What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningIsopropyl Myristate
Emollient
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Glycerin
Humectant
PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
PEG-100 Stearate
Acetyl Cysteine
Antioxidant
Escin
TonicSodium Ascorbyl Phosphate
Antioxidant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Cistus Incanus Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract
Skin ConditioningYeast Extract
Skin ConditioningSoy Isoflavones
Skin ConditioningBeta-Sitosterol
Emulsion Stabilising
Aesculus Hippocastanum Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningAloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
Emollient
Centella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Glycosphingolipids
EmollientCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingHydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Olea Europaea Fruit Oil
Masking
Oryza Sativa Bran Oil
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingPolyglyceryl-6 Laurate
Emulsifying
Polyglyceryl-10 Oleate
Skin Conditioning
Phenylpropanol
Masking
Lecithin
Emollient
Sorbitan Palmitate
Emulsifying
Parfum
Masking
Water, Isopropyl Myristate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glycerin, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Acetyl Cysteine, Escin, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Cistus Incanus Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract, Yeast Extract, Soy Isoflavones, Beta-Sitosterol, Aesculus Hippocastanum Seed Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Centella Asiatica Extract, Glycosphingolipids, Carbomer, Hydroxyacetophenone, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Oryza Sativa Bran Oil, Phenoxyethanol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Sodium Hydroxide, Polyglyceryl-6 Laurate, Polyglyceryl-10 Oleate, Phenylpropanol, Lecithin, Sorbitan Palmitate, Parfum
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Paraffinum Liquidum
Emollient
Isopropyl Myristate
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cetearyl Glucoside
Emulsifying
Glucose
Humectant
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Dimethicone
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
PEG-100 Stearate
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Caprylhydroxamic Acid
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin Conditioning1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Hydroxyphenyl Propamidobenzoic Acid
Skin ConditioningGlycereth-26
Humectant
Polyacrylamide
C13-14 Isoparaffin
Emollient
Laureth-7
EmulsifyingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingPPG-17
Skin ConditioningTriethanolamine
BufferingAnthemis Nobilis Flower Oil
Masking
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Copper Tripeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Water, Glycerin, Propylene Glycol, Paraffinum Liquidum, Isopropyl Myristate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Glucoside, Glucose, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Dimethicone, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, Ethylhexylglycerin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Hydroxyacetophenone, Niacinamide, Hydroxyphenyl Propamidobenzoic Acid, Glycereth-26, Polyacrylamide, C13-14 Isoparaffin, Laureth-7, Carbomer, PPG-17, Triethanolamine, Anthemis Nobilis Flower Oil, Sodium Hyaluronate, Copper Tripeptide-1
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
This ingredient is a lightweight emollient, solvent, and texture enhancer. It is considered a skin-softener by helping the skin prevent moisture loss.
It helps thicken a product's formula and makes it easier to spread by dissolving clumping compounds.
Caprylic Triglyceride is made by combining glycerin with coconut oil, forming a clear liquid. Though it behaves like an oil, it is not technically one due to its chemical composition. It is very stable, resistant to oxidation, and unlikely to go rancid. In practice, that translates to a long shelf life and a consistently elegant skin feel.
While there is an assumption Caprylic Triglyceride can clog pores due to it being derived from coconut oil, there is no research supporting this. Be sure to patch test if you have concerns.
Fractionated coconut oil and MCT Oil are both listed as Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride according to INCI. This is because INCI names are based on the ingredient’s final chemical composition and not its marketing name or source.
Learn more about Caprylic/Capric TriglycerideCarbomer is a high-molecular weight polymer of acrylic acid. It is used to form gels and thicken formulas.
Due to its large molecular size, carbomer has minimal skin penetration and is considered an inert ingredient.
A high amount of carbomer can cause pilling or balling up of products. Don't worry, most products contain 1% or less of carbomer.
Learn more about CarbomerGlycerin (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 GlycerinGlyceryl Stearate is made by reacting glycerin with stearic acid (typically sourced from plant oils like palm or coconut). It's an emulsifier, emollient, and mild occlusive.
Emulsifiers help ingredients like oil and water stay mixed so your formula stays nicely blended and uniform in texture.
This ingredient is typically used in concentrations between 1-10%. Studies have found it to be non-sensitizing, non-phototoxic, and non-photoallergenic.
A close cousin of this ingredient is Glyceryl Stearate SE ("self-emulsifying"). This just has a small amount of sodium or potassium stearate added so it can emulsify without a co-emulsifier.
Since this ingredient is an ester of a C18 fatty acid, it may not be fungal acne safe. The Malassezia yeast can potentially metabolize within the C11-C24 range.
Fun fact: The human body also creates Glyceryl Stearate naturally.
Learn more about Glyceryl StearateHydroxyacetophenone is antioxidant with skin conditioning and soothing properties. It also boosts the efficiency of preservatives.
Though naturally occuring in Norwegian spruce needles, this ingredient is usually synthetically created.
This ingredient is not irritating or sensitizing. Recent research also suggests it may have skin-brightening effects through tyrosinase inhibition.
Learn more about HydroxyacetophenoneIsopropyl Myristate is an emollient, thickening agent, and texture enhancer. It is created from isopropyl alcohol and myristic acid.
It is used to help other ingredients be better absorbed. It is also an emollient and may help soften and hydrate the skin.
The comedogenic rating of this ingredient depends on the concentration. Lower amounts results in a lower rating.
Isopropyl Myristate may not be fungal acne safe. It can potentially worsen acne prone skin.
Learn more about Isopropyl MyristatePeg-100 Stearate is an emollient and emulsifier. As an emollient, it helps keep skin soft by trapping moisture in. On the other hand, emulsifiers help prevent oil and water from separating in a product.
PEGS are a hydrophilic polyether compound . There are 100 ethylene oxide monomers in Peg-100 Stearate. Peg-100 Stearate is polyethylene glycol ester of stearic acid.
Sodium Hyaluronate is the salt form of hyaluronic acid. It is a long sugar chain that is naturally found in your skin, joints, and connective tissue that maintains hydration and elasticity.
In skincare, it works as a humectant. It pulls water from the environment and deeper layers of skin and binds it to the surface.
Interestingly, the size of the molecule affects its behavior:
Some clinical evidence links low molecular weight versions to improved wrinkle depth, elasticity, anti-inflammatory effects, and barrier repair.
Many serums use a blend of both weights so you can get surface hydration plus longer-lasting and deeper effects.
You'll typically see concentrations between 0.1-2% for this ingredient.
Learn more about Sodium HyaluronateWater. 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
