What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningHexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingPoloxamer 184
EmulsifyingDecyl Glucoside
Cleansing
Glycerin
Humectant
Disodium Cocoamphodiacetate
CleansingAllantoin
Skin Conditioning
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Sodium Chloride
MaskingCitric Acid
Buffering
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Disodium EDTA
Sodium Citrate
BufferingParfum
Masking
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningRosa Damascena Flower Water
Masking
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Octanediol
Water, Hexylene Glycol, Poloxamer 184, Decyl Glucoside, Glycerin, Disodium Cocoamphodiacetate, Allantoin, Phenoxyethanol, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Caprylyl Glycol, Sodium Chloride, Citric Acid, Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Citrate, Parfum, Butylene Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Rosa Damascena Flower Water, Pentylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Octanediol
Water
Skin ConditioningHexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingSodium Cocoamphoacetate
CleansingPEG-40 Glyceryl Cocoate
Emulsifying
Hamamelis Virginiana Water
Astringent
Centella Asiatica Leaf Extract
Skin Conditioning
Salicylic Acid
Masking
Propanediol
Solvent
Sodium Coceth Sulfate
Cleansing
Sodium Citrate
BufferingCitric Acid
Buffering
Polyaminopropyl Biguanide
Preservative
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Water, Hexylene Glycol, Sodium Cocoamphoacetate, PEG-40 Glyceryl Cocoate, Hamamelis Virginiana Water, Centella Asiatica Leaf Extract, Salicylic Acid, Propanediol, Sodium Coceth Sulfate, Sodium Citrate, Citric Acid, Polyaminopropyl Biguanide, Propylene Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Caprylyl Glycol, Glycerin, Phenoxyethanol, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate
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, 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 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 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.
Sodium 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
