What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningPentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Propanediol
Solvent
Glycerin
Humectant
Vitis Vinifera Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningHexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingCapryloyl Glycine
CleansingZingiber Officinale Root Extract
Masking
Boswellia Serrata Resin Extract
SmoothingMenthol
Masking
Menthyl Lactate
Masking
Microcrystalline Cellulose
AbsorbentSodium Hydroxide
BufferingSodium Gluconate
Skin ConditioningMentha Piperita Oil
Masking
Sphingomonas Ferment Extract
Skin Conditioning
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Caprylhydroxamic Acid
Sodium Anisate
AntimicrobialHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Epilobium Angustifolium Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract
Skin ConditioningCellulose Gum
Emulsion StabilisingXylitylglucoside
Humectant
Water, Pentylene Glycol, Propanediol, Glycerin, Vitis Vinifera Fruit Extract, Hexylene Glycol, Capryloyl Glycine, Zingiber Officinale Root Extract, Boswellia Serrata Resin Extract, Menthol, Menthyl Lactate, Microcrystalline Cellulose, Sodium Hydroxide, Sodium Gluconate, Mentha Piperita Oil, Sphingomonas Ferment Extract, Tocopherol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, Sodium Anisate, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Epilobium Angustifolium Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract, Cellulose Gum, Xylitylglucoside
Water
Skin ConditioningHamamelis Virginiana Water
Astringent
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Propanediol
Solvent
Glycerin
Humectant
Biotin
AntiseborrhoeicPanthenol
Skin Conditioning
Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil
Antioxidant
Charcoal Powder
Abrasive
Mentha Piperita Oil
Masking
Zingiber Officinale Root Oil
Masking
Menthyl Lactate
Masking
Saccharide Isomerate
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Citric Acid
Buffering
Helianthus Annuus Extract
Emollient
Heptyl Glucoside
Oryza Sativa Bran Extract
Skin Conditioning
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialSodium Hydroxide
BufferingTocopherol
Antioxidant
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingBenzoic Acid
Masking
Sodium Citrate
BufferingDehydroacetic Acid
Preservative
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Water, Hamamelis Virginiana Water, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Propanediol, Glycerin, Biotin, Panthenol, Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil, Charcoal Powder, Mentha Piperita Oil, Zingiber Officinale Root Oil, Menthyl Lactate, Saccharide Isomerate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Citric Acid, Helianthus Annuus Extract, Heptyl Glucoside, Oryza Sativa Bran Extract, Potassium Sorbate, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Sodium Hydroxide, Tocopherol, Xanthan Gum, Benzoic Acid, Sodium Citrate, Dehydroacetic Acid, Benzyl Alcohol
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
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 GlycerinThis essential oil is steam-distilled from peppermint leaves, also known as peppermint oil. It's mainly used for scent in skincare but also provides that signature "cooling" sensation.
Peppermint oil is a "feels amazing" ingredient until it doesn't.
At higher doses or for those with sensitive skin, methol-type cooling can quickly turn into burning/irritation. It can also trigger irritant dermatitis or even allergic contact dermatitis. In a large patch-test dataset, peppermint oil had a low but positive rate for this.
In cosmetics, Cosmetic Safety Reviews (CIR) concludes that peppermint oil is safe to use when formulated to be non-sensitizing with some restrictions; for instance, pulegone, a naturally occurring component of peppermint oil, should not exceed 1%.
Since peppermint oil contains fragrance allergens such as limonene, linalool, and menthol, it can be sensitizing for those with rosacea, eczema, a broken skin barrier, or just sensitive skin in general.
In Japan, this ingredient is known as Hakka Yu.
Learn more about Mentha Piperita OilMenthyl lactate is an ester of menthol and lactic acid. It is often used as a cooling agent and fragrance.
When applied topically, this ingredient leaves a refreshing sensation like menthol, but is less irritating.
Propanediol is an all-star ingredient. It softens, hydrates, and smooths the skin.Â
It’s often used to:
Propanediol is not likely to cause sensitivity and considered safe to use. It is derived from corn or petroleum with a clear color and no scent.
Learn more about PropanediolSodium 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 HyaluronateSodium Hydroxide is also known as lye or caustic soda. It is used to adjust the pH of products; many ingredients require a specific pH to be effective.
In small amounts, sodium hydroxide is considered safe to use. However, large amounts may cause chemical burns due to its high alkaline.
Your skin has a natural pH and acid mantle. This acid mantle helps prevent harmful bacteria from breaking through. The acid mantle also helps keep your skin hydrated.
"Alkaline" refers to a high pH level. A low pH level would be considered acidic.
Learn more about Sodium HydroxideTocopherol 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
