What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Galactomyces Ferment Filtrate
Humectant
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Glycerin
Humectant
Diphenyl Dimethicone
Emollient
Water
Skin ConditioningPalmitoyl Tetrapeptide-10
Skin Conditioning
Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Humectant
Triethylhexanoin
MaskingHydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningSodium Phytate
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Glycyrrhiza Uralensis Root Extract
Skin Conditioning
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Cetyl Palmitate
Emollient
Sorbitan Stearate
Emulsifying
Polysorbate 80
Emulsifying
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Citric Acid
Buffering
Galactomyces Ferment Filtrate, Pentylene Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Glycerin, Diphenyl Dimethicone, Water, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-10, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Triethylhexanoin, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Allantoin, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Phytate, Tocopherol, Niacinamide, Glycyrrhiza Uralensis Root Extract, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cetyl Palmitate, Sorbitan Stearate, Polysorbate 80, 1,2-Hexanediol, Sodium Benzoate, Citric Acid
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 GlycerinHydrogenated Lecithin is a more stable version of lecithin.
It's made by taking lecithin (a phospholipid commonly found in soybeans and egg yolks) and hydrogenating it. This just means the unsaturated fatty acids are turned into saturated ones so they don't go bad as easily.
This ingredient is an emollient, emulsifier, and penetration enhancer. As an emollient, it helps soften and hydrate skin by trapping moisture within. As an emulsifier, it prevents oil and water ingredients from separating.
Hydrogenated Lecithin can form tiny spherical structures made of phospholipid bilayers called liposomes. These liposomes are able to capture compounds inside their structure and deliver them through the skin barrier.
Because phospholipids are a natural component of our cell membranes, this ingredient is inherently compatible with skin.
A 2021 study found lecithin-based surfactants were less harsh and more tolerable comared to Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS).
Learn more about Hydrogenated LecithinPhenoxyethanol 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.
Water. 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
