What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6
Emulsion StabilisingPropanediol
Solvent
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Glycolic Acid
Buffering
Salicylic Acid
Masking
Ananas Sativus Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningLactobacillus/Papaya Fruit Ferment Extract
Abrasive
Ocimum Basilicum Flower/Leaf Extract
TonicCurcuma Longa Root Extract
Masking
Evodia Rutaecarpa Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningMelia Azadirachta Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningMelia Azadirachta Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningOcimum Sanctum Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningCorallina Officinalis Extract
Skin Conditioning
Lactobacillus Ferment
Skin Conditioning
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Caprylhydroxamic Acid
Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate
Antimicrobial
Potassium Hydroxide
BufferingWater, Glycerin, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Propanediol, Lactic Acid, Glycolic Acid, Salicylic Acid, Ananas Sativus Fruit Extract, Lactobacillus/Papaya Fruit Ferment Extract, Ocimum Basilicum Flower/Leaf Extract, Curcuma Longa Root Extract, Evodia Rutaecarpa Fruit Extract, Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract, Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract, Ocimum Sanctum Leaf Extract, Corallina Officinalis Extract, Lactobacillus Ferment, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Potassium Hydroxide
Water
Skin ConditioningKaolin
Abrasive
Glycerin
Humectant
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Illite
Abrasive
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate Se
Emulsifying
Persea Gratissima Oil
Skin Conditioning
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Oryza Sativa Bran Oil
Emollient
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate
Antioxidant
Sodium Levulinate
Skin ConditioningSodium Anisate
AntimicrobialGlyceryl Caprylate
EmollientLactic Acid
Buffering
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingChamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
Masking
Water, Kaolin, Glycerin, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Illite, Cetyl Alcohol, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Persea Gratissima Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Stearic Acid, Oryza Sativa Bran Oil, Panthenol, Tocopherol, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Sodium Levulinate, Sodium Anisate, Glyceryl Caprylate, Lactic Acid, Xanthan Gum, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
Reviews
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 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 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
