What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningArgania Spinosa Kernel Oil
EmollientDicaprylyl Carbonate
EmollientPropylheptyl Caprylate
EmollientSodium Polyacrylate
AbsorbentEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantCitrus Grandis Peel Oil
MaskingTocopherol
AntioxidantCitrus Aurantium Amara Peel Oil
Skin ConditioningCitrus Nobilis Oil
MaskingPinus Pinaster Bark Extract
AntioxidantArgania Spinosa Kernel Extract
Skin ConditioningSodium Cocoyl Glutamate
CleansingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingLimonene
PerfumingWater, Glycerin, Pentylene Glycol, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Propylheptyl Caprylate, Sodium Polyacrylate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Tocopheryl Acetate, Citrus Grandis Peel Oil, Tocopherol, Citrus Aurantium Amara Peel Oil, Citrus Nobilis Oil, Pinus Pinaster Bark Extract, Argania Spinosa Kernel Extract, Sodium Cocoyl Glutamate, Phenoxyethanol, Carbomer, Limonene
Water
Skin ConditioningCarthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil
MaskingDicaprylyl Carbonate
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantBis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-2
EmollientGlyceryl Oleate Citrate
EmulsifyingCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientKaempferia Parviflora Rhizome Extract
AntioxidantCucumis Sativus Fruit Extract
EmollientOryza Sativa Bran Wax
Skin ConditioningCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
AntioxidantHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
EmollientPropanediol
SolventEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningOleic Acid
EmollientPolysorbate 20
EmulsifyingPropylene Glycol
HumectantSodium Benzoate
MaskingTocopherol
AntioxidantSodium Hydroxide
BufferingPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningPhenethyl Alcohol
MaskingWater, Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Glycerin, Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-2, Glyceryl Oleate Citrate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Kaempferia Parviflora Rhizome Extract, Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract, Oryza Sativa Bran Wax, Carbomer, Tocopheryl Acetate, Xanthan Gum, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Propanediol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Oleic Acid, Polysorbate 20, Propylene Glycol, Sodium Benzoate, Tocopherol, Sodium Hydroxide, Pentylene Glycol, Phenethyl Alcohol
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 CarbomerDicaprylyl Carbonate comes from carbonic acid and caprylyl alcohol, a fatty alcohol. It is an emollient and gives skin a velvet feel. The sources of Dicaprylyl Carbonate may be synthetic or from animals.
As an emollient, Dicaprylyl Carbonate creates a film on the skin. This film traps moisture in, keeping your skin soft and hydrated.
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 GlycerinPentylene glycol is typically used within a product to thicken it. It also adds a smooth, soft, and moisturizing feel to the product. It is naturally found in plants such as sugar beets.
The hydrophilic trait of Pentylene Glycol makes it a humectant. As a humectant, Pentylene Glycol helps draw moisture from the air to your skin. This can help keep your skin hydrated.
This property also makes Pentylene Glycol a great texture enhancer. It can also help thicken or stabilize a product.
Pentylene Glycol also acts as a mild preservative and helps to keep a product microbe-free.
Some people may experience mild eye and skin irritation from Pentylene Glycol. We always recommend speaking with a professional about using this ingredient in your routine.
Pentylene Glycol has a low molecular weight and is part of the 1,2-glycol family.
Learn more about Pentylene GlycolTocopherol (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 TocopherolTocopheryl Acetate is AKA Vitamin E. It is an antioxidant and protects your skin from free radicals. Free radicals damage the skin by breaking down collagen.
One study found using Tocopheryl Acetate with Vitamin C decreased the number of sunburned cells.
Tocopheryl Acetate is commonly found in both skincare and dietary supplements.
Learn more about Tocopheryl AcetateWater. 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