What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningAscorbic Acid
Antioxidant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Isopentyldiol
Humectant
Trehalose
Humectant
Sodium Lactate
Buffering
Sodium PCA
Humectant
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Saccharide Isomerate
Humectant
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Ferulic Acid
Antimicrobial
Saccharomyces/Zinc Ferment
Skin Conditioning
Mangostin
Skin ConditioningMagnolol
Antioxidant
Honokiol
Antioxidant
Polyglyceryl-10 Oleate
Skin Conditioning
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Sunflower Seed Oil Polyglyceryl-6 Esters
Emulsifying
Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil
Masking
Sorbitan Palmitate
Emulsifying
Dicetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingBisabolol
Antioxidant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Disodium EDTA
Water, Ascorbic Acid, Butylene Glycol, Pentylene Glycol, Isopentyldiol, Trehalose, Sodium Lactate, Sodium PCA, Polysorbate 20, Saccharide Isomerate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Ferulic Acid, Saccharomyces/Zinc Ferment, Mangostin, Magnolol, Honokiol, Polyglyceryl-10 Oleate, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Sunflower Seed Oil Polyglyceryl-6 Esters, Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil, Sorbitan Palmitate, Dicetyl Phosphate, Bisabolol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol, Disodium EDTA
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Bisabolol is a gentle skin conditioner, antioxidant, and soothing ingredient.
It's primary claim to fame is soothing and research shows topically applied bisabolol can quiet the chemical messengers that cause your skin to become inflamed, helping to sooth any irritation.
A clinical study found that applying 0.5% bisabolol daily for 8 weeks produced an average 9% decrease in skin pigmentation. Researchers found it can also suppress the process that leads to excess melanin production in skin.
In vitro studies found that bisabolol combined with propylene glycol significantly increased skin permeability by increasing lipid fluidity in the stratum corneum.
You'll likely see use concentrations quite low, usually 0.1-0.2%.
Overall, this is a well-tolerated ingredient that works well in formulas designed for sensitive, reactive, or post-procedure skin.
Learn more about BisabololTocopheryl 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 Acetate
