What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantAcrylates Copolymer
Niacinamide
SmoothingCeratonia Siliqua Gum
EmollientChondrus Crispus Extract
Skin ConditioningDipropylene Glycol
HumectantBetaine
HumectantAlgin
Masking1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningHydroxyacetophenone
AntioxidantButylene Glycol
HumectantPotassium Chloride
Agar
MaskingCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientSucrose
HumectantAllantoin
Skin ConditioningPolyglyceryl-10 Laurate
Skin ConditioningEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningGalactomyces Ferment Filtrate
HumectantAdenosine
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
Pyrus Communis Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningRosa Damascena Flower Water
MaskingCollagen Extract
Skin ConditioningIris Florentina Root Extract
MaskingCucumis Melo Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningHedera Helix Leaf/Stem Extract
AntimicrobialDipotassium Glycyrrhizate
HumectantHydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
HumectantLactobacillus Ferment
Skin ConditioningBifida Ferment Filtrate
Skin ConditioningLactobacillus Ferment Lysate
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
AntioxidantWater, Glycerin, Acrylates Copolymer, Niacinamide, Ceratonia Siliqua Gum, Chondrus Crispus Extract, Dipropylene Glycol, Betaine, Algin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Hydroxyacetophenone, Butylene Glycol, Potassium Chloride, Agar, Caprylyl Glycol, Sucrose, Allantoin, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Galactomyces Ferment Filtrate, Adenosine, Disodium EDTA, Pyrus Communis Fruit Extract, Rosa Damascena Flower Water, Collagen Extract, Iris Florentina Root Extract, Cucumis Melo Fruit Extract, Hedera Helix Leaf/Stem Extract, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Lactobacillus Ferment, Bifida Ferment Filtrate, Lactobacillus Ferment Lysate, Tocopherol
Water
Skin ConditioningSimmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
EmollientMethylpropanediol
SolventPolyvinyl Alcohol
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningAlgin
MaskingPolysorbate 60
EmulsifyingCentella Asiatica Leaf Water
Skin ConditioningPolyglyceryl-10 Oleate
Skin ConditioningCellulose Gum
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Polystyrene Sulfonate
Emulsion StabilisingGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientStearalkonium Hectorite
Gel FormingPEG-100 Stearate
Collagen Extract
Skin ConditioningPropylene Carbonate
SolventEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningSodium Phytate
Astaxanthin
Skin ConditioningCyanocobalamin
Skin ConditioningCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningCholesterol
EmollientHydrogenated Lecithin
EmulsifyingPhytosphingosine
Skin ConditioningOleic Acid
EmollientStearic Acid
CleansingLactic Acid
BufferingCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientCaprylhydroxamic Acid
Glycerin
HumectantTocopherol
AntioxidantWater, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Methylpropanediol, Polyvinyl Alcohol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, 1,2-Hexanediol, Algin, Polysorbate 60, Centella Asiatica Leaf Water, Polyglyceryl-10 Oleate, Cellulose Gum, Sodium Polystyrene Sulfonate, Glyceryl Stearate, Stearalkonium Hectorite, PEG-100 Stearate, Collagen Extract, Propylene Carbonate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Phytate, Astaxanthin, Cyanocobalamin, Ceramide NP, Cholesterol, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Phytosphingosine, Oleic Acid, Stearic Acid, Lactic Acid, Caprylyl Glycol, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, Glycerin, Tocopherol
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
1,2-Hexanediol is a synthetic liquid and another multi-functional powerhouse.
It is a:
- Humectant, drawing moisture into the skin
- Emollient, helping to soften skin
- Solvent, dispersing and stabilizing formulas
- Preservative booster, enhancing the antimicrobial activity of other preservatives
Algin is brown algae. Algae is an informal term for a group of aquatic organisms that can photosynthesize. It is estimated there are at least 30,000 types of Algae.
Algae contains antioxidants. Antioxidants help fight free-radicals. Free-radicals are molecules that may damage your skin cells, such as pollution.
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 or alcohol, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolCollagen extract is derived from parts of animals. It has skin conditioning properties and is mostly comprised of glycine, proline, and hydroxypoline. These are amino acids.
While our skin does have collagen, this ingredient is not used by the skin for anti-aging. Applying collagen topically has not been linked to helping with collagen loss in skin. All the benefits of collagen are related to hydration.
This ingredient will not increase sun sensitivity, but you should always wear sunscreen during the day.
Learn more about Collagen ExtractEthylhexylglycerin 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 GlycerinTocopherol 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