What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningDicaprylyl Ether
EmollientCetearyl Isononanoate
EmollientCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantDistarch Phosphate
AbsorbentMicrocrystalline Cellulose
AbsorbentZinc PCA
HumectantInulin
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientSodium Stearoyl Lactylate
EmulsifyingCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientCellulose Gum
Emulsion StabilisingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCetearyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingInulin Lauryl Carbamate
Emulsion StabilisingFructose
HumectantEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCitric Acid
BufferingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingBiosaccharide Gum-1
HumectantGlyceryl Caprylate
EmollientSodium Levulinate
Skin ConditioningSodium Anisate
AntimicrobialTocopherol
AntioxidantMaris Sal
Skin ConditioningWater, Dicaprylyl Ether, Cetearyl Isononanoate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glyceryl Stearate, Glycerin, Distarch Phosphate, Microcrystalline Cellulose, Zinc PCA, Inulin, Caprylyl Glycol, Sodium Stearoyl Lactylate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cellulose Gum, Xanthan Gum, Cetearyl Glucoside, Inulin Lauryl Carbamate, Fructose, Ethylhexylglycerin, Citric Acid, Sodium Hydroxide, Biosaccharide Gum-1, Glyceryl Caprylate, Sodium Levulinate, Sodium Anisate, Tocopherol, Maris Sal
Water
Skin ConditioningDimethicone
EmollientButylene Glycol
HumectantGlycerin
HumectantTrisiloxane
Skin ConditioningTrehalose
HumectantSucrose
HumectantAmmonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Hydroxyethyl Urea
HumectantCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialSilybum Marianum Extract
Skin ConditioningBetula Alba Bark Extract
MaskingSaccharomyces Lysate Extract
HumectantAloe Barbadensis Leaf Water
MaskingAloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
EmollientThermus Thermophillus Ferment
Skin ConditioningCaffeine
Skin ConditioningSorbitol
HumectantPalmitoyl Hexapeptide-12
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientOleth-10
EmulsifyingSodium Polyaspartate
HumectantAloe Barbadensis Leaf Polysaccharides
EmollientLactobacillus Ferment Lysate
Skin ConditioningSaccharide Isomerate
HumectantHydrogenated Lecithin
EmulsifyingTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingGlyceryl Polymethacrylate
Tromethamine
BufferingPEG-8
HumectantHexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingMagnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate
AntioxidantCitric Acid
BufferingBHT
AntioxidantDisodium EDTA
Sodium Citrate
BufferingPotassium Sorbate
PreservativeSodium Benzoate
MaskingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeCI 14700
Cosmetic ColorantCI 19140
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Dimethicone, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Trisiloxane, Trehalose, Sucrose, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Hydroxyethyl Urea, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Silybum Marianum Extract, Betula Alba Bark Extract, Saccharomyces Lysate Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Water, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Thermus Thermophillus Ferment, Caffeine, Sorbitol, Palmitoyl Hexapeptide-12, Sodium Hyaluronate, Caprylyl Glycol, Oleth-10, Sodium Polyaspartate, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Polysaccharides, Lactobacillus Ferment Lysate, Saccharide Isomerate, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Tocopheryl Acetate, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Glyceryl Polymethacrylate, Tromethamine, PEG-8, Hexylene Glycol, Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Citric Acid, BHT, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Citrate, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Phenoxyethanol, CI 14700, CI 19140
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Caprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.
Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.
Because it is not a free-fatty acid or alcohol, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolCitric 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 GlycerinWater. 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