What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate
Cleansing
Glycerin
Humectant
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Acrylates Copolymer
Lauryl Hydroxysultaine
CleansingCoco-Betaine
Cleansing
Betaine
Humectant
Polyglyceryl-4 Caprate
EmulsifyingSodium Chloride
MaskingSodium PCA
Humectant
Potassium Benzoate
Preservative
Tromethamine
BufferingSalicylic Acid
Masking
Disodium EDTA
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Citric Acid
Buffering
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
Emollient
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Gluconolactone
Skin Conditioning
Capryloyl Salicylic Acid
Exfoliating
Spinacia Oleracea Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Brassica Oleracea Acephala Leaf Extract
HumectantCamellia Japonica Seed Oil
Emollient
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
Humectant
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
Skin Conditioning
Potassium Hyaluronate
Skin ConditioningCI 19140
Cosmetic ColorantCI 42090
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate, Glycerin, Niacinamide, Acrylates Copolymer, Lauryl Hydroxysultaine, Coco-Betaine, Betaine, Polyglyceryl-4 Caprate, Sodium Chloride, Sodium PCA, Potassium Benzoate, Tromethamine, Salicylic Acid, Disodium EDTA, Ethylhexylglycerin, Butylene Glycol, Citric Acid, 1,2-Hexanediol, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Gluconolactone, Capryloyl Salicylic Acid, Spinacia Oleracea Leaf Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Brassica Oleracea Acephala Leaf Extract, Camellia Japonica Seed Oil, Tocopherol, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Potassium Hyaluronate, CI 19140, CI 42090
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine
Cleansing
Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate
Cleansing
Magnesium Aluminum Silicate
Absorbent
Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate
Emulsifying
Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate
Cleansing
Avena Sativa Kernel Oil
Skin Conditioning
PCA
Humectant
Glyceryl Oleate
Emollient
Saccharide Isomerate
Humectant
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil
Emollient
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Linoleic Acid
Cleansing
Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Coco-Glucoside
Cleansing
Sodium Chloride
MaskingCoconut Acid
Cleansing
Sodium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate
Emulsion StabilisingHydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Sodium Isethionate
CleansingPalmitic Acid
Emollient
Linolenic Acid
Cleansing
Sodium Citrate
BufferingStearic Acid
Cleansing
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Sodium Methyltaurate
Skin ConditioningOleic Acid
Emollient
Quartz
Abrasive
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingHydrogenated Palm Glycerides Citrate
Emollient
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Citric Acid
Buffering
Water, Glycerin, Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Magnesium Aluminum Silicate, Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate, Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate, Avena Sativa Kernel Oil, PCA, Glyceryl Oleate, Saccharide Isomerate, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Linoleic Acid, Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract, Coco-Glucoside, Sodium Chloride, Coconut Acid, Sodium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Hydroxyacetophenone, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Sodium Isethionate, Palmitic Acid, Linolenic Acid, Sodium Citrate, Stearic Acid, Tocopherol, Sodium Methyltaurate, Oleic Acid, Quartz, Xanthan Gum, Hydrogenated Palm Glycerides Citrate, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, 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.
1,2-Hexanediol is a synthetic liquid and another multi-functional powerhouse.
It is a:
- Humectant, drawing moisture into the skin
- Emollient, helping to soften skin
- Solvent, dispersing and stabilizing formulas
- Preservative booster, enhancing the antimicrobial activity of other preservatives
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 GlycerinChances are, you eat sodium chloride every day. Sodium Chloride is also known as table salt. This ingredient has many purposes in skincare: thickener, emulsifier, and exfoliator.
You'll most likely find this ingredient in cleansers where it is used to create a gel-like texture. As an emulsifier, it also prevents ingredients from separating.
You might see people debate whether Sodium Chloride is comedogenic, but there actually haven't been any comedogenic tests done on it. Either way, the overall formulation of a product matters a lot more than any single ingredient.
You might see this ingredient used in scrubs as a primary exfoliating ingredient.
Learn more about Sodium ChlorideTocopherol 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
