What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Pvm/Ma Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingSaccharomyces/Xylinum/Black Tea Ferment
Skin Conditioning
Glyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer
HumectantSodium Citrate
BufferingSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Sodium Polyacrylate
Absorbent
Sodium Polyacrylate Starch
AbsorbentAscorbyl Glucoside
Antioxidant
Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Humectant
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Hydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingCaprylyl/Capryl Glucoside
CleansingVitreoscilla Ferment
Skin Conditioning
Citric Acid
Buffering
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingBiotin
AntiseborrhoeicPotassium Sorbate
Preservative
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Parfum
Masking
Water, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Pvm/Ma Copolymer, Saccharomyces/Xylinum/Black Tea Ferment, Glyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer, Sodium Citrate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Polyacrylate, Sodium Polyacrylate Starch, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Hydroxyacetophenone, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Caprylyl/Capryl Glucoside, Vitreoscilla Ferment, Citric Acid, Xanthan Gum, Biotin, Potassium Sorbate, Phenoxyethanol, Parfum
Water
Skin ConditioningPropylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Alcohol
Antimicrobial
P-Anisic Acid
Masking
Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Humectant
Glyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer
HumectantHamamelis Virginiana Leaf Water
Astringent
Hydrogenated Starch Hydrolysate
HumectantHydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Hydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingLimonene
Perfuming
Mannose
HumectantPEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Potassium Hydroxide
BufferingPotassium Sorbate
Preservative
Punica Granatum Fruit Extract
Antioxidant
Pvm/Ma Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Benzoate
Masking
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Sorbic Acid
Preservative
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingParfum
Masking
Water, Propylene Glycol, Glycerin, Alcohol, P-Anisic Acid, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Glyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer, Hamamelis Virginiana Leaf Water, Hydrogenated Starch Hydrolysate, Hydroxyacetophenone, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Limonene, Mannose, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Phenoxyethanol, Potassium Hydroxide, Potassium Sorbate, Punica Granatum Fruit Extract, Pvm/Ma Copolymer, Sodium Benzoate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sorbic Acid, Xanthan Gum, Parfum
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate comes from licorice root.
Extracts of licorice have demonstrated to have antibacterial, anti‐inflammatory, antiviral, antioxidant properties.
One component, glabridin, has extra potent antioxidant and soothing properties. It has also been found to block pigmentation from UVB rays in guinea pigs.
Licorice Root also contains a flavonoid. Flavonoids are a natural substance from in plants. Flavonoids also have antioxidant properties.
Another component, glycyrrhizin, has been found to have anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial benefits. This may make licorice root extract effective at treating acne. However, more research is needed to support this.
Liquiritin is one of the flavone compounds found in licorice. It has been found to help lighten skin by preventing tyrosinase from reacting with tyrosine. When the two react, protein is converted to melanin. Melanin is the substance in your body that gives your features pigmentation.
Licorice root is native to Southern Europe and Asia. It has been used in traditional Chinese medicine to help with respiratory issues.
Learn more about Dipotassium GlycyrrhizateGlycerin (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 GlycerinGlyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer is made up of glycerin and polyacrylic acid. It helps hydrate your skin as a humectant.
This ingredient forms a hydrogel that delivers moisturizing, water-based ingredients to the skin. It is also used to thicken a product and to give it a smooth texture.
Acrylic acid itself is toxic, but the polymer form (this ingredient) is too large to penetrate skin, making it non-toxic.
Learn more about Glyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid CopolymerHydroxyacetophenone is antioxidant with skin conditioning and soothing properties. It also boosts the efficiency of preservatives.
Though naturally occuring in Norwegian spruce needles, this ingredient is usually synthetically created.
This ingredient is not irritating or sensitizing. Recent research also suggests it may have skin-brightening effects through tyrosinase inhibition.
Learn more about HydroxyacetophenoneHydroxyethylcellulose is used to improve the texture of products. It is created from a chemical reaction involving ethylene oxide and alkali-cellulose. Cellulose is a sugar found in plant cell walls and help give plants structure.
This ingredient helps stabilize products by preventing ingredients from separating. It can also help thicken the texture of a product.
This ingredient can also be found in pill medicines to help our bodies digest other ingredients.
Learn more about HydroxyethylcelluloseParfum 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.
Potassium Sorbate is a preservative used to prevent yeast and mold in products. It is commonly found in both cosmetic and food products.
This ingredient comes from potassium salt derived from sorbic acid. Sorbic acid is a natural antibiotic and effective against fungus.
Both potassium sorbate and sorbic acid can be found in baked goods, cheeses, dried meats, dried fruit, ice cream, pickles, wine, yogurt, and more.
You'll often find this ingredient used with other preservatives.
Learn more about Potassium SorbatePVM/MA Copolymer is a synthetic and high-molecular weight polymer. It is used to create a flexible film that helps ingredients "stick together" on hair or skin. It also helps reduce static, help emulsions behave, and tweaks the thickness and flow of a product.
You'll most likely find this ingredient in hair styling products because that film is what helps styles last.
Sodium Hyaluronate is the salt form of hyaluronic acid. It is a long sugar chain that is naturally found in your skin, joints, and connective tissue that maintains hydration and elasticity.
In skincare, it works as a humectant. It pulls water from the environment and deeper layers of skin and binds it to the surface.
Interestingly, the size of the molecule affects its behavior:
Some clinical evidence links low molecular weight versions to improved wrinkle depth, elasticity, anti-inflammatory effects, and barrier repair.
Many serums use a blend of both weights so you can get surface hydration plus longer-lasting and deeper effects.
You'll typically see concentrations between 0.1-2% for this ingredient.
Learn more about Sodium HyaluronateWater. 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 WaterXanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.
On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.
Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.
Learn more about Xanthan Gum
