What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantParaffinum Liquidum
EmollientPanthenol
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingDimethicone
EmollientCetyl Alcohol
EmollientPropylene Glycol
HumectantGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientPEG-100 Stearate
SurfactantCera Microcristallina
Emulsion StabilisingStearic Acid
CleansingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeParaffin
Skin ConditioningAllantoin
Skin ConditioningGlycol Distearate
EmollientTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantGlycol Stearate
EmollientSodium Citrate
BufferingGlycol
HumectantTriethylene Glycol
MaskingAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingCitric Acid
BufferingDisodium EDTA
Triethanolamine
BufferingSodium Lauroyl Lactylate
EmulsifyingAsiaticoside
AntioxidantMadecassic Acid
Skin ConditioningAsiatic Acid
Skin ConditioningCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningCeramide AP
Skin ConditioningPhytosphingosine
Skin ConditioningCholesterol
EmollientXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningAlcohol
AntimicrobialCeramide EOP
Skin ConditioningWater, Glycerin, Paraffinum Liquidum, Panthenol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Dimethicone, Cetyl Alcohol, Propylene Glycol, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Cera Microcristallina, Stearic Acid, Phenoxyethanol, Paraffin, Allantoin, Glycol Distearate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Glycol Stearate, Sodium Citrate, Glycol, Triethylene Glycol, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Citric Acid, Disodium EDTA, Triethanolamine, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Asiaticoside, Madecassic Acid, Asiatic Acid, Ceramide NP, Ceramide AP, Phytosphingosine, Cholesterol, Xanthan Gum, Carbomer, Ethylhexylglycerin, Alcohol, Ceramide EOP
Water
Skin ConditioningPropylene Glycol
HumectantNiacinamide
SmoothingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingTriethanolamine
BufferingGlycerin
HumectantButylene Glycol
HumectantMethylene Glycol
AntimicrobialDisodium EDTA
Sodium Hyaluronate
HumectantLactobacillus/(Lemon/Orange) Peel Extract Ferment Filtrate
Skin Conditioning1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientTranexamic Acid
AstringentNicotinoyl Dipeptide-22
Skin ConditioningTranexamoyl Dipeptide-22
BleachingWater, Propylene Glycol, Niacinamide, Phenoxyethanol, Carbomer, Triethanolamine, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Methylene Glycol, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Hyaluronate, Lactobacillus/(Lemon/Orange) Peel Extract Ferment Filtrate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Tranexamic Acid, Nicotinoyl Dipeptide-22, Tranexamoyl Dipeptide-22
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Carbomer is a high-molecular weight polymer of acrylic acid. It is used to form gels and thicken formulas.
Due to its large molecular size, carbomer has minimal skin penetration and is considered an inert ingredient.
A high amount of carbomer can cause pilling or balling up of products. Don't worry, most products contain 1% or less of carbomer.
Learn more about CarbomerDisodium EDTA is a chelating agent. It grabs onto and deactivates metal ions that sneak into your products from water, packaging, or air.
This ingredient mainly works behind the scenes and helps with:
On top of that, this ingredient can counteract the effects of hard water by binding to the minerals in it.
One thing worth knowing is that Disodium EDTA has been shown to be a mild penetration enhancer. It can help other ingredients absorb into skin more effectively which can be a double-edged sword (great for actives, but can also make the active too strong if you have sensitive skin).
Clinical patch testing showed no significant skin irritation at typical use concentrations and minimal dermal absorption.
You'll most likely see this ingredient near the end of an ingredient list. It's typically found in concentrations less than 1%.
Learn more about Disodium EDTAGlycerin (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.
Propylene Glycol is a synthetic, colorless, odorless liquid that has been a staple in cosmetics for decades. It is a skin conditioning agent, humectant, and solvent.
As a humectant, it draw water to the skin to reduce flaking and restore suppleness. It's also a solvent that helps dissolve other actives and keeps formulas stable across temperature changes.
The CIR Expert Panel has confirmed this ingredient to be nontoxic and clinical studies show no sensitization at cosmetic use concentrations.
True allergic reactions are quite rare: a 15-year retrospective study of 6,751 patients found only 0.31% had a positive reaction (and less than half were considered clinically relevant).
It seemed that when sensitization does occur, it's most commonly linked to topical medication (like corticosteroids) and not cosmetics. Allergic contact dermatitis also appears largely limited to individuals with underlying skin conditions.
Overall, propylene glycol is a well-studied ingredient that most people can tolerate without issue.
Learn more about Propylene GlycolTriethanolamine (TEA) is an emulsifier and pH adjuster. It is created using ethylene oxide and ammonia. This gives Triethanolamine a nitrogen core and a similar scent to ammonia.
As an emulsifier, it prevents ingredients from separating and enhances texture by adding volume to a product.
PH adjusters are common in cosmetic products. The pH of a product can affect the effectiveness of other ingredients. A product with a high pH may also irritate the skin.
If you are looking for the tea leaf ingredient, click here.
Learn more about TriethanolamineWater. 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