What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Ricinus Communis Seed Oil
Masking
Cocos Nucifera Oil
Masking
Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin Conditioning
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Cetearyl Olivate
Persea Gratissima Oil
Skin Conditioning
Sorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Ascorbyl Tetraisopalmitate
Antioxidant
Glycine Soja Protein
EmulsifyingBenzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSalicylic Acid
Masking
Disodium EDTA
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingRosa Rubiginosa Seed Oil
Emollient
Hydrolyzed Collagen
Emollient
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Sorbic Acid
Preservative
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Opuntia Ficus-Indica Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Parfum
Masking
Citric Acid
Buffering
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Dipotassium EDTA
Disodium Cocoamphodiacetate
CleansingSodium Dextran Sulfate
Gel Forming
Valine
MaskingGlycine
Buffering
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Citral
Perfuming
Citronellol
Perfuming
Limonene
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Water, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Glycerin, Ricinus Communis Seed Oil, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Glyceryl Stearate, Cetearyl Olivate, Persea Gratissima Oil, Sorbitan Olivate, Ascorbyl Tetraisopalmitate, Glycine Soja Protein, Benzyl Alcohol, Xanthan Gum, Salicylic Acid, Disodium EDTA, Tocopherol, Sodium Hydroxide, Rosa Rubiginosa Seed Oil, Hydrolyzed Collagen, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sorbic Acid, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Opuntia Ficus-Indica Flower Extract, Phenoxyethanol, Parfum, Citric Acid, Chlorphenesin, Dipotassium EDTA, Disodium Cocoamphodiacetate, Sodium Dextran Sulfate, Valine, Glycine, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, Citral, Citronellol, Limonene, Linalool
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf
Masking
Helianthus Annuus Extract
Emollient
Isopropyl Palmitate
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Dimethyl Sulfone
SolventCetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Ascorbic Acid
Antioxidant
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Glycerin
Humectant
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Pantothenic Acid
Skin ConditioningCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Equisetum Arvense Extract
AstringentCentella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Taraxacum Officinale Extract
Skin ConditioningPelargonium Graveolens Oil
Masking
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningAloe Barbadensis Leaf, Helianthus Annuus Extract, Isopropyl Palmitate, Glyceryl Stearate, Dimethyl Sulfone, Cetyl Alcohol, Ascorbic Acid, Stearic Acid, Glycerin, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Tocopherol, Pantothenic Acid, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Equisetum Arvense Extract, Centella Asiatica Extract, Taraxacum Officinale Extract, Pelargonium Graveolens Oil, Xanthan Gum, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Glycerin (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 Stearate is made by reacting glycerin with stearic acid (typically sourced from plant oils like palm or coconut). It's an emulsifier, emollient, and mild occlusive.
Emulsifiers help ingredients like oil and water stay mixed so your formula stays nicely blended and uniform in texture.
This ingredient is typically used in concentrations between 1-10%. Studies have found it to be non-sensitizing, non-phototoxic, and non-photoallergenic.
A close cousin of this ingredient is Glyceryl Stearate SE ("self-emulsifying"). This just has a small amount of sodium or potassium stearate added so it can emulsify without a co-emulsifier.
Since this ingredient is an ester of a C18 fatty acid, it may not be fungal acne safe. The Malassezia yeast can potentially metabolize within the C11-C24 range.
Fun fact: The human body also creates Glyceryl Stearate naturally.
Learn more about Glyceryl StearatePhenoxyethanol 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 TocopherolXanthan 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
