What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
Solvent
Dicaprylyl Ether
Emollient
Betaine
Humectant
Alcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Sodium Polyacrylate
Absorbent
Glycerin
Humectant
Backhousia Citriodora Leaf Extract
AstringentMelaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil
Antioxidant
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Olea Europaea Fruit Oil
Masking
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningSodium Gluconate
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSalicylic Acid
Masking
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder
Skin Conditioning
Calophyllum Inophyllum Seed Oil
Antimicrobial
Tapioca Starch
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Citric Acid
Buffering
Limonene
Perfuming
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Citral
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Leptospermum Petersonii Oil
Masking
Water, Propanediol, Dicaprylyl Ether, Betaine, Alcohol Denat., Sodium Polyacrylate, Glycerin, Backhousia Citriodora Leaf Extract, Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil, Benzyl Alcohol, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Gluconate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Xanthan Gum, Salicylic Acid, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder, Calophyllum Inophyllum Seed Oil, Tapioca Starch, Tocopherol, Citric Acid, Limonene, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Citral, Linalool, Leptospermum Petersonii Oil
Water
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Distarch Phosphate
AbsorbentGlycerin
Humectant
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Decyl Oleate
Emollient
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Sodium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate
Emulsion StabilisingHydrogenated Polydecene
EmollientAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingTocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Fructose
Humectant
Parfum
Masking
Lecithin
Emollient
Caprylyl/Capryl Glucoside
CleansingGlycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
Bleaching
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Avena Sativa Kernel Extract
Abrasive
Mentha Spicata Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract
MaskingAscorbyl Palmitate
Antioxidant
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Citric Acid
Buffering
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningSodium Hydroxide
BufferingSodium Benzoate
Masking
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Water, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Butylene Glycol, Distarch Phosphate, Glycerin, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Decyl Oleate, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Sodium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Hydrogenated Polydecene, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Tocopheryl Acetate, Fructose, Parfum, Lecithin, Caprylyl/Capryl Glucoside, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Tocopherol, Avena Sativa Kernel Extract, Mentha Spicata Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Hydroxyacetophenone, Citric Acid, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Hydroxide, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer is a synthetic polymer. It is used to thicken, emulsify, and improve the texture of products.
As an emulsifier, it helps stabilize oil-in-water emulsions to give products an elegant feel when applied.
It can also form a thin protective film on skin. One study found that a formula using this polymer helped slow down how quickly other ingredients (like DEET) were absorbed through skin.
A 2024 study of over 1,300 patients confirmed that sensitization to this ingredient is rare. It is also non-mutagenic and has a clean track record.
Learn more about Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate CrosspolymerCitric 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 AcidEthylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:
The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure.
Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.
Learn more about EthylhexylglycerinGlycerin (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 GlycerinTocopherol 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
