What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningIsopropyl Isostearate
Emollient
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin Conditioning
Ricinus Communis Seed Oil
Masking
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Palmitoyl Grape Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningSodium Cocoyl Glutamate
Cleansing
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingDecyl Glucoside
Cleansing
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter Extract
Skin Conditioning
Maltodextrin
Absorbent
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPotassium Cetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingTocopherol
Antioxidant
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Avena Sativa Kernel Extract
Abrasive
Centaurea Cyanus Flower Extract
Astringent
Parfum
Masking
Water, Isopropyl Isostearate, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Cetyl Alcohol, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Ricinus Communis Seed Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Palmitoyl Grape Seed Extract, Sodium Cocoyl Glutamate, Carbomer, Decyl Glucoside, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter Extract, Maltodextrin, Xanthan Gum, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Caprylyl Glycol, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Hydroxide, Tocopherol, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Avena Sativa Kernel Extract, Centaurea Cyanus Flower Extract, Parfum
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium Cocoyl Isethionate
Cleansing
Cocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Glycerin
Humectant
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Sodium Lauroyl Methyl Isethionate
CleansingLauryl Glucoside
CleansingSclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil
Humectant
Sodium Methyl Oleoyl Taurate
CleansingCoconut Acid
Cleansing
Colloidal Oatmeal
Absorbent
Glyceryl Stearates
Emollient
Salvia Hispanica Seed Oil
Emollient
Oenothera Biennis Oil
Emollient
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Rosa Canina Fruit Oil
Emollient
Shorea Stenoptera Seed Butter
Emollient
Sodium PCA
Humectant
Vanilla Planifolia Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Althaea Officinalis Root Extract
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Lactate
Buffering
Coco-Glucoside
Cleansing
Oleic Acid
Emollient
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingPCA
Humectant
Alanine
Masking
Arginine
Masking
Glycine
Buffering
Histidine
Humectant
Isoleucine
Skin ConditioningPhenylalanine
Masking
Proline
Skin Conditioning
Serine
Masking
Threonine
Valine
MaskingLinoleic Acid
Cleansing
Linolenic Acid
Cleansing
Sodium Isethionate
CleansingPalmitic Acid
Emollient
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Aspartic Acid
Masking
Sodium Carbonate
BufferingSodium Chloride
MaskingChlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingWater, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cetearyl Alcohol, Sodium Lauroyl Methyl Isethionate, Lauryl Glucoside, Sclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil, Sodium Methyl Oleoyl Taurate, Coconut Acid, Colloidal Oatmeal, Glyceryl Stearates, Salvia Hispanica Seed Oil, Oenothera Biennis Oil, Caprylyl Glycol, Rosa Canina Fruit Oil, Shorea Stenoptera Seed Butter, Sodium PCA, Vanilla Planifolia Fruit Extract, Althaea Officinalis Root Extract, Sodium Lactate, Coco-Glucoside, Oleic Acid, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, PCA, Alanine, Arginine, Glycine, Histidine, Isoleucine, Phenylalanine, Proline, Serine, Threonine, Valine, Linoleic Acid, Linolenic Acid, Sodium Isethionate, Palmitic Acid, Tocopherol, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Stearic Acid, Sodium Benzoate, Aspartic Acid, Sodium Carbonate, Sodium Chloride, Chlorphenesin, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Hydroxide
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Caprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.
Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.
Because it is not a free-fatty acid or alcohol, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl 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 Hydroxide is also known as lye or caustic soda. It is used to adjust the pH of products; many ingredients require a specific pH to be effective.
In small amounts, sodium hydroxide is considered safe to use. However, large amounts may cause chemical burns due to its high alkaline.
Your skin has a natural pH and acid mantle. This acid mantle helps prevent harmful bacteria from breaking through. The acid mantle also helps keep your skin hydrated.
"Alkaline" refers to a high pH level. A low pH level would be considered acidic.
Learn more about Sodium HydroxideTocopherol 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
