What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
Emollient
Water
Skin ConditioningHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate
Antioxidant
Phospholipids
Skin Conditioning
Hydrolyzed Oat Protein
Skin ConditioningPanthenol
Skin Conditioning
Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate
Antioxidant
Calcium Pantothenate
Magnesium Salicylate
Preservative
Zinc Gluconate
Skin Conditioning
Populus Tremuloides Bark Extract
AntiseborrhoeicOryza Sativa Bran Extract
Skin Conditioning
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Retinyl Palmitate
Skin Conditioning
Ascorbyl Palmitate
Antioxidant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialLecithin
Emollient
P-Anisic Acid
Masking
Sclerotium Gum
Emulsion StabilisingAloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Water, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Glycerin, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Phospholipids, Hydrolyzed Oat Protein, Panthenol, Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Calcium Pantothenate, Magnesium Salicylate, Zinc Gluconate, Populus Tremuloides Bark Extract, Oryza Sativa Bran Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Tocopheryl Acetate, Retinyl Palmitate, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Lecithin, P-Anisic Acid, Sclerotium Gum
Water
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
Solvent
Gluconolactone
Skin Conditioning
Arginine
Masking
Hydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingGlycerin
Humectant
Caprylyl/Capryl Glucoside
CleansingCalcium Carbonate
Abrasive
Calcium Gluconate
HumectantPhospholipids
Skin Conditioning
Phytonadione Epoxide
AstringentCamellia Oleifera Leaf Extract
AstringentCitrullus Lanatus Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Citrus Limon Fruit Extract
Masking
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Retinyl Palmitate
Skin Conditioning
Pantothenic Acid
Skin ConditioningAscorbyl Palmitate
Antioxidant
Cholecalciferol
Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate
Antimicrobial
Rice Ferment Filtrate
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Ananas Sativus Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningDisodium Phosphate
BufferingGlucose
Humectant
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Aroma
Water, Propanediol, Gluconolactone, Arginine, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Glycerin, Caprylyl/Capryl Glucoside, Calcium Carbonate, Calcium Gluconate, Phospholipids, Phytonadione Epoxide, Camellia Oleifera Leaf Extract, Citrullus Lanatus Fruit Extract, Citrus Limon Fruit Extract, Tocopheryl Acetate, Retinyl Palmitate, Pantothenic Acid, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Cholecalciferol, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Rice Ferment Filtrate, Sodium Benzoate, Ananas Sativus Fruit Extract, Disodium Phosphate, Glucose, Potassium Sorbate, Aroma
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Ascorbyl Palmitate is a fat-soluble form of vitamin C (Ascorbic Acid) made by combining it with palmitic acid.
It is able to blend easily into creams and oil-based formulas because it dissolves in oils rather than water.
As you may know, regular vitamin C is notorious for breaking down when exposed to sunlight and air. Ascorbyl Palmitate is more stable and degrades at a slower rate.
Research on whether it converts efficiently into active vitamin C once it's applied on your skin is still limited. Some in-vitro studies suggest it may support collagen production, but it is not considered one of the stronger vitamin C derivatives, like:
Due to the palmitic acid base, this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe. Comedogenic studies have also shown this ingredient to have a rating of 2.
It's also worth keeping in mind that comedogenic and irritancy ratings are tested on individual ingredients, not finished formulas. The final product's formulation, concentration, and other ingredients all play a role in how something actually behaves on your skin.
Learn more about Ascorbyl PalmitateGlycerin (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 GlycerinPhospholipids are a family of skin-identical lipids that makeup the structural backbone of every cell membrane in your body.
In cosmetics, they function as skin conditioning agents with emulsifier and surfactant properties. They're typically sourced from soybean or sunflower lecithin (or sometimes egg yolk or marine sources).
Because they mirror the lipids naturally found in the deeper layers of your skin, topical phospholipids help reinforce the lipid matrix, reduce transepidermal water loss, and leave skin feeling conditioned.
They're also used to form liposomes, or tiny self-assembling vesible used to stabilize actives like vitamin c or retinol. This helps these ingredients integrate into the upper layers of skin more easily.
Phospholipids are compatible with everything and the CIR Expert Panel has concluded them to be safe at current use levels.
This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe since phospholipids contain fatty acid chains in the C11-24 range that the malassezia yeast likes to feed on.
Some types of phospholipids include:
Learn more about PhospholipidsRetinyl palmitate is a form of retinoid. Retinoids are the superstar class of anti-aging ingredients that include tretinoin and retinol.
This particular ingredient has had a bumpy year with its rise and fall in popularity.
First, Retinyl palmitate is created from palmitic acid and retinol. It is a retinol ester and considered one of the weaker forms of retinoid.
This is because all retinoids have to be converted to Tretinoin, AKA retinoic acid. Retinyl Palmitate is pretty far down the line and has to go through multiple conversions before its effects are seen.
Due to this long and ineffective conversion line, the benefits of Retinyl Palmitate are debated.
Studies show Retinyl Palmitate to help:
Dermatologists say this ingredient is ineffective because it isn't used in high enough concentrations in cosmetics.
This ingredient used to be found in sunscreens to boost the efficacy of sunscreen filters.
The downfall of Retinyl Palmitate was due to released reports about the ingredient being correlated to sun damage and skin tumors.
While there is a study showing this ingredient to cause DNA damage when exposed to UV-A, there is no concrete proof of it being linked to skin cancer. It is safe to use when used correctly.
All retinoids increase your skin's sensitivity to the sun in the first few months of usage. Be especially careful with reapplying sunscreen when using any form of retinoid.
Currently, this ingredient is still allowed in cosmetics all over the world. In Canada, cosmetics must have a warning label stating the product to contain Retinyl Palmitate
Fun fact: This ingredient is often added to low-fat milk to increase the levels of Vitamin A.
Learn more about Retinyl PalmitateTocopheryl Acetate is AKA Vitamin E. It is an antioxidant and protects your skin from free radicals. Free radicals damage the skin by breaking down collagen.
One study found using Tocopheryl Acetate with Vitamin C decreased the number of sunburned cells.
Tocopheryl Acetate is commonly found in both skincare and dietary supplements.
Learn more about Tocopheryl AcetateWater. 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
