What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningPEG-8 Beeswax
Emulsifying
Caprylyl Caprylate/Caprate
Emollient
Polyglyceryl-6 Distearate
Emulsifying
Dimethicone
Emollient
C10-18 Triglycerides
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Polypropylsilsesquioxane
Phenyl Trimethicone
Skin Conditioning
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingTrimethylsiloxysilicate
Emollient
Anthemis Nobilis Flower Oil
Masking
Boron Nitride
Absorbent
Fructose
Humectant
Jojoba Esters
Emollient
Sodium Phytate
Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter
Emollient
Polyglyceryl-3 Beeswax
Emulsifying
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Propanediol
Solvent
Aesculus Hippocastanum Extract
Antioxidant
Coffea Arabica Seed Extract
Masking
Methylpropanediol
SolventAcmella Oleracea Extract
Skin ProtectingPolysilicone-11
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Caffeine
Skin Conditioning
Citrullus Lanatus Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Lens Esculenta Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningSodium PCA
Humectant
Sodium Lactate
Buffering
Ptychopetalum Olacoides Bark/Stem Extract
Skin ConditioningPfaffia Paniculata Root Extract
SoothingLilium Candidum Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Glycolic Acid
Buffering
Synthetic Fluorphlogopite
Silica
Abrasive
Mica
Cosmetic ColorantTitanium Dioxide
Cosmetic Colorant
Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil
Masking
Tagetes Erecta Flower Extract
Perfuming
Triethyl Citrate
Masking
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Caprylyl/Capryl Glucoside
CleansingBenzoic Acid
Masking
Lecithin
Emollient
Polysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Sorbitan Isostearate
Emulsifying
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Citric Acid
Buffering
Linalool
Perfuming
Limonene
Perfuming
Water, PEG-8 Beeswax, Caprylyl Caprylate/Caprate, Polyglyceryl-6 Distearate, Dimethicone, C10-18 Triglycerides, Glycerin, Polypropylsilsesquioxane, Phenyl Trimethicone, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Trimethylsiloxysilicate, Anthemis Nobilis Flower Oil, Boron Nitride, Fructose, Jojoba Esters, Sodium Phytate, Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter, Polyglyceryl-3 Beeswax, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Propanediol, Aesculus Hippocastanum Extract, Coffea Arabica Seed Extract, Methylpropanediol, Acmella Oleracea Extract, Polysilicone-11, Caprylyl Glycol, Caffeine, Citrullus Lanatus Fruit Extract, Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract, Lens Esculenta Fruit Extract, Sodium PCA, Sodium Lactate, Ptychopetalum Olacoides Bark/Stem Extract, Pfaffia Paniculata Root Extract, Lilium Candidum Flower Extract, Phenoxyethanol, Glycolic Acid, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Silica, Mica, Titanium Dioxide, Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil, Tagetes Erecta Flower Extract, Triethyl Citrate, Cetyl Alcohol, Caprylyl/Capryl Glucoside, Benzoic Acid, Lecithin, Polysorbate 60, Sorbitan Isostearate, Potassium Sorbate, Benzyl Alcohol, Sodium Benzoate, Citric Acid, Linalool, Limonene
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Salvia Hispanica Seed Extract
Emollient
Propanediol
Solvent
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Callus Culture Extract
Skin ConditioningCarnosine
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Plukenetia Volubilis Seed Extract
Emulsion StabilisingCoffea Arabica Seed Extract
Masking
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningLactobacillus Ferment
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Skin Conditioning
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Euterpe Oleracea Fruit Extract
Garcinia Mangostana Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Lupine Protein
Skin ConditioningLycium Barbarum Fruit Extract
Astringent
Morinda Citrifolia Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Punica Granatum Fruit Extract
Antioxidant
Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract
Emollient
Chrysin
Skin ConditioningCalcium Gluconate
HumectantCitric Acid
Buffering
Betaine
Humectant
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Phytate
Steareth-20
CleansingSodium Benzoate
Masking
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Gluconolactone
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingChlorhexidine Digluconate
Antimicrobial
N-Hydroxysuccinimide
Skin ConditioningSodium Citrate
BufferingPotassium Sorbate
Preservative
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingWater, Glycerin, Salvia Hispanica Seed Extract, Propanediol, Niacinamide, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Callus Culture Extract, Carnosine, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Plukenetia Volubilis Seed Extract, Coffea Arabica Seed Extract, Ethylhexylglycerin, Lactobacillus Ferment, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Euterpe Oleracea Fruit Extract, Garcinia Mangostana Fruit Extract, Hydrolyzed Lupine Protein, Lycium Barbarum Fruit Extract, Morinda Citrifolia Fruit Extract, Punica Granatum Fruit Extract, Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract, Chrysin, Calcium Gluconate, Citric Acid, Betaine, Carbomer, Sodium Phytate, Steareth-20, Sodium Benzoate, Phenoxyethanol, Gluconolactone, Sodium Hydroxide, Chlorhexidine Digluconate, N-Hydroxysuccinimide, Sodium Citrate, Potassium Sorbate, Xanthan Gum
Reviews
Alternatives
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 AcidThis ingredient is more commonly known as the coffee bean from the Coffea Arabica tree. Besides being a delicious drink, coffee beans have a ton of skin benefits.
