What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningVitis Vinifera Seed Oil
EmollientButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningPropanediol Dicaprylate
EmollientC12-16 Alcohols
EmollientGossypium Herbaceum Seed Oil
Skin ConditioningPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningPentaerythrityl Tetrastearate
EmollientPolyamide-5
Skin ConditioningVaccinium Macrocarpon Seed Oil
Skin ConditioningXylitylglucoside
HumectantHydrogenated Lecithin
EmulsifyingPalmitic Acid
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantSimmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
EmollientAnhydroxylitol
HumectantSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantPseudoalteromonas Ferment Extract
HumectantXylitol
HumectantTocopherol
AntioxidantHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
EmollientJuglans Regia Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningCananga Odorata Flower Oil
MaskingCitrus Aurantium Amara Flower Oil
MaskingOpuntia Ficus-Indica Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningGlyceryl Stearate Citrate
EmollientPolysorbate 60
EmulsifyingSorbitan Isostearate
EmulsifyingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeRhizobian Gum
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingChlorphenesin
AntimicrobialSalicylic Acid
MaskingSodium Metabisulfite
AntioxidantSodium Hydroxide
BufferingBenzyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialBenzyl Salicylate
PerfumingFarnesol
PerfumingGeraniol
PerfumingLimonene
PerfumingLinalool
PerfumingWater, Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Propanediol Dicaprylate, C12-16 Alcohols, Gossypium Herbaceum Seed Oil, Pentylene Glycol, Pentaerythrityl Tetrastearate, Polyamide-5, Vaccinium Macrocarpon Seed Oil, Xylitylglucoside, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Palmitic Acid, Glycerin, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Anhydroxylitol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Pseudoalteromonas Ferment Extract, Xylitol, Tocopherol, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Juglans Regia Seed Extract, Cananga Odorata Flower Oil, Citrus Aurantium Amara Flower Oil, Opuntia Ficus-Indica Fruit Extract, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Polysorbate 60, Sorbitan Isostearate, Phenoxyethanol, Rhizobian Gum, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Chlorphenesin, Salicylic Acid, Sodium Metabisulfite, Sodium Hydroxide, Benzyl Benzoate, Benzyl Salicylate, Farnesol, Geraniol, Limonene, Linalool
Water
Skin ConditioningAmniotic Fluid
MoisturisingLecithin
EmollientLanolin Oil
EmollientPropylene Glycol
HumectantPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningSodium Acrylates Copolymer
Glycerin
HumectantAlcohol Denat.
AntimicrobialEthylhexyl Palmitate
EmollientSqualane
EmollientRaspberry Seed Oil/Palm Oil Aminopropanediol Esters
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Placental Protein
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Gelatin
Skin ConditioningYeast Extract
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Ceratonia Siliqua Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeSodium Lauroyl Lactylate
EmulsifyingSodium Dehydroacetate
PreservativeLuffa Cylindrica Seed Oil
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
AntioxidantDimethylmethoxy Chromanol
AntioxidantEmbryo Extract
MoisturisingHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
EmollientEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningCholesterol
EmollientPotassium Sulfate
Ceramide AP
Skin ConditioningPhytosphingosine
Skin ConditioningPapain
Skin ConditioningXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientDiaminopropionoyl Tripeptide-33
Skin ConditioningCeramide EOP
Skin ConditioningWater, Amniotic Fluid, Lecithin, Lanolin Oil, Propylene Glycol, Pentylene Glycol, Sodium Acrylates Copolymer, Glycerin, Alcohol Denat., Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Squalane, Raspberry Seed Oil/Palm Oil Aminopropanediol Esters, Hydrolyzed Placental Protein, Hydrolyzed Gelatin, Yeast Extract, Hydrolyzed Ceratonia Siliqua Seed Extract, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Sodium Dehydroacetate, Luffa Cylindrica Seed Oil, Tocopherol, Dimethylmethoxy Chromanol, Embryo Extract, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Ethylhexylglycerin, Ceramide NP, Cholesterol, Potassium Sulfate, Ceramide AP, Phytosphingosine, Papain, Xanthan Gum, Carbomer, Caprylyl Glycol, Diaminopropionoyl Tripeptide-33, Ceramide EOP
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Glycerin (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 GlycerinHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil is a plant oil derived from the seeds of a sunflower.
It is rich in fatty acids, primarily linoleic acid and oleic acid. This gives it emollient and skin conditioning properties.
The reason this ingredient is so effective is because it forms a thin film on the skin that reduces transepidermal water loss (TEWL) while supplying linoleic acid to the stratum corneum to improve barrier strength.
The high linoleic acid content is particularly noteworthy for acne-prone skin.
Research suggests that acne-prone skin tends to be deficient in linoleic acid in sebum. Topical application may help replenish this to support a healthier follicular environment and less comedone-promoting sebum.
One randomized study found sunflower seed oil preserved skin barrier integrity in adult volunteers with and without atopic dermatitis (outperforming olive oil).
This ingredient is well-studied, gentle, and an effective emollient suitable for most skin types.
On fungal acne: This ingredient may not be Fungal acne (Malassezia folliculitis) safe. This is because it contains fatty acids with carbon chain lengths in the C11-C24 range.
Learn more about Helianthus Annuus Seed OilPentylene 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 GlycolPhenoxyethanol 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