What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Glycerin
Humectant
Polyglyceryl-3 Laurate
EmulsifyingCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Ceramide Ng
Skin Conditioning
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate
Antioxidant
Dipentaerythrityl Hexa C5-9 Acid Esters
Skin ConditioningSqualane
Emollient
Pvm/Ma Decadiene Crosspolymer
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingHydroxypropyl Guar
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Benzoate
Masking
Mica
Cosmetic ColorantIron Oxides
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Parfum
Masking
Water, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glycerin, Polyglyceryl-3 Laurate, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Ceramide Ng, Allantoin, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Dipentaerythrityl Hexa C5-9 Acid Esters, Squalane, Pvm/Ma Decadiene Crosspolymer, Xanthan Gum, Hydroxypropyl Guar, Sodium Benzoate, Mica, Iron Oxides, Potassium Sorbate, Phenoxyethanol, Parfum
Water
Skin ConditioningAscorbic Acid
Antioxidant
Glycerin
Humectant
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Squalane
Emollient
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Stearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glycolipids
Skin ConditioningGlyceryl Stearate Citrate
Emollient
Glyceryl Laurate
Emollient
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Boswellia Serrata Resin Extract
SmoothingTerminalia Ferdinandiana Fruit Extract
Antioxidant
Algin
Masking
Bisabolol
Antioxidant
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Sodium Phytate
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Sodium Riboflavin Phosphate
Skin ConditioningEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningWater, Ascorbic Acid, Glycerin, Cetyl Alcohol, Squalane, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Tocopheryl Acetate, Stearyl Alcohol, Glycolipids, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Glyceryl Laurate, Tocopherol, Boswellia Serrata Resin Extract, Terminalia Ferdinandiana Fruit Extract, Algin, Bisabolol, Glyceryl Stearate, Sodium Phytate, Xanthan Gum, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Riboflavin Phosphate, Ethylhexylglycerin
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 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.
Squalane is the hydrogenated and shelf-stable form of squalene (a lipid that naturally occurs in human sebum).
It is an emollient and skin conditioning agent that is able to integrate seamlessly into the skin's lipid barrier without clogging pores.
This is due to how structurally similar it is to what your skin already produces.
Though it is mostly an emollient that helps soften and hydrate skin, it also has some humectant and occlusive action. Humectants help the skin retain moisture while occlusives seal it in, making squalane a triple-threat moisturizer.
Research shows it has antioxidant capabilities that help protect against stressors like UV exposure, specifically UVA induced oxidative stress. This study also found that it supports collagen biosynthesis in human dermal fibroblasts.
No clinical study has reported significant adverse effects and irritation reactions are very rare from this ingredient (even at 100% concentration).
Overall, it's a fantastic ingredient for hydration and is suitable for all skin types.
This depends on the source. Squalane can be derived from both plants and animals. Most squalane used in skincare comes from plants.
Please note: the source of squalane is only known if disclosed by the brand. We recommend reaching out to the brand if you have any questions about their squalane.
Read more about squalene with an "e".
Though squalane is often called an oil, it’s technically not one. It is a hydrocarbon, meaning it is only made of carbon and hydrogen. True oils are triglycerides and made of fatty acids and glycerol.
The term “oil-free” isn’t regulated so companies can define it however they want. Some exclude all oils, while others just avoid mineral oil or comedogenic oils.
Squalane has a comedogenic rating of 1 from the original 1972 study that tested raw ingredients under occlusion on rabbit ears. This system is not standardized or peer-reviewed, and using the raw ingredients is very different from how diluted cosmetic formulations are used on human skin.
A comedogenic rating of 1 means it is "unlikely to clog pores" according to the original rating system.
The overall formula of a product matters more than the individual ingredients on whether or not it will cause clogged pores.
Learn more about SqualaneWater. 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
