What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningLactobacillus Ferment
Skin Conditioning
Propanediol
Solvent
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
Emollient
Persea Gratissima Oil
Skin Conditioning
Cucumis Sativus Fruit Water
Skin ConditioningCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Raphanus Sativus Sprout Extract
Antioxidant
Lens Culinaris Seed Extract
AntimicrobialVaccinium Macrocarpon Fruit Extract
AstringentMadecassoside
Antioxidant
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Ascorbyl Glucoside
Antioxidant
Sodium Anisate
AntimicrobialSodium Levulinate
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil
Emollient
Sodium Gluconate
Skin ConditioningSqualane
Emollient
Phospholipids
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Rosa Centifolia Flower Extract
Astringent
Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate
Skin Conditioning
Citric Acid
Buffering
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Arginine
Masking
Water, Lactobacillus Ferment, Propanediol, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Persea Gratissima Oil, Cucumis Sativus Fruit Water, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Raphanus Sativus Sprout Extract, Lens Culinaris Seed Extract, Vaccinium Macrocarpon Fruit Extract, Madecassoside, Tocopheryl Acetate, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Sodium Anisate, Sodium Levulinate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil, Sodium Gluconate, Squalane, Phospholipids, Glycerin, Rosa Centifolia Flower Extract, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Citric Acid, Pentylene Glycol, Arginine
Water
Skin ConditioningPropylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Polysorbate 80
Emulsifying
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Parfum
Masking
Saponins
CleansingSodium Dehydroacetate
Preservative
Hexyl Cinnamal
Perfuming
Saponaria Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialHydroxycitronellal
Perfuming
Citronellol
Perfuming
Panax Ginseng Root Extract
Emollient
Citric Acid
Buffering
Geraniol
Perfuming
Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone
Perfuming
Amyl Cinnamal
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Limonene
Perfuming
Water, Propylene Glycol, Glycerin, Polysorbate 80, Phenoxyethanol, Chlorphenesin, Parfum, Saponins, Sodium Dehydroacetate, Hexyl Cinnamal, Saponaria Officinalis Leaf Extract, Hydroxycitronellal, Citronellol, Panax Ginseng Root Extract, Citric Acid, Geraniol, Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone, Amyl Cinnamal, Linalool, Limonene
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Citric 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 GlycerinWater. 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
