What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Sucrose
HumectantGlycerin
HumectantPolysorbate 20
EmulsifyingSilica
AbrasiveCitrus Reticulata Peel Oil
MaskingCarthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil
MaskingPersea Gratissima Oil
Skin ConditioningMacadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil
EmollientPrunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin ConditioningOenothera Biennis Oil
EmollientButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningCurcuma Longa Root Extract
AntioxidantCitrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil
MaskingAscorbic Acid
AntioxidantRetinyl Palmitate
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
AntioxidantParfum
MaskingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientWater
Skin ConditioningSorbic Acid
PreservativeSalicylic Acid
MaskingLimonene
PerfumingCI 15510
Cosmetic ColorantCI 19140
Cosmetic ColorantSucrose, Glycerin, Polysorbate 20, Silica, Citrus Reticulata Peel Oil, Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil, Persea Gratissima Oil, Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Oenothera Biennis Oil, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Curcuma Longa Root Extract, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil, Ascorbic Acid, Retinyl Palmitate, Tocopherol, Parfum, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol, Water, Sorbic Acid, Salicylic Acid, Limonene, CI 15510, CI 19140
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycolic Acid
BufferingLactic Acid
BufferingSodium Magnesium Silicate
Citric Acid
BufferingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingBromelain
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantHydrogenated Castor Oil
EmollientMaltodextrin
AbsorbentLipase
Skin ConditioningSubtilisin
Skin ConditioningGluconolactone
ChelatingSodium Benzoate
MaskingSalix Alba Bark Extract
AstringentLavandula Angustifolia Oil
MaskingSalvia Sclarea Oil
MaskingJojoba Esters
EmollientPapain
Skin ConditioningLinalool
PerfumingLimonene
PerfumingGeraniol
PerfumingWater, Glycolic Acid, Lactic Acid, Sodium Magnesium Silicate, Citric Acid, Xanthan Gum, Bromelain, Glycerin, Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Maltodextrin, Lipase, Subtilisin, Gluconolactone, Sodium Benzoate, Salix Alba Bark Extract, Lavandula Angustifolia Oil, Salvia Sclarea Oil, Jojoba Esters, Papain, Linalool, Limonene, Geraniol
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Glycerin (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 GlycerinLimonene is the compound that gives citrus peel its smell.
In skincare, it shows up as a standalone fragrance ingredient or as a natural compound of citrus and other essential oils.
You'll typically see this ingredient used in very small amounts; anything above 0.001% in a leave-on product or 0.01% in a rinse-off has to be named on the label in the EU. The citrus oils that carry it sit around 0.5-1% in a finished formula.
Fresh limonene is a weak allergen; the real issue is that it slowly reacts with air and then breaks down from oxidation to create hydroperoxides (which are strong sensitizers). This is why suppliers are required to keep the peroxide value below 20 mmol.
Positive reactions in people being investigated for eczema vary:
It's worth skipping if you have a known fragrance allergy or a compromised barrier, but the risk is low for most people.
Older or long-opened products are also more likely to bother you than fresh ones due to oxidation.
Learn more about LimoneneWater. 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