What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningDimethicone
Emollient
Alcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Glycerin
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate
Emulsion StabilisingPrunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil
Masking
Glycine Soja Oil
Emollient
Triticum Vulgare Seed Extract
BufferingUrea
Buffering
Aspartic Acid
Masking
Glucose
Humectant
Fructose
Humectant
Manganese Gluconate
Skin Conditioning2-Oleamido-1,3-Octadecanediol
Skin ConditioningCholesterol
Emollient
Alanine
Masking
Magnesium Gluconate
Skin ConditioningAscorbyl Glucoside
Antioxidant
Copper Gluconate
Skin Conditioning
Sucrose
Humectant
Vitreoscilla Ferment
Skin Conditioning
Citric Acid
Buffering
Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Biosaccharide Gum-1
Humectant
Maltodextrin
Absorbent
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Menthoxypropanediol
Masking
Glutamic Acid
Humectant
Dextrin
AbsorbentHexyl Nicotinate
EmollientHexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingTocopherol
Antioxidant
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
CI 19140
Cosmetic ColorantCI 42090
Cosmetic ColorantLinalool
Perfuming
Coumarin
Perfuming
Limonene
Perfuming
Hydroxycitronellal
Perfuming
Citral
Perfuming
Citronellol
Perfuming
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Benzyl Salicylate
Perfuming
Parfum
Masking
Water, Dimethicone, Alcohol Denat., Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil, Glycine Soja Oil, Triticum Vulgare Seed Extract, Urea, Aspartic Acid, Glucose, Fructose, Manganese Gluconate, 2-Oleamido-1,3-Octadecanediol, Cholesterol, Alanine, Magnesium Gluconate, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Copper Gluconate, Sucrose, Vitreoscilla Ferment, Citric Acid, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Biosaccharide Gum-1, Maltodextrin, Panthenol, Menthoxypropanediol, Glutamic Acid, Dextrin, Hexyl Nicotinate, Hexylene Glycol, Tocopherol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Phenoxyethanol, CI 19140, CI 42090, Linalool, Coumarin, Limonene, Hydroxycitronellal, Citral, Citronellol, Benzyl Alcohol, Benzyl Salicylate, Parfum
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Propanediol
Solvent
Dimethicone
Emollient
Isononyl Isononanoate
EmollientCeramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide AP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide EOP
Skin Conditioning
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingDimethicone Crosspolymer
Emulsion Stabilising
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Behentrimonium Methosulfate
Triethyl Citrate
Masking
Safflower Glucoside
Silica
Abrasive
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate
EmulsifyingSodium Citrate
BufferingCholesterol
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Copper PCA
HumectantCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Biosaccharide Gum-1
Humectant
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPhytosphingosine
Skin Conditioning
Benzoic Acid
Masking
Water, Glycerin, Niacinamide, Propanediol, Dimethicone, Isononyl Isononanoate, Ceramide NP, Ceramide AP, Ceramide EOP, Carbomer, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Cetearyl Alcohol, Behentrimonium Methosulfate, Triethyl Citrate, Safflower Glucoside, Silica, Sodium Hydroxide, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Sodium Citrate, Cholesterol, Phenoxyethanol, Tocopherol, Chlorphenesin, Copper PCA, Caprylyl Glycol, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Biosaccharide Gum-1, Xanthan Gum, Phytosphingosine, Benzoic Acid
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Biosaccharide Gum-1 is a sugar created by fermenting sorbitol (which usually comes from potato starch!). It is known for its soothing and moisturizing properties.
Manufacturer tests show this ingredient helped reduce irritation from lactic acid by almost half and kept skin hydrated long-term as a humectant
Beyond hydration, Biosaccharide Gum-1 gives formulas a silky, non-sticky feel.
This ingredient is gentle, versatile, and suitable for all skin types.
Fun fact: Similar sugars can be found naturally in fruits like apples and pears.
Learn more about Biosaccharide Gum-1Cholesterol is a lipid that is naturally found in human skin and is one of the three key components of your skin barrier. In skincare, it is an emollient and barrier-repairing ingredient.
It works by fitting directly into the lipid layers of skin to help restore structure and reduce transepidermal water loss (TEWL).
This is a great ingredient for dry, compromised, or aging skin; our skin starts to produce less cholesterol with age.
Research shows cholesterol works best in combination with ceramides and fatty acids, the other two major components in your skin barrier.
Cholesterol is also a well-establish penetration enhancer and can help other actives absorb more effectively.
Cosmetic-grade cholesterol is usually derived from lanolin but plant and synthetic options also exist. We recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about their source of cholesterol.
Learn more about CholesterolDimethicone 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 DimethiconeGlycerin (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 GlycerinPhenoxyethanol 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 TocopherolTrisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate is used to help stabilize a product.
It is a chelating agent, meaning it helps prevent metal ions from binding to other ingredients. This prevents unwanted reactions in products. Metal ions can come into a product via the water ingredient. They are found in trace amounts and are not known to be harmful.
Water. 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
