What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Isopropyl Myristate
Emollient
Cetearyl Phosphate
Skin Conditioning
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Dictyopteris Polypodioides Extract
EmollientDipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Humectant
Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate
Antioxidant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter
Emollient
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Caffeine
Skin Conditioning
Retinyl Palmitate
Skin Conditioning
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Sodium Polyacrylate
Absorbent
Cetearyl Dimethicone
Emollient
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningHexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingTetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate
Parfum
Masking
Water, Glyceryl Stearate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glycerin, Lactic Acid, Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract, Isopropyl Myristate, Cetearyl Phosphate, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Dictyopteris Polypodioides Extract, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Tocopheryl Acetate, Caffeine, Retinyl Palmitate, Tocopherol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Caprylyl Glycol, Butylene Glycol, Sodium Polyacrylate, Cetearyl Dimethicone, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Hexylene Glycol, Sodium Hydroxide, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Parfum
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Niacinamide
Smoothing
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Propanediol
Solvent
Arbutin
Antioxidant
Betaine
Humectant
Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
Bleaching
3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingTromethamine
BufferingTrisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Theobroma Cacao Seed Extract
Antioxidant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Dextrin
AbsorbentTocopherol
Antioxidant
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Ethylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:
The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure.
Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.
Learn more about EthylhexylglycerinGlycerin (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 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 HyaluronateTocopherol (also known as Vitamin E) is a common antioxidant used to help protect the skin from free-radicals and strengthen the skin barrier. It's also fat soluble - this means our skin is great at absorbing it.
Vitamin E also helps keep your natural skin lipids healthy. Your lipid skin barrier naturally consists of lipids, ceramides, and fatty acids. Vitamin E offers extra protection for your skin’s lipid barrier, keeping your skin healthy and nourished.
Another benefit is a bit of UV protection. Vitamin E helps reduce the damage caused by UVB rays. (It should not replace your sunscreen). Combining it with Vitamin C can decrease sunburned cells and hyperpigmentation after UV exposure.
You might have noticed Vitamin E + C often paired together. This is because it is great at stabilizing Vitamin C. Using the two together helps increase the effectiveness of both ingredients.
There are often claims that Vitamin E can reduce/prevent scarring, but these claims haven't been confirmed by scientific research.
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
