What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningIsononyl Isononanoate
EmollientPropanediol
Solvent
Dimethicone
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Dimethicone/PEG-10/15 Crosspolymer
Camellia Japonica Flower Water
Skin ConditioningZingiber Officinale Root Extract
Masking
Camellia Japonica Flower Extract
EmollientPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Sodium Chloride
MaskingParfum
Masking
Sodium Citrate
BufferingDipropylene Glycol
HumectantCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Magnesium Aspartate
Skin ConditioningZinc Gluconate
Skin Conditioning
Citric Acid
Buffering
Phytic Acid
Copper Gluconate
Skin Conditioning
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Water, Isononyl Isononanoate, Propanediol, Dimethicone, Glycerin, Propylene Glycol, Dimethicone/PEG-10/15 Crosspolymer, Camellia Japonica Flower Water, Zingiber Officinale Root Extract, Camellia Japonica Flower Extract, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Chloride, Parfum, Sodium Citrate, Dipropylene Glycol, Caprylyl Glycol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Magnesium Aspartate, Zinc Gluconate, Citric Acid, Phytic Acid, Copper Gluconate, Tocopherol, Sodium Benzoate
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycolic Acid
Buffering
Dicaprylyl Carbonate
EmollientDimethicone
Emollient
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingButylene Glycol
Humectant
Propanediol
Solvent
Glycerin
Humectant
Phytic Acid
Cetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone
Emulsifying
Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate
Absorbent
Nylon-12
Polyglyceryl-4 Isostearate
Emulsifying
Magnesium Sulfate
Jojoba Esters
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Helianthus Annuus Seed Cera
EmollientCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Disodium EDTA
Salicylic Acid
Masking
Acacia Decurrens Flower Cera
Emollient
Polyglycerin-3
Humectant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
Antioxidant
Water, Glycolic Acid, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Dimethicone, Sodium Hydroxide, Butylene Glycol, Propanediol, Glycerin, Phytic Acid, Cetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone, Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate, Nylon-12, Polyglyceryl-4 Isostearate, Magnesium Sulfate, Jojoba Esters, Phenoxyethanol, Helianthus Annuus Seed Cera, Caprylyl Glycol, Disodium EDTA, Salicylic Acid, Acacia Decurrens Flower Cera, Polyglycerin-3, Tocopherol, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
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 GlycolDimethicone is a type of synthetic silicone created from natural materials such as quartz. It is also known as polydimethylsiloxane.
What it does:
Dimethicone comes in different viscosities:
Depending on the viscosity, dimethicone has different properties.
Ingredients lists don't always show which type is used, so we recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about the viscosity.
This ingredient is unlikely to cause irritation because it does not get absorbed into skin. However, people with silicone allergies should be careful about using this ingredient.
Note: Dimethicone may contribute to pilling. This is because it is not oil or water soluble, so pilling may occur when layered with products. When mixed with heavy oils in a formula, the outcome is also quite greasy.
Learn more about DimethiconeGlycerin (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 GlycerinPhenoxyethanol 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.
Phytic Acid is a gentle AHA and antioxidant. AHAs are chemical exfoliants that help remove dead skin cells. Phytic Acid has a slight and mild exfoliating effect.
The chemical makeup makes it classified as an AHA, much like lactic acid.
In some cases, it is a chelating agent. Chelating agents help prevent metals from binding to water, helping to stabilize the ingredients in a product.
An interesting fact about phytic acid is that it is considered an antinutrient. People do not have the enzyme needed to properly breakdown and digest phytic acid. When ingested, phytic acid binds to minerals and prevents them from being absorbed.
Read more about some other popular AHA's here:
Learn more about Phytic AcidPropanediol is an all-star ingredient. It softens, hydrates, and smooths the skin.
It’s often used to:
Propanediol is not likely to cause sensitivity and considered safe to use. It is derived from corn or petroleum with a clear color and no scent.
Learn more about PropanediolTocopherol 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
