What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
Solvent
Dicaprylyl Carbonate
EmollientGlycerin
Humectant
Cocos Nucifera Fruit Water
Skin Conditioning
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Prunus Avium Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Glutamic Acid
Humectant
Arginine
Masking
Histidine
Humectant
Tyrosine
MaskingAlanine
Masking
Lysine
Skin ConditioningSerine
Masking
Aspartic Acid
Masking
Leucine
Skin ConditioningPhenylalanine
Masking
Threonine
Proline
Skin Conditioning
Valine
MaskingGlycine
Buffering
Isoleucine
Skin ConditioningHexapeptide-11
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Saccharide Isomerate
Humectant
Ascorbic Acid
Antioxidant
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Saccharomyces/Magnesium Ferment
Saccharomyces/Silicon Ferment
Skin Conditioning
Saccharomyces/Copper Ferment
Skin Conditioning
Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate
Antimicrobial
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Glyceryl Caprylate
EmollientCetearyl Olivate
Sorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingGlyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer
HumectantCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingCitric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Citrate
BufferingCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
CI 77491
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Propanediol, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Glycerin, Cocos Nucifera Fruit Water, Pentylene Glycol, Prunus Avium Fruit Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Ceramide NP, Glutamic Acid, Arginine, Histidine, Tyrosine, Alanine, Lysine, Serine, Aspartic Acid, Leucine, Phenylalanine, Threonine, Proline, Valine, Glycine, Isoleucine, Hexapeptide-11, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Saccharide Isomerate, Ascorbic Acid, Tocopheryl Acetate, Saccharomyces/Magnesium Ferment, Saccharomyces/Silicon Ferment, Saccharomyces/Copper Ferment, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Tocopherol, Glyceryl Caprylate, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, Hydroxyacetophenone, Butylene Glycol, Xanthan Gum, Glyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer, Carbomer, Sodium Hydroxide, Citric Acid, Sodium Citrate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Phenoxyethanol, CI 77491
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Behenyl Alcohol
Emollient
Xylitylglucoside
Humectant
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Squalane
Emollient
Sodium Acrylates Copolymer
Acetyl Tetrapeptide-2
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Heptapeptide-27
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Oligopeptide-78
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Octapeptide-24
Skin Conditioning
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Anhydroxylitol
Humectant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingXylitol
Humectant
Lecithin
Emollient
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningGlucose
Humectant
Bisabolol
Antioxidant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Teprenone
Skin ConditioningPolysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Sorbitan Isostearate
Emulsifying
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Euterpe Oleracea Fruit Extract
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Citric Acid
Buffering
Sorbic Acid
Preservative
Lactic Acid/Glycolic Acid Copolymer
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
Antioxidant
Polyvinyl Alcohol
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingWater, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Behenyl Alcohol, Xylitylglucoside, Niacinamide, Squalane, Sodium Acrylates Copolymer, Acetyl Tetrapeptide-2, Palmitoyl Heptapeptide-27, Palmitoyl Oligopeptide-78, Palmitoyl Octapeptide-24, Phenoxyethanol, Anhydroxylitol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Xylitol, Lecithin, Ethylhexylglycerin, Glucose, Bisabolol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Teprenone, Polysorbate 60, Sorbitan Isostearate, Caprylyl Glycol, Euterpe Oleracea Fruit Extract, Potassium Sorbate, Citric Acid, Sorbic Acid, Lactic Acid/Glycolic Acid Copolymer, Tocopherol, Polyvinyl Alcohol, Sodium Hydroxide
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 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 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 HyaluronateSodium Hydroxide is also known as lye or caustic soda. It is used to adjust the pH of products; many ingredients require a specific pH to be effective.
In small amounts, sodium hydroxide is considered safe to use. However, large amounts may cause chemical burns due to its high alkaline.
Your skin has a natural pH and acid mantle. This acid mantle helps prevent harmful bacteria from breaking through. The acid mantle also helps keep your skin hydrated.
"Alkaline" refers to a high pH level. A low pH level would be considered acidic.
Learn more about Sodium HydroxideTocopherol is a fat-soluble antioxidant known as Vitamin E.
You'll find this ingredient in the vast majority of skincare (for good reason). It works to neutralize free radicals, or unstable molecules generated by UV exposure, pollution, and other environmental stressors, before they can cause oxidative damage to your skin cells.
Topically applied tocopherol has been shown to protect against UV damage by ramping up the skin's own natural defense enzymes.
It also acts as a skin conditioning agent; some studies show that regular topical use can improve the skin's water-binding capacity over 2-4 weeks.
This ingredient is especially loved for being a team player. When combined with Vitamin C, the photoprotective effect of both ingredients roughly doubles and the combo also helps reduce UV-induced DNA damage.
This ingredient has some brightening potential but it's more of a prevention ingredient than spot-fader. Cell studies show it can slow down melanin production but it's worth noting that it's not the most powerful brightener out there.
In formulations, it also serves as a stabilizer that helps protect other oxidation-prone ingredients from degrading.
Concentrations usually range from 0.1-1% in most leave-on products.
Learn more about TocopherolWater. 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
