What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium Ascorbyl Phosphate
Antioxidant
Coco-Caprylate/Caprate
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Alpha-Arbutin
Antioxidant
Tranexamic Acid
Astringent
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide AP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide As
Skin Conditioning
Cholesterol
Emollient
Ceramide Ns
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide EOP
Skin Conditioning
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingBrassica Campestris Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningGlycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
Bleaching
Polyglyceryl-3 Diisostearate
Emulsifying
Sorbitan Isostearate
Emulsifying
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Althaea Officinalis Root Extract
Skin Conditioning
Oryza Sativa Bran Extract
Skin Conditioning
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantGlyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Polyacrylate
Absorbent
Sucrose Distearate
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Water, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Glycerin, Niacinamide, Alpha-Arbutin, Tranexamic Acid, Ceramide NP, Ceramide AP, Ceramide As, Cholesterol, Ceramide Ns, Ceramide EOP, Xanthan Gum, Brassica Campestris Seed Oil, Ethylhexylglycerin, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Polyglyceryl-3 Diisostearate, Sorbitan Isostearate, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Althaea Officinalis Root Extract, Oryza Sativa Bran Extract, Dipropylene Glycol, Glyceryl Stearate, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Sodium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Sodium Polyacrylate, Sucrose Distearate, Phenoxyethanol
Water
Skin ConditioningAzelaic Acid
Buffering
Glycerin
Humectant
Rice Oil Glycereth-8 Esters
Cleansing
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Glyceryl Stearate Se
Emulsifying
Coco-Caprylate/Caprate
Emollient
Coconut Alkanes
Emollient
Polyglyceryl-3 Oleate
Emulsifying
Polyglyceryl-10 Mono/Dioleate
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Salicylic Acid
Masking
Sodium Polyacrylate
Absorbent
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingTrisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingOryza Sativa Bran Extract
Skin Conditioning
Cetyl Palmitate
Emollient
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningTocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Bakuchiol
Antimicrobial
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingGlyceryl Behenate
Emollient
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingPhosphatidylglycerol
Sodium Chloride
MaskingWater, Azelaic Acid, Glycerin, Rice Oil Glycereth-8 Esters, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Coconut Alkanes, Polyglyceryl-3 Oleate, Polyglyceryl-10 Mono/Dioleate, Phenoxyethanol, Salicylic Acid, Sodium Polyacrylate, Xanthan Gum, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Oryza Sativa Bran Extract, Cetyl Palmitate, Allantoin, Ethylhexylglycerin, Tocopheryl Acetate, Bakuchiol, Sodium Hydroxide, Glyceryl Behenate, Pentylene Glycol, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Phosphatidylglycerol, Sodium Chloride
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Coco-Caprylate/Caprate is a lightweight ester created from coconut oil fatty acids, caprylic acid, and capric acid.
It is an emollient that helps soften skin and reduce transepidermal water loss (TEWL). What sets it apart from heavier emollients is its ultralight, non-greasy feel.
Once applied, this ingredient dries down quickly and leaves a dry, silky finish behind. This also helps improve spreadability and texture.
This ingredient has an excellent safety-record and is non-irritating.
Typical concentrations for cosmetics range from 0.5-62%.
Research on Malassezia growth found no growth on fatty acid esters with chain lengths shorter than 12 carbons (it prefers C11-24).
Since Coco-Caprylate/Caprate is built on C8 and C10 fatty acids, it is out of the range that Malassezia metabolizes, and therefore safe for fungal acne.
Learn more about Coco-Caprylate/CaprateEthylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:
The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure.
Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.
Learn more about EthylhexylglycerinGlycerin (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 GlycerinOryza Sativa Bran Extract comes from the outer layer of a rice kernel. It is a byproduct of milling rice, or the operation to produce a whole grain rice product.
This ingredient has moisturizing properties due to its components of polysaccharides and omega-3 fatty acids. It also contains calcium, selenium, phosphorus, iron, and zinc.
Oryza Sativa Bran Extract contains numerous antioxidants such as ferulic acid. Antioxidants help fight free-radical molecules. Free-radical molecules are capable of damaging our cells and other genetic material.
Learn more about Oryza Sativa Bran ExtractPhenoxyethanol 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 PhenoxyethanolSodium Polyacrylate is the sodium salt of polyacrylic acid. It is used as an absorber, emollient, and stabilizer.
This ingredient is a super-absorbent polymer - meaning it can absorb 100 to 1000 times its mass in water. As an emollient, Sodium Polyacrylate helps soften and soothe skin. Emollients work by creating a barrier to trap moisture in. This helps keep your skin hydrated.
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 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