Coffea Arabica Seed Extract (CASE) has antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and UV-protective properties. (It should not replace your sunscreen!)
CASE contains several ingredients that protect and soothe skin. These include caffeine, polysaccharides, sucrose, lipids, minerals, and proteins.
The star ingredient in coffee is caffeine.
Caffeine helps with anti-aging, antioxidant, and photo-protection.
How? It has been shown to block collagenase (~41%), elastase (~35%), and tyrosinase (~13%).
Collagenase and elastase are enzymes that break down collagen and elastin, respectively. Tyrosinase is the enzyme that controls melanin production.
Our skin creates melanin when exposed to UV as a defense mechanism.
It should be noted most studies looked at caffeine's ability to inhibit damage from UV-B rays.
According to a manufacturer, this ingredient is often dissolved using water, glycerin, and propanediol. The caffeine content of this ingredient is about 100 ppm.
Coffea Arabica is native to Ethiopia.
Learn more about Coffea Arabica Seed ExtractGlycerin (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 one of the most widely used preservatives in skincare (and for good reason!).
It has a large spectrum of antimicrobial activity and especially effective bacteria, yeast, and mold while only having a weak effect on your skin's natural microbiome.
On a cellular level, it disrupts the cell membranes of microbes by poking holes that make the cell leak. This shuts down the chemical reactions the microbe needs to make energy so it can no longer survive.
Another perk of this ingredient is that it stays functional across a wide pH range (3-10).
You'll often see it paired with boosters like Ethylhexylglycerin; one study showed that a 1:9 ratio of Ethylhexylglycerin to Phenoxyethanol damages bacterial membranes as effectively as doubling the Phenoxyethanol concentration on its own.
Typical use concentrations range from 0.3-1% depending on the formula, and this ingredient is capped at 1% int the EU.
Safety-wise, the fear mongering does not hold up to the evidence. The EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety and FDA consider it safe as a preservative at up to 1%, including for children of all ages.
Adverse systemic effects only showed up in animal studies at exposures roughly 200x higher than what people get from cosmetics. And despite its very widespread use, this ingredient is a rare sensitizer and allergic reactions are uncommon.
Learn more about PhenoxyethanolPotassium Sorbate is a preservative used to prevent yeast and mold in products. It is commonly found in both cosmetic and food products.
This ingredient comes from potassium salt derived from sorbic acid. Sorbic acid is a natural antibiotic and effective against fungus.
Both potassium sorbate and sorbic acid can be found in baked goods, cheeses, dried meats, dried fruit, ice cream, pickles, wine, yogurt, and more.
You'll often find this ingredient used with other preservatives.
Learn more about Potassium SorbatePropanediol is an all-star ingredient. It softens, hydrates, and smooths the skin.
It’s often used to:
Propanediol is not likely to cause sensitivity and considered safe to use. It is derived from corn or petroleum with a clear color and no scent.
Learn more about PropanediolSodium 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 BenzoateSodium Phytate is the synthetic salt form of phytic acid. Phytic acid is an antioxidant and can be found in plant seeds.
Sodium Phytate is a chelating agent. Chelating agents help prevent metals from binding to water. This helps stabilize the ingredients and the product.
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
