What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantXylitol
HumectantSodium Polyacrylate
AbsorbentDimethicone
EmollientCyclopentasiloxane
EmollientTrideceth-6
EmulsifyingDisodium EDTA
Niacinamide
SmoothingPEG/PPG-18/18 Dimethicone
EmulsifyingFructooligosaccharides
HumectantMannitol
HumectantSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantHexyldecanol
EmollientCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingRhamnose
HumectantLaminaria Ochroleuca Extract
Skin ConditioningPyrus Malus Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningBrassica Campestris Sterols
EmollientTocopherol
AntioxidantChlorphenesin
AntimicrobialPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeParfum
MaskingWater, Glycerin, Xylitol, Sodium Polyacrylate, Dimethicone, Cyclopentasiloxane, Trideceth-6, Disodium EDTA, Niacinamide, PEG/PPG-18/18 Dimethicone, Fructooligosaccharides, Mannitol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hexyldecanol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Rhamnose, Laminaria Ochroleuca Extract, Pyrus Malus Seed Extract, Brassica Campestris Sterols, Tocopherol, Chlorphenesin, Phenoxyethanol, Parfum
Water
Skin ConditioningCyclohexasiloxane
EmollientAlcohol Denat.
AntimicrobialGlycerin
HumectantButylene Glycol
HumectantDimethicone
EmollientZea Mays Germ Oil
EmollientPanthenol
Skin ConditioningTriethanolamine
BufferingAscorbyl Glucoside
AntioxidantGlyceryl Linoleate
EmollientPhenoxyethanol
PreservativePolyperfluoromethylisopropyl Ether
Skin ConditioningPolyacrylamide
Dimethiconol
EmollientGlyceryl Oleate
EmollientCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingCetyl Alcohol
EmollientC13-14 Isoparaffin
EmollientParfum
MaskingAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingMethylparaben
PreservativeGlycine Soja Oil
EmollientCaffeine
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
AntioxidantHydrogenated Lecithin
EmulsifyingCastanea Sativa Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningBenzophenone-4
UV AbsorberMenthol
MaskingLimonene
PerfumingPEG-100 Stearate
SurfactantGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientLaureth-7
EmulsifyingHydrolyzed Soy Protein
HumectantPotassium Cetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingButylparaben
MaskingDisodium EDTA
Ethylparaben
PreservativeGlyceryl Linolenate
EmollientPropylparaben
PreservativeCitrus Aurantium Dulcis Juice
Skin ConditioningCitrus Aurantium Dulcis Fruit Extract
MaskingCitrus Limon Juice
Skin ConditioningLinalool
PerfumingCitral
PerfumingCI 42090
Cosmetic ColorantCI 14700
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Cyclohexasiloxane, Alcohol Denat., Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Dimethicone, Zea Mays Germ Oil, Panthenol, Triethanolamine, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Glyceryl Linoleate, Phenoxyethanol, Polyperfluoromethylisopropyl Ether, Polyacrylamide, Dimethiconol, Glyceryl Oleate, Carbomer, Cetyl Alcohol, C13-14 Isoparaffin, Parfum, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Methylparaben, Glycine Soja Oil, Caffeine, Tocopherol, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Castanea Sativa Seed Extract, Benzophenone-4, Menthol, Limonene, PEG-100 Stearate, Glyceryl Stearate, Laureth-7, Hydrolyzed Soy Protein, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Butylparaben, Disodium EDTA, Ethylparaben, Glyceryl Linolenate, Propylparaben, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Juice, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Fruit Extract, Citrus Limon Juice, Linalool, Citral, CI 42090, CI 14700
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Dimethicone is a type of synthetic silicone created from natural materials such as quartz. It is also known as polydimethylsiloxane.
What it does:
Dimethicone comes in different viscosities:
Depending on the viscosity, dimethicone has different properties.
Ingredients lists don't always show which type is used, so we recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about the viscosity.
This ingredient is unlikely to cause irritation because it does not get absorbed into skin. However, people with silicone allergies should be careful about using this ingredient.
Note: Dimethicone may contribute to pilling. This is because it is not oil or water soluble, so pilling may occur when layered with products. When mixed with heavy oils in a formula, the outcome is also quite greasy.
Learn more about DimethiconeDisodium EDTA is a chelating agent. It grabs onto and deactivates metal ions that sneak into your products from water, packaging, or air.
This ingredient mainly works behind the scenes and helps with:
On top of that, this ingredient can counteract the effects of hard water by binding to the minerals in it.
One thing worth knowing is that Disodium EDTA has been shown to be a mild penetration enhancer. It can help other ingredients absorb into skin more effectively which can be a double-edged sword (great for actives, but can also make the active too strong if you have sensitive skin).
Clinical patch testing showed no significant skin irritation at typical use concentrations and minimal dermal absorption.
You'll most likely see this ingredient near the end of an ingredient list. It's typically found in concentrations less than 1%.
Learn more about Disodium EDTAGlycerin (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 GlycerinParfum is a catch-all term for an ingredient or more that is used to give a scent to products.
Also called "fragrance", this ingredient can be a blend of hundreds of chemicals or plant oils. This means every product with "fragrance" or "parfum" in the ingredients list is a different mixture.
For instance, Habanolide is a proprietary trade name for a specific aroma chemical. When used as a fragrance ingredient in cosmetics, most aroma chemicals fall under the broad labeling category of “FRAGRANCE” or “PARFUM” according to EU and US regulations.
The term 'parfum' or 'fragrance' is not regulated in many countries. In many cases, it is up to the brand to define this term.
For instance, many brands choose to label themselves as "fragrance-free" because they are not using synthetic fragrances. However, their products may still contain ingredients such as essential oils that are considered a fragrance by INCI standards.
One example is Calendula flower extract. Calendula is an essential oil that still imparts a scent or 'fragrance'.
Depending on the blend, the ingredients in the mixture can cause allergies and sensitivities on the skin. Some ingredients that are known EU allergens include linalool and citronellol.
Parfum can also be used to mask or cover an unpleasant scent.
The bottom line is: not all fragrances/parfum/ingredients are created equally. If you are worried about fragrances, we recommend taking a closer look at an ingredient. And of course, we always recommend speaking with a professional.
Learn more about ParfumPhenoxyethanol 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.
Tocopherol 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