What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantAlgae Extract
EmollientPseudoalteromonas Exopolysaccharides
Skin ConditioningPseudoalteromonas Ferment Extract
HumectantAhnfeltia Concinna Extract
Skin ConditioningArginine
MaskingGlycine
BufferingAlanine
MaskingSerine
MaskingValine
MaskingIsoleucine
Skin ConditioningProline
Skin ConditioningThreonine
Histidine
HumectantPhenylalanine
MaskingAspartic Acid
MaskingPCA
HumectantSodium PCA
HumectantSodium Lactate
BufferingSalicylic Acid
MaskingCitric Acid
BufferingPropanediol
SolventDimethyl Isosorbide
SolventEthoxydiglycol
HumectantPolysorbate 20
EmulsifyingPotassium Sorbate
PreservativeSodium Salicylate
PreservativeSodium Benzoate
MaskingHexylene Glycol
Emulsifying1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientWater, Glycerin, Algae Extract, Pseudoalteromonas Exopolysaccharides, Pseudoalteromonas Ferment Extract, Ahnfeltia Concinna Extract, Arginine, Glycine, Alanine, Serine, Valine, Isoleucine, Proline, Threonine, Histidine, Phenylalanine, Aspartic Acid, PCA, Sodium PCA, Sodium Lactate, Salicylic Acid, Citric Acid, Propanediol, Dimethyl Isosorbide, Ethoxydiglycol, Polysorbate 20, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Salicylate, Sodium Benzoate, Hexylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol
Water
Skin ConditioningHydrogenated Polyisobutene
EmollientCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantHydrogenated Coco-Glycerides
EmollientOleic/Linoleic/Linolenic Polyglycerides
EmollientDimethicone
EmollientGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientDicaprylyl Maleate
EmollientCetearyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingGlycoproteins
Skin ConditioningPanax Ginseng Root Extract
EmollientEquisetum Arvense Extract
AstringentCaviar Extract
Skin ConditioningCaulerpa Lentillifera Extract
Ceramide NP
Skin ConditioningRna
Skin ConditioningLactobacillus Ferment
Skin ConditioningSodium Dna
Skin ConditioningSaccharomyces Cerevisiae Extract
Skin ConditioningPullulan
Hydrolyzed Rice Bran Protein
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantHydrogenated Lecithin
EmulsifyingPalmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Skin ConditioningGlycine Soja Oil
EmollientTocopherol
AntioxidantPalmitoyl Tripeptide-1
Skin ConditioningTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantAcetyl Tetrapeptide-5
HumectantTetrapeptide-3
Skin ConditioningEthylhexyl Palmitate
EmollientSodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingButylene Glycol
HumectantPolyisobutene
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningBiotin
AntiseborrhoeicCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingDisodium EDTA
Steareth-20
CleansingPolyglyceryl-10 Stearate
Skin ConditioningSodium Hydroxide
BufferingCaprylyl/Capryl Glucoside
CleansingPropylene Glycol
HumectantSilica Dimethyl Silylate
EmollientSucrose Stearate
EmollientCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientN-Hydroxysuccinimide
Skin ConditioningHexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingSodium Oleate
CleansingSodium Citrate
BufferingCitric Acid
BufferingChrysin
Skin ConditioningParfum
MaskingLinalool
PerfumingBenzyl Salicylate
PerfumingCitronellol
PerfumingGeraniol
PerfumingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeChlorhexidine Digluconate
AntimicrobialSodium Dehydroacetate
PreservativeCI 19140
Cosmetic ColorantCI 16035
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glycerin, Hydrogenated Coco-Glycerides, Oleic/Linoleic/Linolenic Polyglycerides, Dimethicone, Glyceryl Stearate, Dicaprylyl Maleate, Cetearyl Glucoside, Glycoproteins, Panax Ginseng Root Extract, Equisetum Arvense Extract, Caviar Extract, Caulerpa Lentillifera Extract, Ceramide NP, Rna, Lactobacillus Ferment, Sodium Dna, Saccharomyces Cerevisiae Extract, Pullulan, Hydrolyzed Rice Bran Protein, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Glycine Soja Oil, Tocopherol, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Tocopheryl Acetate, Acetyl Tetrapeptide-5, Tetrapeptide-3, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Butylene Glycol, Polyisobutene, Ethylhexylglycerin, Biotin, Carbomer, Disodium EDTA, Steareth-20, Polyglyceryl-10 Stearate, Sodium Hydroxide, Caprylyl/Capryl Glucoside, Propylene Glycol, Silica Dimethyl Silylate, Sucrose Stearate, Caprylyl Glycol, N-Hydroxysuccinimide, Hexylene Glycol, Sodium Oleate, Sodium Citrate, Citric Acid, Chrysin, Parfum, Linalool, Benzyl Salicylate, Citronellol, Geraniol, Phenoxyethanol, Chlorhexidine Digluconate, Sodium Dehydroacetate, CI 19140, CI 16035
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Caprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.
Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.
Because it is not a free-fatty acid or alcohol, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolCitric 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 (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 GlycerinHexylene Glycol is a multitasker ingredient that works as a solvent, humectant, emulsifier, viscosity reducer, and preservative booster.
It is able to dissolve both water and oil-soluble ingredients to stabilize tricky actives and make products spread more easily.
As a humectant, it pulls water into the skin. But it's a pretty minor moisturizing ingredient compared to other humectants, like glycerin.
Interestingly, it can act as a mild penetration enhancer. One in vitro study on human skin found a 12% concentration upped the absorption of mometasone furoate (a medicinal ingredient used to treat inflammatory skin conditions) up to 7%.
This ingredient is typically used at levels of 0.1-10% depending on the role it's playing.
A patch test study on eczema patients didn't find a significant increase in irritation versus the control group, but the potential for irritation rises at higher concentrations.
Learn more about Hexylene GlycolPhenoxyethanol 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.
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