Benzoate
Preservative
Polyquaternium-67
Citric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Chloride
MaskingButylene Glycol
Humectant
Dextrin
AbsorbentTheobroma Cacao Extract
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
Sodium Acetate
BufferingSodium Bicarbonate
Abrasive
Coptis Chinensis Root Extract
Antioxidant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Coccinia Indica Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningEclipta Prostrata Extract
Skin Conditioning
Water, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Glycerin, Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate, Coco-Betaine, Centella Asiatica Extract, Potassium Cocoyl Glycinate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Potassium Cocoate, Potassium Benzoate, Polyquaternium-67, Citric Acid, Sodium Chloride, Butylene Glycol, Dextrin, Theobroma Cacao Extract, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Acetate, Sodium Bicarbonate, Coptis Chinensis Root Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Coccinia Indica Fruit Extract, Eclipta Prostrata Extract
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Pentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate
Emollient
Propanediol
Solvent
Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate
Emulsion StabilisingPolysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Inonotus Obliquus Extract
Skin ConditioningTremella Fuciformis Polysaccharide
Emulsion Stabilising
Citric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Withania Somnifera Root Extract
Skin Conditioning
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Avena Sativa Kernel Oil
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Coco-Betaine
Cleansing
Coco-Glucoside
Cleansing
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningFructose
Humectant
Glyceryl Oleate
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Glycol Distearate
Emollient
Sodium Chloride
MaskingCaramel
Cosmetic ColorantBenzoic Acid
Masking
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Water, Glycerin, Pentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate, Propanediol, Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Polysorbate 60, Inonotus Obliquus Extract, Tremella Fuciformis Polysaccharide, Citric Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Withania Somnifera Root Extract, Niacinamide, Panthenol, Tocopherol, Avena Sativa Kernel Oil, Ceramide NP, Caprylyl Glycol, Coco-Betaine, Coco-Glucoside, Ethylhexylglycerin, Fructose, Glyceryl Oleate, Glyceryl Stearate, Glycol Distearate, Sodium Chloride, Caramel, Benzoic Acid, Chlorphenesin, Potassium Sorbate
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 AcidCoco-Betaine is the natural version of Cocamidopropyl Betaine. It is often derived from coconuts.
Coco-Betaine is a surfactant, meaning it helps remove dirt and oil from the skin.
Glycerin (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 GlycerinChances are, you eat sodium chloride every day. Sodium Chloride is also known as table salt. This ingredient has many purposes in skincare: thickener, emulsifier, and exfoliator.
You'll most likely find this ingredient in cleansers where it is used to create a gel-like texture. As an emulsifier, it also prevents ingredients from separating.
You might see people debate whether Sodium Chloride is comedogenic, but there actually haven't been any comedogenic tests done on it. Either way, the overall formulation of a product matters a lot more than any single ingredient.
You might see this ingredient used in scrubs as a primary exfoliating ingredient.
Learn more about Sodium ChlorideSodium 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
