What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningIsohexadecane
EmollientDicaprylyl Ether
Emollient
Hexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Sorbitan Laurate
Emulsifying
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingTetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Aminomethyl Propanol
BufferingLauryl Glucoside
CleansingPolyglyceryl-2 Dipolyhydroxystearate
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Citric Acid
Buffering
Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate
Preservative
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Water, Isohexadecane, Dicaprylyl Ether, Hexylene Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Sorbitan Laurate, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Propylene Glycol, Aminomethyl Propanol, Lauryl Glucoside, Polyglyceryl-2 Dipolyhydroxystearate, Glycerin, Citric Acid, Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate, Tocopherol, Tocopheryl Acetate
Water
Skin ConditioningBetaine
Humectant
Polyglyceryl-4 Caprate
EmulsifyingGlycerin
Humectant
Isopentyldiol
Humectant
Capryl/Capramidopropyl Betaine
CleansingCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningEthyl Lauroyl Arginate Hcl
Skin ConditioningMaris Sal
Skin ConditioningPolyglyceryl-3 Cocoate
Emulsifying
Polyglyceryl-6 Caprate
CleansingPolyglyceryl-6 Ricinoleate
Emulsifying
Sodium Carrageenan
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Chloride
MaskingSodium Citrate
BufferingCitric Acid
Buffering
Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate
Preservative
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Water, Betaine, Polyglyceryl-4 Caprate, Glycerin, Isopentyldiol, Capryl/Capramidopropyl Betaine, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Ethyl Lauroyl Arginate Hcl, Maris Sal, Polyglyceryl-3 Cocoate, Polyglyceryl-6 Caprate, Polyglyceryl-6 Ricinoleate, Sodium Carrageenan, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Citrate, Citric Acid, Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Benzoate
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 GlycerinIodopropynyl Butylcarbamate (IPBC) is a preservative that is especially good at getting fungi and mold out of your cosmetics.
IPBC works by leveraging the antimicrobial properties of its iodine containing structure. Iodine has been used as a germicide since the late 1800s and IPBC is a more refined and stable derivative of it.
It is typically used at very low levels in cosmetics, with most formulations using 0.0125% or less (well below its approved maximum).
In the EU, IPBC concentration limits are set at 0.02% in rinse-off products and 0.01% in leave-on products.
Though IPBC is a relatively uncommon contact allergen, patch testing studies show positive reaction rates ranging from 0.3%-0.9% of patients tested. This is still quite low compared to preservatives like methylisothiazolinone which sits at around 4-5%.
Researchers note that existing iodine sensitives or rubber allergies may be the cause of this as IPBC shares a structure with both thiuram (used in rubber) and iodine.
Be sure to patch test if you are unsure and speak with a medical professional about using this ingredient.
Learn more about Iodopropynyl ButylcarbamatePhenoxyethanol is one of the most widely used preservatives in skincare (and for good reason!).
It has a large spectrum of antimicrobial activity and especially effective bacteria, yeast, and mold while only having a weak effect on your skin's natural microbiome.
On a cellular level, it disrupts the cell membranes of microbes by poking holes that make the cell leak. This shuts down the chemical reactions the microbe needs to make energy so it can no longer survive.
Another perk of this ingredient is that it stays functional across a wide pH range (3-10).
You'll often see it paired with boosters like Ethylhexylglycerin; one study showed that a 1:9 ratio of Ethylhexylglycerin to Phenoxyethanol damages bacterial membranes as effectively as doubling the Phenoxyethanol concentration on its own.
Typical use concentrations range from 0.3-1% depending on the formula, and this ingredient is capped at 1% int the EU.
Safety-wise, the fear mongering does not hold up to the evidence. The EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety and FDA consider it safe as a preservative at up to 1%, including for children of all ages.
Adverse systemic effects only showed up in animal studies at exposures roughly 200x higher than what people get from cosmetics. And despite its very widespread use, this ingredient is a rare sensitizer and allergic reactions are uncommon.
Learn more about PhenoxyethanolWater. 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
