What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Dibutyl Adipate
EmollientEthylhexyl Salicylate
UV Absorber
Diisopropyl Sebacate
EmollientC12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialButyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane
UV Absorber
Phenylbenzimidazole Sulfonic Acid
UV Absorber
Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate
Absorbent
Ascorbyl Glucoside
Antioxidant
Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine
Skin Conditioning
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate Citrate
Emollient
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Ethylhexyl Triazone
UV Absorber
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Sorbitan Laurate
Emulsifying
Acetyl Dipeptide-1 Cetyl Ester
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-38
Skin Conditioning
Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin
MaskingSclerotium Gum
Emulsion StabilisingButylene Glycol
Humectant
Hydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingTetrasodium EDTA
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Water, Glycerin, Dibutyl Adipate, Ethylhexyl Salicylate, Diisopropyl Sebacate, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, Phenylbenzimidazole Sulfonic Acid, Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Niacinamide, Ethylhexyl Triazone, Tocopheryl Acetate, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Tocopherol, Sorbitan Laurate, Acetyl Dipeptide-1 Cetyl Ester, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-38, Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin, Sclerotium Gum, Butylene Glycol, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Tetrasodium EDTA, Sodium Hydroxide, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenoxyethanol
Water
Skin ConditioningDicaprylyl Ether
Emollient
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Polyglyceryl-6 Stearate
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil
Masking
Ascorbyl Tetraisopalmitate
Antioxidant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Parfum
Masking
Sclerotium Gum
Emulsion StabilisingStearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Ascorbyl Palmitate
Antioxidant
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingLimonene
Perfuming
Polyglyceryl-6 Behenate
Emulsion Stabilising
Potassium Cetyl Phosphate
Emulsifying1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Malpighia Glabra Fruit Juice
Skin ConditioningMaltodextrin
Absorbent
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingLinalool
Perfuming
Benzyl Salicylate
Perfuming
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Geraniol
Perfuming
Citral
Perfuming
Water, Dicaprylyl Ether, Pentylene Glycol, Polyglyceryl-6 Stearate, Glycerin, Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil, Ascorbyl Tetraisopalmitate, Phenoxyethanol, Parfum, Sclerotium Gum, Stearyl Alcohol, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Xanthan Gum, Limonene, Polyglyceryl-6 Behenate, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Malpighia Glabra Fruit Juice, Maltodextrin, Sodium Hydroxide, Linalool, Benzyl Salicylate, Tocopherol, Geraniol, Citral
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Caprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.
Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.
Because it is not a free-fatty acid, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolGlycerin (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 GlycerinPhenoxyethanol is a preservative that has germicide, antimicrobial, and aromatic properties. Studies show that phenoxyethanol can prevent microbial growth. By itself, it has a scent that is similar to that of a rose.
It's often used in formulations along with Caprylyl Glycol to preserve the shelf life of products.
Sclerotium Gum is a polysaccharide gum made by the fungus, Sclerotium rolfssii. It is similar to xanthan gum.
In cosmetics, Sclerotium Gum is used to thicken the texture and to help stabilize other ingredients.
As an emulsifier, Sclerotium Gum helps prevent ingredients from separating, such as water and oil.
Learn more about Sclerotium GumSodium 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
