What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantDicaprylyl Ether
EmollientPropylheptyl Caprylate
EmollientButylene Glycol
HumectantGlyceryl Stearate Citrate
EmollientGlycol Palmitate
EmulsifyingSqualane
EmollientSucrose Stearate
EmollientMangifera Indica Seed Butter
Skin ConditioningPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientCarnosine
Skin ConditioningHydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingMannitol
HumectantXylitol
HumectantTocopherol
AntioxidantSalvia Miltiorrhiza Flower/Leaf/Root Extract
Skin ConditioningRhamnose
HumectantGlycine Soja Oil
EmollientPolysorbate 60
EmulsifyingSorbitan Isostearate
EmulsifyingPalmitoyl Tetrapeptide-10
Skin ConditioningWater, Glycerin, Dicaprylyl Ether, Propylheptyl Caprylate, Butylene Glycol, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Glycol Palmitate, Squalane, Sucrose Stearate, Mangifera Indica Seed Butter, Pentylene Glycol, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Caprylyl Glycol, Carnosine, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Mannitol, Xylitol, Tocopherol, Salvia Miltiorrhiza Flower/Leaf/Root Extract, Rhamnose, Glycine Soja Oil, Polysorbate 60, Sorbitan Isostearate, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-10
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantParaffinum Liquidum
EmollientHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
EmollientBehenyl Alcohol
EmollientSucrose Stearate
EmollientCanola Oil
EmollientHydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningBeta-Sitosterol
Emulsion StabilisingXylitol
HumectantZinc Gluconate
Skin ConditioningAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingPalmitamide Mea
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientSodium Citrate
BufferingMannitol
HumectantRhamnose
HumectantSodium Lauroyl Lactylate
EmulsifyingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingPolysorbate 60
EmulsifyingSorbitan Isostearate
EmulsifyingTocopherol
AntioxidantPhytosphingosine
Skin ConditioningCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCeramide AP
Skin ConditioningCholesterol
EmollientCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingFructooligosaccharides
HumectantCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingLaminaria Ochroleuca Extract
Skin ConditioningCitric Acid
BufferingCeramide EOP
Skin ConditioningWater, Glycerin, Paraffinum Liquidum, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Behenyl Alcohol, Sucrose Stearate, Canola Oil, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Pentylene Glycol, Beta-Sitosterol, Xylitol, Zinc Gluconate, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Palmitamide Mea, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Sodium Citrate, Mannitol, Rhamnose, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Sodium Hydroxide, Polysorbate 60, Sorbitan Isostearate, Tocopherol, Phytosphingosine, Ceramide NP, Ethylhexylglycerin, Ceramide AP, Cholesterol, Carbomer, Xanthan Gum, Fructooligosaccharides, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Laminaria Ochroleuca Extract, Citric Acid, Ceramide EOP
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Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer is a synthetic polymer. It is used to thicken, emulsify, and improve the texture of products.
As an emulsifier, it helps stabilize oil-in-water emulsions to give products an elegant feel when applied.
It can also form a thin protective film on skin. One study found that a formula using this polymer helped slow down how quickly other ingredients (like DEET) were absorbed through skin.
A 2024 study of over 1,300 patients confirmed that sensitization to this ingredient is rare. It is also non-mutagenic and has a clean track record.
Learn more about Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate CrosspolymerCaprylyl 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 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 GlycerinThis is a synthetic polymer. It helps improve the texture of products by adding thickness and gel-like feel.
It is also an emulsifer, meaning it prevents ingredients such as oil and water from separating. It also helps evenly disperse other ingredients.
Mannitol is a sugar alcohol. It is a humectant and moisturizes the skin. In vitro (not tested on a living organism), mannitol displays antioxidant properties.
When found in aqueous solutions, mannitol tends to become acidic. This is because it loses a hydrogen ion. This is why mannitol can often be found with pH adjusting ingredients, such as sodium bicarbonate.
Fun fact: Mannitol can be found in foods as a sweetener. It can be naturally found in mushrooms, algae, fruits, and veggies.
Learn more about MannitolPentylene 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 GlycolPolysorbate 60 is used to help stabilize products. It is a surfactant and emulsifier. These properties help keep ingredients together in a product. Surfactants help reduce surface tension between ingredients with different states, such as liquids and solids. Emulsifiers help prevent oils and waters from separating.
Polysorbate 60 is sorbitol-based and created from the ethoxylation of sorbitan. Ethoxylation is a chemical reaction used to add ethylene oxide. Sorbitan is a the dehydrated version of sorbitol, a sugar found in fruits.
In this case, the 60 comes from reacting 60 units of ethylene oxide with sorbitan.
Polysorbates are commonly used in medicine and foods.
Learn more about Polysorbate 60We don't have a description for Rhamnose yet.
Sorbitan Isostearate is an emulsifer. It is created from isostearic acid and sorbitol.
As an emulsifier, it keeps the water and oil ingredients from separating. This keeps formulas stable and smooth.
In a 24 hour occlusive patch test on 56 subjects, 10% sorbitan isostearate was completely non-irritating. Most formulas use less than 10%.
Because it's a fatty acid ester, it may not be fungal acne safe since the Malassezia yeast can utilize it as a nutrient source.
Learn more about Sorbitan IsostearateSucrose Stearate is derived from stearic acid and sucrose (sugar). It is an emollient and emulsifier.
As an emulsifier, it prevents oils and water from separating in a product. This property also makes it a surfactant and therefore a cleansing agent.
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 WaterXylitol is a humectant and prebiotic. It can help with dry skin.
In studies, xylitol has been shown to improve dry skin. It decreased transepidermal water loss, or when water passes through the skin and evaporates. Xylitol also showed to help improve the biomechanical properties of the skin barrier.
The prebiotic property of xylitol may also help reinforce our skin's natural microbiome. Having a healthy microbiome prevents infection by bad bacteria and helps with hydration.
As a humectant, Xylitol helps draw moisture from both the air and from deeper skin layers. This helps keep skin hydrated.
Xylitol is a sugar alcohol and commonly used as a sugar substitute. It is naturally occurring in plants such as strawberries and pumpkin.
Learn more about Xylitol