What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Propanediol
Solvent
Water
Skin ConditioningAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Mica
Cosmetic ColorantSodium Stearate
CleansingXylitol
Humectant
Lactococcus Ferment Lysate
Skin Conditioning
Trehalose
Humectant
Oleth-20
CleansingGlycerin
Humectant
Citrullus Lanatus Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Lens Esculenta Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningCaffeine
Skin Conditioning
Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Vaccinium Vitis-Idaea Fruit Extract
Antioxidant
Cocos Nucifera Water
Masking
Fucus Vesiculosus Extract
Emollient
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Gluconolactone
Skin Conditioning
Citrus Grandis Seed Extract
Astringent
Psidium Guajava Leaf Extract
AstringentVaccinium Angustifolium Fruit Extract
Skin Protecting
Capryloyl Glycerin/Sebacic Acid Copolymer
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
Antioxidant
Calcium Gluconate
HumectantSclerotium Gum
Emulsion StabilisingMenthone Glycerin Acetal
Refreshing
Menthyl Lactate
Masking
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningSodium PCA
Humectant
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingHexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingCitric Acid
Buffering
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Sodium Lactate
Buffering
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Sodium Chloride
MaskingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Diheptyl Succinate
EmollientPotassium Sorbate
Preservative
CI 19140
Cosmetic ColorantCI 16035
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantTin Oxide
Abrasive
Propanediol, Water, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Mica, Sodium Stearate, Xylitol, Lactococcus Ferment Lysate, Trehalose, Oleth-20, Glycerin, Citrullus Lanatus Fruit Extract, Lens Esculenta Fruit Extract, Caffeine, Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract, Vaccinium Vitis-Idaea Fruit Extract, Cocos Nucifera Water, Fucus Vesiculosus Extract, Lactic Acid, Hyaluronic Acid, Gluconolactone, Citrus Grandis Seed Extract, Psidium Guajava Leaf Extract, Vaccinium Angustifolium Fruit Extract, Capryloyl Glycerin/Sebacic Acid Copolymer, Tocopherol, Calcium Gluconate, Sclerotium Gum, Menthone Glycerin Acetal, Menthyl Lactate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium PCA, Xanthan Gum, Hexylene Glycol, Citric Acid, Caprylyl Glycol, Sodium Lactate, Sodium Benzoate, Sodium Chloride, Phenoxyethanol, Diheptyl Succinate, Potassium Sorbate, CI 19140, CI 16035, CI 77891, Tin Oxide
Water
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Squalane
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Sorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Cetearyl Olivate
Jojoba Esters
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate Se
Emulsifying
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingCetyl Palmitate
Emollient
Spilanthes Acmella Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningPalmitoyl Tripeptide-5
Skin Conditioning
Sorbitan Palmitate
Emulsifying
Dunaliella Salina Extract
Skin ConditioningAstaxanthin
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
Antioxidant
Citric Acid
Buffering
Water, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Squalane, Glycerin, Sorbitan Olivate, Cetearyl Olivate, Jojoba Esters, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Panthenol, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Cetyl Palmitate, Spilanthes Acmella Flower Extract, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5, Sorbitan Palmitate, Dunaliella Salina Extract, Astaxanthin, Sodium Hyaluronate, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Tocopherol, Citric Acid
Reviews
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 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 GlycerinPhenoxyethanol 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.
Tocopherol is a fat-soluble antioxidant known as Vitamin E.
You'll find this ingredient in the vast majority of skincare (for good reason). It works to neutralize free radicals, or unstable molecules generated by UV exposure, pollution, and other environmental stressors, before they can cause oxidative damage to your skin cells.
Topically applied tocopherol has been shown to protect against UV damage by ramping up the skin's own natural defense enzymes.
It also acts as a skin conditioning agent; some studies show that regular topical use can improve the skin's water-binding capacity over 2-4 weeks.
This ingredient is especially loved for being a team player. When combined with Vitamin C, the photoprotective effect of both ingredients roughly doubles and the combo also helps reduce UV-induced DNA damage.
This ingredient has some brightening potential but it's more of a prevention ingredient than spot-fader. Cell studies show it can slow down melanin production but it's worth noting that it's not the most powerful brightener out there.
In formulations, it also serves as a stabilizer that helps protect other oxidation-prone ingredients from degrading.
Concentrations usually range from 0.1-1% in most leave-on products.
Learn more about TocopherolWater. 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
