What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycereth-5 Lactate
EmollientCocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate
Cleansing
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPPG-26-Buteth-26
Skin ConditioningPEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Asparagopsis Armata Extract
Skin ProtectingHydroxypropyl Guar
Emulsion StabilisingHydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingLavandula Angustifolia Oil
Masking
Litsea Cubeba Fruit Oil
Masking
Iris Florentina Root Extract
MaskingPelargonium Graveolens Leaf Oil
Glycerin
Humectant
Copper PCA
HumectantCitric Acid
Buffering
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
CI 42090
Cosmetic ColorantCitral
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Citronellol
Perfuming
Water, Glycereth-5 Lactate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate, Xanthan Gum, PPG-26-Buteth-26, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Asparagopsis Armata Extract, Hydroxypropyl Guar, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Lavandula Angustifolia Oil, Litsea Cubeba Fruit Oil, Iris Florentina Root Extract, Pelargonium Graveolens Leaf Oil, Glycerin, Copper PCA, Citric Acid, Phenoxyethanol, Chlorphenesin, CI 42090, Citral, Linalool, Citronellol
Water
Skin ConditioningAloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
Emollient
Decyl Glucoside
Cleansing
Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine
Cleansing
Sodium Lauryl Sulfoacetate
CleansingDisodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate
CleansingGlycerin
Humectant
Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate
Cleansing
Coco-Glucoside
Cleansing
Glyceryl Oleate
Emollient
Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate
Cleansing
Citrus Nobilis Peel Oil
Masking
Propanediol
Solvent
Tremella Fuciformis Sporocarp Extract
Antioxidant
Betaine
Humectant
Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate
Antioxidant
Gluconolactone
Skin Conditioning
Sclerotium Gum
Emulsion StabilisingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingHydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Citrus Aurantifolia Oil
Cleansing
Prunus Serrulata Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningLactic Acid
Buffering
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Citrus Reticulata Peel Oil
Masking
Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
Bleaching
Hippophae Rhamnoides Seed Oil
Skin Protecting
Arnica Montana Flower Extract
Masking
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Magnesium PCA
Humectant
Copper PCA
HumectantZinc PCA
Humectant
Glucosyl Hesperidin
HumectantHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Capsaicin
Masking
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Citric Acid
Buffering
Phenethyl Alcohol
MaskingPentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Water, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Decyl Glucoside, Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine, Sodium Lauryl Sulfoacetate, Disodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate, Glycerin, Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate, Coco-Glucoside, Glyceryl Oleate, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Citrus Nobilis Peel Oil, Propanediol, Tremella Fuciformis Sporocarp Extract, Betaine, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Gluconolactone, Sclerotium Gum, Xanthan Gum, Hydroxyacetophenone, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Niacinamide, Panthenol, Citrus Aurantifolia Oil, Prunus Serrulata Flower Extract, Lactic Acid, Allantoin, Citrus Reticulata Peel Oil, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Hippophae Rhamnoides Seed Oil, Arnica Montana Flower Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Magnesium PCA, Copper PCA, Zinc PCA, Glucosyl Hesperidin, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Capsaicin, Tocopherol, Citric Acid, Phenethyl Alcohol, Pentylene Glycol
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 AcidWe don't have a description for Copper PCA yet.
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 GlycerinSodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate is a gentle, coconut-derived cleansing surfactant. It's most commonly found in "sulfate-free" cleansers.
As a taurate, it belongs to a class of anionic surfactants prized for being efficient at cleansing without harshness, good performance in hard water, stability across a wide pH range, and easily biodegradable.
It is able to lift away oil and grime and make a nice lather without stripping your skin, so it's a good pick for sensitive skin.
Safety-wise, it has a good record. The CIR Expert Panel has concluded this ingredient to be safe in cosmetics and concentrations go up to 11% in leave-on products or 13% in rinse-off products.
Despite being derived from coconut oil, this ingredient is fungal acne safe. It's a water-soluble surfactant with no fatty oils or esters left intact on skin for the Malassezia yeast to feed.
Learn more about Sodium Methyl Cocoyl TaurateWater. 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 WaterXanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.
On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.
Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.
Learn more about Xanthan Gum
