What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningPEG-12 Dimethicone
Skin ConditioningAminopropyl Ascorbyl Phosphate
AntioxidantFerulic Acid
AntimicrobialLactic Acid
BufferingGlycolic Acid
BufferingGlycerin
HumectantPalmitoyl Tripeptide-1
Skin ConditioningPalmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Skin ConditioningAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
AntioxidantHelianthus Annuus Extract
EmollientOryza Sativa Bran Extract
Skin ConditioningRosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialButylene Glycol
HumectantXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientHexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningTetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate
Parfum
MaskingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Lactate
BufferingPolysorbate 20
EmulsifyingLimonene
PerfumingLinalool
PerfumingCitronellol
PerfumingWater, PEG-12 Dimethicone, Aminopropyl Ascorbyl Phosphate, Ferulic Acid, Lactic Acid, Glycolic Acid, Glycerin, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder, Tocopherol, Helianthus Annuus Extract, Oryza Sativa Bran Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Butylene Glycol, Xanthan Gum, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol, Hexylene Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Parfum, Sodium Hydroxide, Carbomer, Sodium Lactate, Polysorbate 20, Limonene, Linalool, Citronellol
Water
Skin ConditioningTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantPhysostegia Virginiana Leaf/Stem Extract
AntiseborrhoeicAloe Barbadensis Extract
Skin ConditioningSodium Ascorbyl Phosphate
AntioxidantGlycerin
HumectantBetaine
HumectantProline
Skin ConditioningDimethyl Sulfone
SolventHamamelis Virginiana Water
AstringentSimmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
EmollientEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantArginine
MaskingRetinol
Skin ConditioningCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialWater, Tocopheryl Acetate, Physostegia Virginiana Leaf/Stem Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Extract, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Glycerin, Betaine, Proline, Dimethyl Sulfone, Hamamelis Virginiana Water, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Hyaluronate, Arginine, Retinol, Carbomer, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Carbomer 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 CarbomerEthylhexylglycerin 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 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