What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningAlcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Dihydroxyacetone
Skin ConditioningPropylene Glycol
Humectant
Dimethyl Isosorbide
SolventPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Hexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingPolysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Parfum
Masking
Citric Acid
Buffering
Tapioca Starch
Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil
Emollient
Macadamia Integrifolia Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Cocos Nucifera Oil
Masking
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Rosa Canina Fruit Oil
Emollient
Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil
Emollient
Persea Gratissima Oil
Skin Conditioning
Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract
Emollient
Cocos Nucifera Fruit Powder
Skin Conditioning
Ascorbic Acid
Antioxidant
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Water, Alcohol Denat., Dihydroxyacetone, Propylene Glycol, Dimethyl Isosorbide, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol, Potassium Sorbate, Hexylene Glycol, Polysorbate 20, Parfum, Citric Acid, Tapioca Starch, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Macadamia Integrifolia Seed Oil, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Rosa Canina Fruit Oil, Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil, Persea Gratissima Oil, Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract, Cocos Nucifera Fruit Powder, Ascorbic Acid, Tocopheryl Acetate
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Dihydroxyacetone, or DHA, is the active ingredient in self-tanners.
It's a simply sugar that reacts with the free amino acids in your outermost layer of skin to produce brown-colored compounds called melanoidins.
DHA does not penetrate living skin cells, does not interact with melanocytes, and does not affect actualy melanin production.
There's a "safety controversy" that largely stems from misinterpreted studies:
Once concern is that DHA can generate unstable molecules that can damage cells (free radicals) when exposed to sunlight. This only happens in the outermost layer of dead skin cells and wearing SPF on top takes care of it.
The DNA damage claim comes from lab studies that doused living skin cells in much higher concentrations of DHA than you'd ever find in a self-tanner. That's not really a meaningful comparison to putting self-tanning lotion on your skin.
Regulatory bodies around the world, including the EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (SCCS) and the U.S. FDA consider it safe for use in cosmetics when applied topically (maximum 10%, and most self-tanners contain between 3-5%).
Learn more about DihydroxyacetonePhenoxyethanol 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.
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
