What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Sucrose
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Cetyl Ethylhexanoate
EmollientButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Microcrystalline Wax
Emulsion StabilisingCandelilla Cera
Emollient
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
PEG-7 Glyceryl Cocoate
Emulsifying
Water
Skin ConditioningCetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glucose
Humectant
Fructose
Humectant
Parfum
Masking
Glycyrrhiza Glabra Rhizome/Root
EmollientDextrin
AbsorbentVaccinium Macrocarpon Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Carapa Guaianensis Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Limonene
Perfuming
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Sucrose, Glycerin, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Tocopheryl Acetate, Microcrystalline Wax, Candelilla Cera, Polysorbate 20, PEG-7 Glyceryl Cocoate, Water, Cetyl Alcohol, Glucose, Fructose, Parfum, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Rhizome/Root, Dextrin, Vaccinium Macrocarpon Seed Oil, Carapa Guaianensis Seed Oil, Tocopherol, Limonene
Water
Skin ConditioningHydrated Silica
Abrasive
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Cocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Sodium Laureth Sulfate
Cleansing
Triethanolamine
BufferingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Sodium Chloride
MaskingSodium Benzoate
Masking
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Disodium EDTA
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder
Skin Conditioning
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Glycerin (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 GlycerinTocopheryl Acetate is a stable, shelf-friendly form of vitamin E.
Formulators love it because plain vitamin E oxidizes quickly once it hits air. This acetate version stays stable and resists going off, helping to extend a product's shelf life.
It's actually inactive on its own and works like a slow-release "storage" form; the enzymes in your skin called esterases gradually convert it into active vitamin E over time.
One in vivo study showed 5% of the acetate in the living layer of the epidermis converted to vitamin E after 5 days of application. This study also found the skin gained protection against UV damage even though the conversion was slow and small.
Once converted, vitamin E acts as a skin's main fat-soluble antioxidant that fights free radicals to protect skin from damage.
Topical vitamin E generally boosts the skin's photoprotection, and it reduced UV-damage in animal models.
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.
Overall, it has a pretty solid safety profile and has been found to be non-irritating and non-comedogenic. Allergic reactions may happen but stay rare due to how widely the ingredient gets used.
The concentration will vary depending on the formula; industry data shows 0.1% in baby lotions, 3% in lipsticks, and 5% in foot powders. You can also find this ingredient at 100% in a pure vitamin E oil.
Most leave-on skincare keeps it at the lower end, often between 0.5-1%.
Learn more about Tocopheryl AcetateWater. 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
