What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingDipropylheptyl Carbonate
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientBifida Ferment Lysate
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Yeast Protein
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
HumectantPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningPhospholipids
Skin ConditioningNiacinamide
Smoothing3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid
Skin ConditioningAscorbic Acid
AntioxidantSodium Polyacrylate
AbsorbentSqualane
EmollientPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeCentella Asiatica Extract
CleansingRetinal
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantMadecassoside
AntioxidantBeta-Glucan
Skin ConditioningPalmitoyl Tripeptide-1
Skin ConditioningPalmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Skin ConditioningCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingPolysorbate 20
EmulsifyingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
AntioxidantWater, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Dipropylheptyl Carbonate, Glycerin, Glyceryl Stearate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Bifida Ferment Lysate, Hydrolyzed Yeast Protein, Butylene Glycol, Pentylene Glycol, Phospholipids, Niacinamide, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Ascorbic Acid, Sodium Polyacrylate, Squalane, Phenoxyethanol, Centella Asiatica Extract, Retinal, Sodium Hyaluronate, Madecassoside, Beta-Glucan, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Carbomer, Polysorbate 20, Xanthan Gum, Ceramide NP, Ethylhexylglycerin, Tocopherol
Water
Skin ConditioningUrea
BufferingButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
HumectantOctyldodecanol
EmollientCetearyl Ethylhexanoate
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantIsododecane
EmollientPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningMethyldihydrojasmonate
MaskingPolymethyl Methacrylate
Vaccinium Myrtillus Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningAvena Sativa Kernel Extract
AbrasiveSaccharum Officinarum Extract
MoisturisingCitrus Aurantium Dulcis Fruit Extract
MaskingCitrus Limon Fruit Extract
MaskingAcer Saccharum Extract
Skin ConditioningLaminaria Saccharina Extract
Skin ProtectingMacrocystis Pyrifera Extract
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
AntioxidantAscorbyl Palmitate
AntioxidantSalicylic Acid
MaskingAlpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide
CleansingBeta-Glucan
Skin ConditioningSodium Ascorbyl Phosphate
AntioxidantLinoleic Acid
CleansingOleic Acid
EmollientPalmitic Acid
EmollientSimmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
EmollientStearic Acid
CleansingGlutathione
Lactobionic Acid
BufferingSuperoxide Dismutase
AntioxidantHydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
HumectantGlycolic Acid
BufferingSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantMandelic Acid
AntimicrobialLinolenic Acid
CleansingHydrolyzed Yeast Extract
Skin ConditioningArginine
MaskingN-Prolyl Palmitoyl Tripeptide-56 Acetate
Skin ConditioningOctyldodecyl Xyloside
EmulsifyingPEG-30 Dipolyhydroxystearate
EmulsifyingIsopropyl Myristate
EmollientSodium Dna
Skin ConditioningHydroxyphenyl Propamidobenzoic Acid
Skin ConditioningPyridoxine Hcl
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientXylose
HumectantPolysorbate 20
EmulsifyingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingDisodium EDTA
Sodium Benzoate
MaskingPotassium Sorbate
PreservativeWater, Urea, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Butylene Glycol, Octyldodecanol, Cetearyl Ethylhexanoate, Glycerin, Isododecane, Pentylene Glycol, Methyldihydrojasmonate, Polymethyl Methacrylate, Vaccinium Myrtillus Fruit Extract, Avena Sativa Kernel Extract, Saccharum Officinarum Extract, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Fruit Extract, Citrus Limon Fruit Extract, Acer Saccharum Extract, Laminaria Saccharina Extract, Macrocystis Pyrifera Extract, Tocopherol, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Salicylic Acid, Alpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide, Beta-Glucan, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Linoleic Acid, Oleic Acid, Palmitic Acid, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Stearic Acid, Glutathione, Lactobionic Acid, Superoxide Dismutase, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Glycolic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate, Mandelic Acid, Linolenic Acid, Hydrolyzed Yeast Extract, Arginine, N-Prolyl Palmitoyl Tripeptide-56 Acetate, Octyldodecyl Xyloside, PEG-30 Dipolyhydroxystearate, Isopropyl Myristate, Sodium Dna, Hydroxyphenyl Propamidobenzoic Acid, Pyridoxine Hcl, Caprylyl Glycol, Xylose, Polysorbate 20, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Hydroxide, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate
Alternatives
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Beta-Glucan is a polysaccharide. It can be derived from the cell walls of seaweed, oats, yeast, and fungi. It hydrates the skin and helps boost your skin's natural barrier.
As an antioxidant, beta-glucan helps fight free-radicals. Free-radicals are molecules that may damage your skin cells, such as pollution.
Studies show this ingredient may be an effective wrinkle reducer as it can deeply penetrate into skin. It has also been show to help with wound healing.
Learn more about Beta-GlucanButylene 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 GlycerinPentylene glycol is typically used within a product to thicken it. It also adds a smooth, soft, and moisturizing feel to the product. It is naturally found in plants such as sugar beets.
The hydrophilic trait of Pentylene Glycol makes it a humectant. As a humectant, Pentylene Glycol helps draw moisture from the air to your skin. This can help keep your skin hydrated.
This property also makes Pentylene Glycol a great texture enhancer. It can also help thicken or stabilize a product.
Pentylene Glycol also acts as a mild preservative and helps to keep a product microbe-free.
Some people may experience mild eye and skin irritation from Pentylene Glycol. We always recommend speaking with a professional about using this ingredient in your routine.
Pentylene Glycol has a low molecular weight and is part of the 1,2-glycol family.
Learn more about Pentylene GlycolPolysorbate 20 is a gentle, water-soluble emulsifier and mild surfactant. It stops oil and water from separating to keep your formulas blended and stable.
It also acts as a mild penetration enhancer by helping active ingredients absorb slightly better.
The common safety discussion around this ingredient involves a manufacturing byproduct called 1,4-dioxane.
Trace amounts can form during production but the EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety has concluded that levels at/below 10 ppm in finished products are safe (commercial products consistently fall within acceptable margins).
True allergic reactions are uncommon and the CIR Expert Panel has confirmed this ingredient to be safe as used in cosmetics.
Because it is derived from lauric acid, it may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Polysorbate 20Sodium Hyaluronate is the salt form of hyaluronic acid. It is a long sugar chain that is naturally found in your skin, joints, and connective tissue that maintains hydration and elasticity.
In skincare, it works as a humectant. It pulls water from the environment and deeper layers of skin and binds it to the surface.
Interestingly, the size of the molecule affects its behavior:
Some clinical evidence links low molecular weight versions to improved wrinkle depth, elasticity, anti-inflammatory effects, and barrier repair.
Many serums use a blend of both weights so you can get surface hydration plus longer-lasting and deeper effects.
You'll typically see concentrations between 0.1-2% for this ingredient.
Learn more about Sodium HyaluronateTocopherol 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 WaterXanthan 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