What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
Solvent
Alcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Glycerin
Humectant
Pentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningPEG-20 Methyl Glucose Sesquistearate
Emulsifying
Pvp
Emulsion StabilisingSilica
Abrasive
Sorbitol
Humectant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Pullulan
Avena Sativa Kernel Extract
Abrasive
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningAmmonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Olea Europaea Fruit Oil
Masking
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingTrisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Citric Acid
Buffering
Adenosine
Skin Conditioning
Leontopodium Alpinum Flower/Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningMoringa Oleifera Seed Oil
Emollient
Hydrolyzed Rice Protein
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
Antioxidant
Leontopodium Alpinum Callus Culture Extract
Antioxidant
Water, Propanediol, Alcohol Denat., Glycerin, Pentylene Glycol, PEG-20 Methyl Glucose Sesquistearate, Pvp, Silica, Sorbitol, Phenoxyethanol, Niacinamide, Pullulan, Avena Sativa Kernel Extract, Ethylhexylglycerin, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Sodium Hyaluronate, Xanthan Gum, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Citric Acid, Adenosine, Leontopodium Alpinum Flower/Leaf Extract, Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil, Hydrolyzed Rice Protein, Tocopherol, Leontopodium Alpinum Callus Culture Extract
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Coco-Caprylate/Caprate
Emollient
3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Saccharomyces Ferment
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Citrate
BufferingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Bakuchiol
Antimicrobial
Caffeine
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6
Emulsion StabilisingChondrus Crispus Powder
Abrasive
Citric Acid
Buffering
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder
Skin Conditioning
Lauroyl Lysine
Skin ConditioningTrisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Myrciaria Dubia Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Mica
Cosmetic Colorant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
CI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77492
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Saccharomyces Ferment, Sodium Citrate, Phenoxyethanol, Bakuchiol, Caffeine, Caprylyl Glycol, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Chondrus Crispus Powder, Citric Acid, Xanthan Gum, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder, Lauroyl Lysine, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Myrciaria Dubia Fruit Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Mica, Tocopherol, CI 77891, CI 77492
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 is already naturally found in your skin. It helps moisturize and protect your skin.
A study from 2016 found glycerin to be more effective as a humectant than AHAs and hyaluronic acid.
As a humectant, it helps the skin stay hydrated by pulling moisture to your skin. The low molecular weight of glycerin allows it to pull moisture into the deeper layers of your skin.
Hydrated skin improves your skin barrier; Your skin barrier helps protect against irritants and bacteria.
Glycerin has also been found to have antimicrobial and antiviral properties. Due to these properties, glycerin is often used in wound and burn treatments.
In cosmetics, glycerin is usually derived from plants such as soybean or palm. However, it can also be sourced from animals, such as tallow or animal fat.
This ingredient is organic, colorless, odorless, and non-toxic.
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 hyaluronic acid's salt form. It is commonly derived from the sodium salt of hyaluronic acid.
Like hyaluronic acid, it is great at holding water and acts as a humectant. This makes it a great skin hydrating ingredient.
Sodium Hyaluronate is naturally occurring in our bodies and is mostly found in eye fluid and joints.
These are some other common types of Hyaluronic Acid:
Learn more about Sodium HyaluronateTocopherol (also known as Vitamin E) is a common antioxidant used to help protect the skin from free-radicals and strengthen the skin barrier. It's also fat soluble - this means our skin is great at absorbing it.
Vitamin E also helps keep your natural skin lipids healthy. Your lipid skin barrier naturally consists of lipids, ceramides, and fatty acids. Vitamin E offers extra protection for your skin’s lipid barrier, keeping your skin healthy and nourished.
Another benefit is a bit of UV protection. Vitamin E helps reduce the damage caused by UVB rays. (It should not replace your sunscreen). Combining it with Vitamin C can decrease sunburned cells and hyperpigmentation after UV exposure.
You might have noticed Vitamin E + C often paired together. This is because it is great at stabilizing Vitamin C. Using the two together helps increase the effectiveness of both ingredients.
There are often claims that Vitamin E can reduce/prevent scarring, but these claims haven't been confirmed by scientific research.
Learn more about TocopherolTrisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate is used to help stabilize a product.
It is a chelating agent, meaning it helps prevent metal ions from binding to other ingredients. This prevents unwanted reactions in products. Metal ions can come into a product via the water ingredient. They are found in trace amounts and are not known to be harmful.
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. Stay hydrated!
Learn more about WaterXanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.
On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.
Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.
Learn more about Xanthan Gum
