What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Sucrose
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Silica
Abrasive
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Citrus Paradisi Peel Oil
Masking
Cocos Nucifera Shell Powder
Abrasive
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Oenothera Biennis Oil
Emollient
Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil
Masking
Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil
Emollient
Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin Conditioning
Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil
Masking
Persea Gratissima Oil
Skin Conditioning
Retinyl Palmitate
Skin Conditioning
Ascorbic Acid
Antioxidant
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Water
Skin ConditioningParfum
Masking
Sorbic Acid
Preservative
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
CI 14700
Cosmetic ColorantCI 15510
Cosmetic ColorantSucrose, Glycerin, Polysorbate 20, Silica, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Citrus Paradisi Peel Oil, Cocos Nucifera Shell Powder, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Oenothera Biennis Oil, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil, Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil, Persea Gratissima Oil, Retinyl Palmitate, Ascorbic Acid, Lactic Acid, Water, Parfum, Sorbic Acid, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol, CI 14700, CI 15510
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycolic Acid
Buffering
Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate
Cleansing
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Cocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Potassium Hydroxide
BufferingLactic Acid
Buffering
Papain
Skin Conditioning
Lactobacillus/Punica Granatum Fruit Ferment Extract
Antioxidant
Vaccinium Macrocarpon Fruit Extract
AstringentMalpighia Punicifolia Fruit Extract
Antioxidant
Hibiscus Sabdariffa Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningAspalathus Linearis Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningPanthenol
Skin Conditioning
Cyanocobalamin
Skin ConditioningLeuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate
Antimicrobial
Citric Acid
Buffering
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingSodium Chloride
MaskingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Sodium Benzotriazolyl Butylphenol Sulfonate
UV AbsorberParfum
Masking
Water, Glycolic Acid, Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate, Butylene Glycol, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Glycerin, Potassium Hydroxide, Lactic Acid, Papain, Lactobacillus/Punica Granatum Fruit Ferment Extract, Vaccinium Macrocarpon Fruit Extract, Malpighia Punicifolia Fruit Extract, Hibiscus Sabdariffa Flower Extract, Aspalathus Linearis Leaf Extract, Panthenol, Cyanocobalamin, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Citric Acid, Caprylyl Glycol, Sodium Hydroxide, Sodium Chloride, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Benzotriazolyl Butylphenol Sulfonate, Parfum
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 GlycolGlycerin (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 GlycerinLactic Acid is another well-loved alpha hydroxy acid (AHA). It is gentler than glycolic acid but still highly effective.
Its main role is to exfoliate the surface of the skin by loosening the âglueâ that holds dead skin cells together. Shedding those old cells leads to smoother, softer, and more even-toned skin.
Because lactic acid molecules are larger than glycolic acid, they donât penetrate as deeply. This means theyâre less likely to sting or irritate, making it a great choice for beginners or those with sensitive skin.
Like glycolic acid, it can:
Lactic acid also acts as a humectant (like hyaluronic acid). It can draw water into the skin to improve hydration and also plays a role in the skin's natural moisturizing factor (NMF) in the form of sodium lactate.
Studies show it can boost ceramide production to strengthen the skin barrier and even help balance the skinâs microbiome.
To get results, choose products with a pH between 3-4.
Lower strengths (5-12%) focus on surface exfoliation; higher strengths (12% and up) can reach deeper in the dermis (deeper, supportive layer) to improve skin texture and firmness over time.
Though it was originally derived from milk, most modern lactic acid used in skincare is vegan. It is made through non-dairy fermentation to create a bio-identical and stable form suitable for all formulations.
When lactic acid shows up near the end of an ingredient list, it usually means the brand added just a tiny amount to adjust the productâs pH.
Legend has it that Cleopatra used to bathe in sour milk to help reduce wrinkles.
Lactic acid is truly a gentle multitasker: it exfoliates, hydrates, strengthens, and brightens. It's a great ingredient for giving your skin a smooth, glowing, and healthy look without the harshness of stronger acids.
Read more about some other popular AHA's here:
Learn more about Lactic AcidParfum is a catch-all term for an ingredient or more that is used to give a scent to products.
Also called "fragrance", this ingredient can be a blend of hundreds of chemicals or plant oils. This means every product with "fragrance" or "parfum" in the ingredients list is a different mixture.
For instance, Habanolide is a proprietary trade name for a specific aroma chemical. When used as a fragrance ingredient in cosmetics, most aroma chemicals fall under the broad labeling category of âFRAGRANCEâ or âPARFUMâ according to EU and US regulations.
The term 'parfum' or 'fragrance' is not regulated in many countries. In many cases, it is up to the brand to define this term.
For instance, many brands choose to label themselves as "fragrance-free" because they are not using synthetic fragrances. However, their products may still contain ingredients such as essential oils that are considered a fragrance by INCI standards.
One example is Calendula flower extract. Calendula is an essential oil that still imparts a scent or 'fragrance'.
Depending on the blend, the ingredients in the mixture can cause allergies and sensitivities on the skin. Some ingredients that are known EU allergens include linalool and citronellol.
Parfum can also be used to mask or cover an unpleasant scent.
The bottom line is: not all fragrances/parfum/ingredients are created equally. If you are worried about fragrances, we recommend taking a closer look at an ingredient. And of course, we always recommend speaking with a professional.
Learn more about ParfumPhenoxyethanol 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
