What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Cyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Sodium Polyacrylate
Absorbent
Dimethicone
Emollient
Trideceth-6
EmulsifyingPEG/PPG-18/18 Dimethicone
Emulsifying
Glycerin
Humectant
Salicylic Acid
Masking
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Dicetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingCeteth-10 Phosphate
CleansingSaccharide Isomerate
Humectant
Avena Sativa Bran Extract
Abrasive
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingCetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Citric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Citrate
BufferingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingBHT
Antioxidant
Disodium EDTA
Water, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cyclopentasiloxane, Sodium Polyacrylate, Dimethicone, Trideceth-6, PEG/PPG-18/18 Dimethicone, Glycerin, Salicylic Acid, Cetearyl Alcohol, Dicetyl Phosphate, Ceteth-10 Phosphate, Saccharide Isomerate, Avena Sativa Bran Extract, Carbomer, Cetyl Alcohol, Stearic Acid, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Hyaluronate, Citric Acid, Sodium Citrate, Sodium Hydroxide, BHT, Disodium EDTA
Water
Skin Conditioning3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Isodecyl Neopentanoate
EmollientCetearyl Olivate
Sorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Propanediol
Solvent
Dicaprylyl Carbonate
EmollientC15-19 Alkane
SolventCetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-11
Emulsion StabilisingXylitol
Humectant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningSaccharide Isomerate
Humectant
Citric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Citrate
BufferingBetaine
Humectant
Disodium EDTA
EDTA
Water, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Glycerin, Isodecyl Neopentanoate, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, Propanediol, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, C15-19 Alkane, Cetyl Alcohol, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-11, Xylitol, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Saccharide Isomerate, Citric Acid, Sodium Citrate, Betaine, Disodium EDTA, EDTA
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Cetyl Alcohol is a fatty alcohol. Fatty Alcohols are most often used as an emollient or to thicken a product.
Its main roles are:
Though it has "alcohol" in the name, it is not related to denatured alcohol or ethyl alcohol.
The FDA allows products labeled "alcohol-free" to have fatty alcohols.
Learn more about Cetyl AlcoholCitric 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 AcidDisodium EDTA is a chelating agent. It grabs onto and deactivates metal ions that sneak into your products from water, packaging, or air.
This ingredient mainly works behind the scenes and helps with:
On top of that, this ingredient can counteract the effects of hard water by binding to the minerals in it.
One thing worth knowing is that Disodium EDTA has been shown to be a mild penetration enhancer. It can help other ingredients absorb into skin more effectively which can be a double-edged sword (great for actives, but can also make the active too strong if you have sensitive skin).
Clinical patch testing showed no significant skin irritation at typical use concentrations and minimal dermal absorption.
You'll most likely see this ingredient near the end of an ingredient list. It's typically found in concentrations less than 1%.
Learn more about Disodium EDTAEthylhexylglycerin 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 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.
Saccharide Isomerate comes from sugars found in corn. It is a skin hydrator.
The structure of this ingredient can be altered to be more similar to the carbohydrates found in our skin. This ability to mimic our skin gives it hydrating properties.
Specifically, saccharide Isomerate is a humectant. Humectants draw moisture from the air to our skin.
Research shows Saccharide Isomerate to be an effective moisturizer.
Learn more about Saccharide IsomerateSodium Citrate is the sodium salts of citric acid. In skincare, it is used to alter pH levels and acts as a preservative.
Its main functions are to maintain the pH of a product and neutralize metal ions.
The acidity of our skin is maintained by our glands and skin biome; normal pH level of skin is slightly acidic (~4.75-5.5).
Being slightly acidic allows our skin to create an "acid mantle". This acid mantle is a thin barrier that protects our skin from bacteria and contaminants.
Learn more about Sodium CitrateWater. 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
