What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate
Cleansing
Coco-Glucoside
Cleansing
Coco-Betaine
Cleansing
Glycerin
Humectant
Propanediol
Solvent
Citric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Alpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide
Cleansing
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Phytate
Saccharide Isomerate
Humectant
Rhamnose
HumectantGlucose
Humectant
Glucuronic Acid
Buffering
Sodium Citrate
BufferingDisodium Acetyl Glucosamine Phosphate
Skin ConditioningCaffeyl Glucoside
Antioxidant
Water, Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate, Coco-Glucoside, Coco-Betaine, Glycerin, Propanediol, Citric Acid, Sodium Benzoate, Alpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Phytate, Saccharide Isomerate, Rhamnose, Glucose, Glucuronic Acid, Sodium Citrate, Disodium Acetyl Glucosamine Phosphate, Caffeyl Glucoside
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Alpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide is a prebiotic. It prevents harmful bacteria from growing on skin by keeping the skin's microbiome in balance.
Another benefit of this ingredient is its antioxidant properties. Antioxidants protect our skin from oxidative damage.
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.
Coco-Glucoside is a surfactant, or a cleansing ingredient. It is made from glucose and coconut oil.
Surfactants help gather dirt, oil, and other pollutants from your skin to be rinsed away.
This ingredient is considered gentle and non-comedogenic. However, it may still be irritating for some.
Learn more about Coco-GlucosideGlucose 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 GlucoseGlucuronic Acid is a type of sugar used by our bodies to expel harmful substances via urine. In skincare, it is used as a humectant to boost skin moisture.
Fun fact: This ingredient is a precursor of ascorbic acid. It is also found in fermentation products such as kombucha.
Propanediol is an all-star ingredient. It softens, hydrates, and smooths the skin.Â
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 PropanediolWe don't have a description for Rhamnose yet.
Sodium 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 BenzoateWater. 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
