What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningSqualane
Emollient
C13-15 Alkane
SolventGlycerin
Humectant
Xylitol
Humectant
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Polyquaternium-37
Hydrogenated Phosphatidylcholine
Emulsifying
Phytosphingosine
Skin Conditioning
Phytosterols
Skin Conditioning
Niacinamide
Smoothing
3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Xanthophylls
Skin ConditioningPanthenol
Skin Conditioning
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Betula Alba Bark Extract
Masking
Tranexamic Acid
Astringent
Phytosteryl Isostearate
Skin ConditioningBeta-Sitosterol
Emulsion Stabilising
Sodium Beta-Sitosteryl Sulfate
Skin Conditioning
Tamarindus Indica Seed Gum
Emulsion Stabilising
Phenylpropanol
Masking
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Silica
Abrasive
Cetyl-Pg Hydroxyethyl Palmitamide
Skin ConditioningLysolecithin
EmulsifyingSorbitan Caprylate
EmulsifyingLecithin
Emollient
Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
Antioxidant
Propanediol
Solvent
Octyldodecanol
Emollient
Parfum
Masking
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Pelargonium Graveolens Flower Oil
Masking
Citrus Limon Peel Oil
Masking
Limonene
Perfuming
Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil
Masking
Citrus Sinensis Peel Oil Expressed
Perfuming
Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Peel Oil
Perfuming
Cananga Odorata Flower Extract
Perfuming
Pogostemon Cablin Leaf Oil
Masking
Geraniol
Perfuming
Citronellol
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Citral
Perfuming
Water, Squalane, C13-15 Alkane, Glycerin, Xylitol, Pentylene Glycol, Polyquaternium-37, Hydrogenated Phosphatidylcholine, Phytosphingosine, Phytosterols, Niacinamide, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Xanthophylls, Panthenol, Hyaluronic Acid, Tocopherol, Betula Alba Bark Extract, Tranexamic Acid, Phytosteryl Isostearate, Beta-Sitosterol, Sodium Beta-Sitosteryl Sulfate, Tamarindus Indica Seed Gum, Phenylpropanol, Caprylyl Glycol, Silica, Cetyl-Pg Hydroxyethyl Palmitamide, Lysolecithin, Sorbitan Caprylate, Lecithin, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Propanediol, Octyldodecanol, Parfum, Hydroxyacetophenone, Pelargonium Graveolens Flower Oil, Citrus Limon Peel Oil, Limonene, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil, Citrus Sinensis Peel Oil Expressed, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Peel Oil, Cananga Odorata Flower Extract, Pogostemon Cablin Leaf Oil, Geraniol, Citronellol, Linalool, Citral
Water
Skin ConditioningPropylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Alcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
PEG/PPG/Polybutylene Glycol-8/5/3 Glycerin
HumectantHydroxypropyl Tetrahydropyrantriol
Skin Conditioning3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid
Skin Conditioning
PPG-6-Decyltetradeceth-30
EmulsifyingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Salicylic Acid
Masking
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingHydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingPotassium Hydroxide
BufferingCitric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Citrate
BufferingTocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Lavandula Angustifolia Oil
Masking
Disodium EDTA
Adenosine
Skin Conditioning
Linalool
Perfuming
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Citrus Aurantium Tachibana Peel Extract
HumectantPaeonia Suffruticosa Root Extract
Skin ProtectingWater, Propylene Glycol, Glycerin, Alcohol Denat., PEG/PPG/Polybutylene Glycol-8/5/3 Glycerin, Hydroxypropyl Tetrahydropyrantriol, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, PPG-6-Decyltetradeceth-30, Phenoxyethanol, Salicylic Acid, Xanthan Gum, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Potassium Hydroxide, Citric Acid, Sodium Citrate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Lavandula Angustifolia Oil, Disodium EDTA, Adenosine, Linalool, Butylene Glycol, Tocopherol, Citrus Aurantium Tachibana Peel Extract, Paeonia Suffruticosa Root Extract
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
You might know this ingredient as Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, a more stable version of ascorbic acid.
Like other types of vitamin C, this ingredient has many benefits including reducing wrinkles, skin soothing, dark spot fading, and fighting against free radicals.
3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid interferes with the process of skin darkening, helping to reduce hyperpigmentation. It also encourages the skin to produce more collagen.
Once applied, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid is converted to Vitamin C deeper in the skin's layers. This process is slow but makes this ingredient more tolerable for skin.
The optimum pH range for this ingredient is 4 - 5.5
Learn more about 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic AcidGlycerin (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 GlycerinLinalool is a fragrance and helps add scent to products. It's derived from common plants such as cinnamon, mint, citrus, and lavender.
Like Limonene, this ingredient oxidizes when exposed to air. Oxidized linalool can cause allergies and skin sensitivity.
This ingredient has a scent that is floral, spicy tropical, and citrus-like.
Learn more about LinaloolTocopherol 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
