What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine
Cleansing
Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate
CleansingPentaerythrityl Tetrastearate
EmollientGlycerin
Humectant
PEG-6
HumectantCaprylic/Capric Glycerides
EmollientSodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate
Cleansing
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide AP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide EOP
Skin Conditioning
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Cholesterol
Emollient
Sodium Chloride
MaskingPhytosphingosine
Skin Conditioning
Citric Acid
Buffering
Disodium EDTA
Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate
EmulsifyingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingWater, Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine, Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate, Pentaerythrityl Tetrastearate, Glycerin, PEG-6, Caprylic/Capric Glycerides, Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate, Niacinamide, Propylene Glycol, Ceramide NP, Ceramide AP, Ceramide EOP, Hyaluronic Acid, Cholesterol, Sodium Chloride, Phytosphingosine, Citric Acid, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Phenoxyethanol, Hydroxyacetophenone, Carbomer, Xanthan Gum
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Potassium Cocoyl Glycinate
Surfactant
Coco-Betaine
Cleansing
Propanediol
Solvent
Potassium Cocoate
Emulsifying
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
Humectant
Polyglutamic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Caprylhydroxamic Acid
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Squalane
Emollient
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
Emollient
Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
Bleaching
Coco-Glucoside
Cleansing
Glyceryl Oleate
Emollient
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingSodium PCA
Humectant
Sodium Phytate
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCitric Acid
Buffering
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Water, Glycerin, Potassium Cocoyl Glycinate, Coco-Betaine, Propanediol, Potassium Cocoate, Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Polyglutamic Acid, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, 1,2-Hexanediol, Squalane, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Coco-Glucoside, Glyceryl Oleate, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Sodium Hydroxide, Sodium PCA, Sodium Phytate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Citric Acid, Pentylene Glycol
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 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 GlycerinHyaluronic acid (HA) is a glycosaminoglycan (basically a long sugar chain) that your skin already makes on its own. In your skin, HA lives in the extracellular matrix and acts as the body's moisture reservoir.
Topically, HA is a humectant that binds water and helps skin look more plump, smooth, and hydrated.
The only catch is that HA isn't a single thing; it actually comes in a wide range of molecular weights (~50 - 2,000+ kDA) and size matters.
Some clinical evidence links low molecular weight versions to improved wrinkle depth, elasticity, anti-inflammatory effects, and barrier repair.
This is why the best HA serums blend the two sizes together so you get the best of both worlds.
The majority of cosmetic HA is produced by bacterial fermentation, typically using Streptococcus or Bacillus strains. Typical use levels in skincare sit around 0.1-2%.
A clinical study using a 0.2% low-molecular weight HA gel showed improvement in facial seborrheic dermatitis with excellent tolerance.
These are some other common types of Hyaluronic Acid:
Learn more about Hyaluronic AcidWater. 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
