What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
PEG-12 Dimethicone
Skin Conditioning
3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
PPG-26-Buteth-26
Skin ConditioningSodium Citrate
BufferingAmmonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Humectant
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Citric Acid
Buffering
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Bisabolol
Antioxidant
Disodium EDTA
Maltodextrin
Absorbent
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Water, Glycerin, PEG-12 Dimethicone, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Phenoxyethanol, PPG-26-Buteth-26, Sodium Citrate, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Chlorphenesin, Citric Acid, Xanthan Gum, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Bisabolol, Disodium EDTA, Maltodextrin, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate
Water
Skin ConditioningDipropylene Glycol
HumectantGlycerin
Humectant
Glycolic Acid
Buffering
3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid
Skin Conditioning
PPG-26-Buteth-26
Skin ConditioningTromethamine
BufferingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Parfum
Masking
PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Sodium Citrate
BufferingTetrasodium EDTA
Terminalia Ferdinandiana Fruit Extract
Antioxidant
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingAdenosine
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Tocopheryl Phosphate
Antioxidant
Sodium Metabisulfite
Antioxidant
CI 15985
Cosmetic ColorantIris Florentina Root Extract
MaskingBHT
Antioxidant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Water, Dipropylene Glycol, Glycerin, Glycolic Acid, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, PPG-26-Buteth-26, Tromethamine, Phenoxyethanol, Parfum, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Sodium Citrate, Tetrasodium EDTA, Terminalia Ferdinandiana Fruit Extract, Xanthan Gum, Adenosine, Sodium Tocopheryl Phosphate, Sodium Metabisulfite, CI 15985, Iris Florentina Root Extract, BHT, Tocopherol
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid is one of the most popular "stable" vitamin C derivatives in skincare.
Plain ascorbic acid is fantastic but notoriously fragile; it browns, oxidizes, and loses potency fast. So attaching an ethyl group to the third carbon of the molecule gives it some cool perks:
In a formula, it does the 3 classic vitamin C jobs: it acts as an antioxidant, helps brighten skin tone by inhibiting tyrosinase, and supports collagen.
The evidence is reasonably solid for a cosmetic ingredient; Liao and colleagues (2018) showed it's significantly more stable than ascorbic acid while still being effective.
A 2021 study by Zerbinati and colleagues tested a serum with 30% 3-O-ethyl-l-ascorbic acid and 1% lactic acid significantly increased collagen production, reduced UVB-induced DNA damage, and decreased melanin on a reconstructed pigmented skin model.
Typical real world usage sits around 0.5-5% (and 1-2% is common for daily serums).
Amounts up to 30% have been shown to be non-irritating on human skin samples, but two isolated cases reported allergic contact dermatitis so a patch test is sensible if you have reactive skin.
Learn more about 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic AcidGlycerin (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 GlycerinPEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil is an emulsifier derived from castor oil.
As an emulsifying agent, it helps other ingredients like fragrances and fat-soluble vitamins dissolve cohesively.
Due to its large molecule size, it doesn't penetrate beyond the skin's surface.
This ingredient has a solid regulatory track record; the CIR Expert Panel first concluded it was safe for use in cosmetics at concentrations up to 100% in 1997. A 2012 reassessment reaffirmed that finding. Safety studies have also found no irritation or evidence of toxicity.
A 2019 study did find this ingredient to grow Malassezia, so this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor OilPhenoxyethanol is one of the most widely used preservatives in skincare (and for good reason!).
It has a large spectrum of antimicrobial activity and especially effective bacteria, yeast, and mold while only having a weak effect on your skin's natural microbiome.
On a cellular level, it disrupts the cell membranes of microbes by poking holes that make the cell leak. This shuts down the chemical reactions the microbe needs to make energy so it can no longer survive.
Another perk of this ingredient is that it stays functional across a wide pH range (3-10).
You'll often see it paired with boosters like Ethylhexylglycerin; one study showed that a 1:9 ratio of Ethylhexylglycerin to Phenoxyethanol damages bacterial membranes as effectively as doubling the Phenoxyethanol concentration on its own.
Typical use concentrations range from 0.3-1% depending on the formula, and this ingredient is capped at 1% int the EU.
Safety-wise, the fear mongering does not hold up to the evidence. The EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety and FDA consider it safe as a preservative at up to 1%, including for children of all ages.
Adverse systemic effects only showed up in animal studies at exposures roughly 200x higher than what people get from cosmetics. And despite its very widespread use, this ingredient is a rare sensitizer and allergic reactions are uncommon.
Learn more about PhenoxyethanolWe don't have a description for PPG-26-Buteth-26 yet.
Sodium Citrate is the sodium salts of citric acid. In skincare, it is used to alter pH levels and acts as a preservative.
Its main functions are to maintain the pH of a product and neutralize metal ions.
The acidity of our skin is maintained by our glands and skin biome; normal pH level of skin is slightly acidic (~4.75-5.5).
Being slightly acidic allows our skin to create an "acid mantle". This acid mantle is a thin barrier that protects our skin from bacteria and contaminants.
Learn more about Sodium CitrateWater. 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
