What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Methylpropanediol
SolventDicaprylyl Ether
Emollient
Alcohol
Antimicrobial
Isopropyl Palmitate
Emollient
Betaine
Humectant
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingHamamelis Virginiana Water
Astringent
Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil
Emollient
Carpobrotus Edulis Extract
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder
Skin Conditioning
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Acrylates/Vinyl Isodecanoate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingSodium PCA
Humectant
Inositol
Humectant
Parfum
Masking
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Polyglyceryl-10 Stearate
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingAllantoin
Skin Conditioning
Salicylic Acid
Masking
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Polysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Sorbitan Isostearate
Emulsifying
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Citric Acid
Buffering
Pantolactone
Humectant
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Water, Glycerin, Methylpropanediol, Dicaprylyl Ether, Alcohol, Isopropyl Palmitate, Betaine, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Hamamelis Virginiana Water, Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil, Carpobrotus Edulis Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder, Hydroxyacetophenone, Acrylates/Vinyl Isodecanoate Crosspolymer, Sodium PCA, Inositol, Parfum, Panthenol, Polyglyceryl-10 Stearate, Sodium Hydroxide, Allantoin, Salicylic Acid, Tocopheryl Acetate, Polysorbate 60, Sorbitan Isostearate, Sodium Benzoate, Benzyl Alcohol, Citric Acid, Pantolactone, Potassium Sorbate, Tocopherol
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Dimethicone
Emollient
Trisiloxane
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Trehalose
Humectant
Sucrose
Humectant
Paeonia Suffruticosa Root Extract
Skin ProtectingCrataegus Monogyna Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningThermus Thermophillus Ferment
Skin ConditioningCaffeine
Skin Conditioning
Asparagopsis Armata Extract
Skin ProtectingAscophyllum Nodosum Extract
Skin ConditioningPalmaria Palmata Extract
Skin ProtectingArtemia Extract
Skin ConditioningAlgae Extract
EmollientHydrolyzed Rice Extract
Skin Conditioning
Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract
Emollient
Chamomilla Recutita Extract
Skin Conditioning
Ergothioneine
Antioxidant
Urea
Buffering
Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Humectant
Glucose
Humectant
Oleth-10
EmulsifyingTocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Lauryl PEG-9 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone
Skin Conditioning
Sorbitol
Humectant
Acetyl Glucosamine
Skin Conditioning
Ethylbisiminomethylguaiacol Manganese Chloride
Antioxidant
Sodium PCA
Humectant
Lauryl PCA
HumectantSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate
Antioxidant
Citric Acid
Buffering
Tromethamine
BufferingTriacetin
AntimicrobialCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingSorbic Acid
Preservative
Polyquaternium-51
Skin Conditioning
Cyclodextrin
AbsorbentDisodium EDTA
BHT
Antioxidant
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Water, Butylene Glycol, Dimethicone, Trisiloxane, Glycerin, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Trehalose, Sucrose, Paeonia Suffruticosa Root Extract, Crataegus Monogyna Flower Extract, Thermus Thermophillus Ferment, Caffeine, Asparagopsis Armata Extract, Ascophyllum Nodosum Extract, Palmaria Palmata Extract, Artemia Extract, Algae Extract, Hydrolyzed Rice Extract, Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract, Chamomilla Recutita Extract, Ergothioneine, Urea, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Glucose, Oleth-10, Tocopheryl Acetate, Lauryl PEG-9 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone, Sorbitol, Acetyl Glucosamine, Ethylbisiminomethylguaiacol Manganese Chloride, Sodium PCA, Lauryl PCA, Sodium Hyaluronate, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Citric Acid, Tromethamine, Triacetin, Carbomer, Sorbic Acid, Polyquaternium-51, Cyclodextrin, Disodium EDTA, BHT, Potassium Sorbate, Chlorphenesin, Phenoxyethanol
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 GlycerinPotassium Sorbate is a preservative used to prevent yeast and mold in products. It is commonly found in both cosmetic and food products.
This ingredient comes from potassium salt derived from sorbic acid. Sorbic acid is a natural antibiotic and effective against fungus.
Both potassium sorbate and sorbic acid can be found in baked goods, cheeses, dried meats, dried fruit, ice cream, pickles, wine, yogurt, and more.
You'll often find this ingredient used with other preservatives.
Learn more about Potassium SorbateSodium PCA (the salt of PCA) is one of the most well-established humectants in skincare.
Why is it so special? Your skin already makes it naturally; it's a natural component of your skin's Natural Moisturizing Factor (NMF), or the mix of water-binding compounds inside your skin cells that keeps things soft and hydrated.
As a cosmetic ingredient, it grabs water and holds it in the upper layers of skin to smooth roughness and ease dehydration.
There's some clinical support for the NMF approach with a study showing that a cream built to mimic the skin's NMF significantly boosted hydration.
Safety-wise, this ingredient non-irritating, non-comedogenic, and non-phototoxic in testing, with minimal skin absorption.
It also works really well with other hydrators like glycerin or hyaluronic acid, and typical usage is somewhere between 0.2-4%.
Learn more about Sodium PCATocopheryl Acetate is a stable, shelf-friendly form of vitamin E.
Formulators love it because plain vitamin E oxidizes quickly once it hits air. This acetate version stays stable and resists going off, helping to extend a product's shelf life.
It's actually inactive on its own and works like a slow-release "storage" form; the enzymes in your skin called esterases gradually convert it into active vitamin E over time.
One in vivo study showed 5% of the acetate in the living layer of the epidermis converted to vitamin E after 5 days of application. This study also found the skin gained protection against UV damage even though the conversion was slow and small.
Once converted, vitamin E acts as a skin's main fat-soluble antioxidant that fights free radicals to protect skin from damage.
Topical vitamin E generally boosts the skin's photoprotection, and it reduced UV-damage in animal models.
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.
Overall, it has a pretty solid safety profile and has been found to be non-irritating and non-comedogenic. Allergic reactions may happen but stay rare due to how widely the ingredient gets used.
The concentration will vary depending on the formula; industry data shows 0.1% in baby lotions, 3% in lipsticks, and 5% in foot powders. You can also find this ingredient at 100% in a pure vitamin E oil.
Most leave-on skincare keeps it at the lower end, often between 0.5-1%.
Learn more about Tocopheryl AcetateWater. 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
