What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
HumectantGlycerin
HumectantCoco-Caprylate/Caprate
EmollientIsoamyl Laurate
EmollientPolyacrylate Crosspolymer-6
Emulsion StabilisingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningSodium Polyacrylate
AbsorbentPalmitoyl Grapevine Shoot Extract
AntioxidantSclerotium Gum
Emulsion StabilisingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingChenopodium Quinoa Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
EmollientTocopherol
AntioxidantBenzyl Alcohol
PerfumingHydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
HumectantCaesalpinia Spinosa Fruit Extract
Skin ProtectingAdenosine
Skin ConditioningAcetyl Dipeptide-1 Cetyl Ester
Skin ConditioningSodium Phytate
Sodium Benzoate
MaskingKappaphycus Alvarezii Extract
Skin ConditioningHyaluronic Acid
HumectantPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningKhaya Senegalensis Bark Extract
Skin ProtectingMaltodextrin
AbsorbentPaeonia Lactiflora Root Extract
Skin ConditioningNicotiana Benthamiana Hexapeptide-40 Sh-Polypeptide-47
Skin ConditioningWater, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Isoamyl Laurate, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Polyacrylate, Palmitoyl Grapevine Shoot Extract, Sclerotium Gum, Xanthan Gum, Chenopodium Quinoa Seed Extract, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Tocopherol, Benzyl Alcohol, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Caesalpinia Spinosa Fruit Extract, Adenosine, Acetyl Dipeptide-1 Cetyl Ester, Sodium Phytate, Sodium Benzoate, Kappaphycus Alvarezii Extract, Hyaluronic Acid, Pentylene Glycol, Khaya Senegalensis Bark Extract, Maltodextrin, Paeonia Lactiflora Root Extract, Nicotiana Benthamiana Hexapeptide-40 Sh-Polypeptide-47
Water
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingGlycerin
HumectantGlyceryl Stearate Citrate
EmollientHeptyl Undecylenate
EmollientButylene Glycol
HumectantSilica
AbrasiveJojoba Esters
EmollientC10-18 Triglycerides
EmollientHydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingCaffeine
Skin ConditioningSodium Polyacrylate
AbsorbentHydroxyacetophenone
AntioxidantTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantPolysorbate 60
EmulsifyingSorbitan Isostearate
EmulsifyingPotassium Cetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingSodium Benzoate
MaskingChlorella Vulgaris Extract
Skin ConditioningSodium Phytate
Tocopherol
AntioxidantWater, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glycerin, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Heptyl Undecylenate, Butylene Glycol, Silica, Jojoba Esters, C10-18 Triglycerides, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Caffeine, Sodium Polyacrylate, Hydroxyacetophenone, Tocopheryl Acetate, Caprylyl Glycol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Polysorbate 60, Sorbitan Isostearate, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Sodium Benzoate, Chlorella Vulgaris Extract, Sodium Phytate, 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.
Butylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:
Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient that works well with other ingredients.
Though this ingredient works well with most skin types, some people with sensitive skin may experience a reaction such as allergic rashes, closed comedones, or itchiness.
Learn more about Butylene GlycolGlycerin (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 GlycerinSodium Benzoate is a preservative. It's used in both cosmetic and food products to inhibit the growth of mold and bacteria. It is typically produced synthetically.
Both the US FDA and EU Health Committee have approved the use of sodium benzoate. In the US, levels of 0.1% (of the total product) are allowed.
Sodium benzoate works as a preservative by inhibiting the growth of bacteria inside of cells. It prevents the cell from fermenting a type of sugar using an enzyme called phosphofructokinase.
It is the salt of benzoic acid. Foods containing sodium benzoate include soda, salad dressings, condiments, fruit juices, wines, and snack foods.
Studies for using ascorbic acid and sodium benzoate in cosmetics are lacking, especially in skincare routines with multiple steps.
We always recommend speaking with a professional, such as a dermatologist, if you have any concerns.
Learn more about Sodium BenzoateSodium Phytate is the synthetic salt form of phytic acid. Phytic acid is an antioxidant and can be found in plant seeds.
Sodium Phytate is a chelating agent. Chelating agents help prevent metals from binding to water. This helps stabilize the ingredients and the product.
Sodium 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.
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 TocopherolWater. 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