What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningDihydroxyacetone
Skin ConditioningAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Ethoxydiglycol
HumectantGlycerin
Humectant
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Litchi Chinensis Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningEuterpe Oleracea Fruit Extract
Saccharum Officinarum Extract
MoisturisingJuglans Nigra Leaf Extract
AstringentSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Sodium Metabisulfite
Antioxidant
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Phenethyl Alcohol
MaskingCaprylyl Glucoside
CleansingCocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Maltodextrin
Absorbent
Alcohol
Antimicrobial
Caramel
Cosmetic ColorantCI 14700
Cosmetic ColorantCI 19140
Cosmetic ColorantBlue 1 Lake
Cosmetic ColorantParfum
Masking
Water, Dihydroxyacetone, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Ethoxydiglycol, Glycerin, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Litchi Chinensis Fruit Extract, Euterpe Oleracea Fruit Extract, Saccharum Officinarum Extract, Juglans Nigra Leaf Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Metabisulfite, Caprylyl Glycol, Phenethyl Alcohol, Caprylyl Glucoside, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Maltodextrin, Alcohol, Caramel, CI 14700, CI 19140, Blue 1 Lake, Parfum
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Dihydroxyacetone
Skin ConditioningPropylene Glycol
Humectant
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Dimethyl Isosorbide
SolventSodium Metabisulfite
Antioxidant
Erythrulose
TanningCI 14700
Cosmetic ColorantCI 19140
Cosmetic ColorantTocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
CI 42090
Cosmetic ColorantSodium Benzoate
Masking
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Citric Acid
Buffering
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Ci 14700, also known as Red No. 4, is a synthetic red dye derived from petroleum. It is water soluble.
CI 19140 is also known as Tartrazine. Tartrazine is a synthetic dye used in cosmetics, foods, and medicine to add a yellow color.
Tartrazine is created from petroleum and is water-soluble.
Some people may experience allergies from this dye, especially asthmatics and those with an aspirin intolerance.
Learn more about CI 19140Dihydroxyacetone, or DHA, is the active ingredient in self-tanners.
It's a simply sugar that reacts with the free amino acids in your outermost layer of skin to produce brown-colored compounds called melanoidins.
DHA does not penetrate living skin cells, does not interact with melanocytes, and does not affect actualy melanin production.
There's a "safety controversy" that largely stems from misinterpreted studies:
Once concern is that DHA can generate unstable molecules that can damage cells (free radicals) when exposed to sunlight. This only happens in the outermost layer of dead skin cells and wearing SPF on top takes care of it.
The DNA damage claim comes from lab studies that doused living skin cells in much higher concentrations of DHA than you'd ever find in a self-tanner. That's not really a meaningful comparison to putting self-tanning lotion on your skin.
Regulatory bodies around the world, including the EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (SCCS) and the U.S. FDA consider it safe for use in cosmetics when applied topically (maximum 10%, and most self-tanners contain between 3-5%).
Learn more about DihydroxyacetoneGlycerin (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 metabisulfite is also known as Sodium Pyrosulfite. It is a preservative, antioxidant, and disinfectant.
As a preservative, it helps stabilize cosmetic formulas without affecting their color or scent.
Water. 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
