What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningZinc Oxide
Cosmetic Colorant
Titanium Dioxide
Cosmetic Colorant
Glycerin
Humectant
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingAloe Ferox Leaf Juice Extract
Skin ConditioningAcrylates/Polytrimethylsiloxymethacrylate Copolymer
Skin ConditioningPolyquaternium-7
Propanediol
Solvent
Isohexadecane
EmollientSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Polysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Acrylates Crosspolymer
AbsorbentPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Laureth-1 Phosphate
SurfactantEctoin
Skin Conditioning
Potassium Hydroxide
BufferingWater, Zinc Oxide, Titanium Dioxide, Glycerin, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Aloe Ferox Leaf Juice Extract, Acrylates/Polytrimethylsiloxymethacrylate Copolymer, Polyquaternium-7, Propanediol, Isohexadecane, Sodium Hyaluronate, Ceramide NP, Chlorphenesin, Polysorbate 60, Acrylates Crosspolymer, Phenoxyethanol, Allantoin, Panthenol, Laureth-1 Phosphate, Ectoin, Potassium Hydroxide
Water
Skin ConditioningEthylhexyl Methoxycinnamate
UV Absorber
Isododecane
EmollientGlycerin
Humectant
Cyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Homosalate
Skin Conditioning
Polymethylsilsesquioxane
Methylene Bis-Benzotriazolyl Tetramethylbutylphenol
UV Filter
Octyldodecanol
Emollient
Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate
UV Filter
Ethylhexyl Triazone
UV Absorber
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingOctyldodecyl Xyloside
EmulsifyingPEG-30 Dipolyhydroxystearate
Emulsifying
Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine
Skin Conditioning
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Decyl Glucoside
Cleansing
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Polyisobutene
Trimethylsiloxysilicate
Emollient
PEG-7 Trimethylolpropane Coconut Ether
Emulsifying
Disodium EDTA
Sorbitan Isostearate
Emulsifying
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Xylose
HumectantEctoin
Skin Conditioning
Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate
Antioxidant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Laminaria Ochroleuca Extract
Skin Conditioning
Water, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Isododecane, Glycerin, Cyclopentasiloxane, Homosalate, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Methylene Bis-Benzotriazolyl Tetramethylbutylphenol, Octyldodecanol, Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate, Ethylhexyl Triazone, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Octyldodecyl Xyloside, PEG-30 Dipolyhydroxystearate, Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine, Phenoxyethanol, Decyl Glucoside, Hydroxyacetophenone, Polyisobutene, Trimethylsiloxysilicate, PEG-7 Trimethylolpropane Coconut Ether, Disodium EDTA, Sorbitan Isostearate, Xanthan Gum, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Propylene Glycol, Xylose, Ectoin, Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Laminaria Ochroleuca 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.
Ectoin is a compound found naturally in some species of bacteria. It can be synthetically created for skincare use.
This ingredient is an osmolyte; Osmolytes help organisms survive osmotic shock (it protects them from extreme conditions). It does this by influencing the properties of biological fluids within cells.
When applied to the skin, ectoin helps bind water molecules to protect our skin. The water forms a sort of armor for the parts of our skin cells, enzymes, proteins, and more.
Besides this, ectoin has many uses in skincare:
A study from 2004 found ectoin to counteract the damage from UV-A exposure at different cell levels. It has also been shown to protect skin against both UV-A, UV-B rays, infrared light, and visible light.
Studies show ectoin to have dual-action pollution protection: first, it protects our skin from further pollution damage. Second, it helps repair damage from pollution.
In fact, ectoin has been shown to help with:
Fun fact: In the EU, ectoin is used in inhalation medication as an anti-pollution ingredient.
Ectoin is a highly stable ingredient. It has a wide pH range of 1-9. Light, oxygen, and temperature do not affect this ingredient.
The chemical name for this ingredient is Tetrahydromethylpyrimidine Carboxylic Acid.
Learn more about EctoinGlycerin (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 GlycerinThis is a synthetic polymer. It helps improve the texture of products by adding thickness and gel-like feel.
It is also an emulsifer, meaning it prevents ingredients such as oil and water from separating. It also helps evenly disperse other ingredients.
Phenoxyethanol 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.
Sodium 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 HyaluronateWater. 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
