What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningDipropylene Glycol
HumectantPentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Bis-PEG-18 Methyl Ether Dimethyl Silane
EmollientArginine
Masking
Jojoba Wax PEG-120 Esters
Dimethicone PEG-8 Meadowfoamate
Emollient
PPG-26-Buteth-26
Skin ConditioningPEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
PEG-32
HumectantBiosaccharide Gum-1
Humectant
Astaxanthin
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Disodium EDTA
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingLactobacillus/Punica Granatum Fruit Ferment Extract
Antioxidant
Lonicera Caprifolium Flower Extract
Perfuming
Ascorbyl Glucoside
Antioxidant
Beta-Glucan
Skin Conditioning
Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Humectant
Glycine Soja Oil
Emollient
Pvm/Ma Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingPolyglyceryl-10 Oleate
Skin Conditioning
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingLavandula Angustifolia Oil
Masking
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Alteromonas Ferment Extract
Skin Conditioning
Lysolecithin
EmulsifyingZiziphus Jujuba Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningHaematococcus Pluvialis Extract
Antioxidant
Polyglyceryl-10 Stearate
Skin Conditioning
Cyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
PEG-11 Methyl Ether Dimethicone
Emulsifying
Sodium Polyacrylate
Absorbent
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
Bleaching
Daucus Carota Sativa Root Extract
Skin Conditioning
Beta-Carotene
Skin ConditioningCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Halidrys Siliquosa Extract
Skin ConditioningWater, Dipropylene Glycol, Pentylene Glycol, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Bis-PEG-18 Methyl Ether Dimethyl Silane, Arginine, Jojoba Wax PEG-120 Esters, Dimethicone PEG-8 Meadowfoamate, PPG-26-Buteth-26, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Caprylyl Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, PEG-32, Biosaccharide Gum-1, Astaxanthin, Sodium Hyaluronate, Disodium EDTA, Carbomer, Lactobacillus/Punica Granatum Fruit Ferment Extract, Lonicera Caprifolium Flower Extract, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Beta-Glucan, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Glycine Soja Oil, Pvm/Ma Copolymer, Polyglyceryl-10 Oleate, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Lavandula Angustifolia Oil, Tocopherol, Alteromonas Ferment Extract, Lysolecithin, Ziziphus Jujuba Fruit Extract, Haematococcus Pluvialis Extract, Polyglyceryl-10 Stearate, Cyclopentasiloxane, PEG-11 Methyl Ether Dimethicone, Sodium Polyacrylate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Daucus Carota Sativa Root Extract, Beta-Carotene, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Halidrys Siliquosa Extract
Water
Skin ConditioningAscorbic Acid
Antioxidant
Glycerin
Humectant
Ethoxydiglycol
HumectantPPG-26-Buteth-26
Skin ConditioningMannitol
Humectant
Tridecapeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5
Skin Conditioning
Ergothioneine
Antioxidant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Bisabolol
Antioxidant
Sodium Gluconate
Skin ConditioningDecylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningFerulic Acid
Antimicrobial
Oryza Sativa Bran Extract
Skin Conditioning
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6
Emulsion Stabilising1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Phytate
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingCitric Acid
Buffering
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Water, Ascorbic Acid, Glycerin, Ethoxydiglycol, PPG-26-Buteth-26, Mannitol, Tridecapeptide-1, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5, Ergothioneine, Sodium Hyaluronate, Pentylene Glycol, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Bisabolol, Sodium Gluconate, Decylene Glycol, Ferulic Acid, Oryza Sativa Bran Extract, Tocopherol, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, 1,2-Hexanediol, Panthenol, Sodium Phytate, Sodium Hydroxide, Citric Acid, Phenoxyethanol
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 GlycerinPEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil is an emulsifier derived from castor oil.
As an emulsifying agent, it helps other ingredients like fragrances and fat-soluble vitamins dissolve cohesively.
Due to its large molecule size, it doesn't penetrate beyond the skin's surface.
This ingredient has a solid regulatory track record; the CIR Expert Panel first concluded it was safe for use in cosmetics at concentrations up to 100% in 1997. A 2012 reassessment reaffirmed that finding. Safety studies have also found no irritation or evidence of toxicity.
A 2019 study did find this ingredient to grow Malassezia, so this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor OilPentylene glycol is typically used within a product to thicken it. It also adds a smooth, soft, and moisturizing feel to the product. It is naturally found in plants such as sugar beets.
The hydrophilic trait of Pentylene Glycol makes it a humectant. As a humectant, Pentylene Glycol helps draw moisture from the air to your skin. This can help keep your skin hydrated.
This property also makes Pentylene Glycol a great texture enhancer. It can also help thicken or stabilize a product.
Pentylene Glycol also acts as a mild preservative and helps to keep a product microbe-free.
Some people may experience mild eye and skin irritation from Pentylene Glycol. We always recommend speaking with a professional about using this ingredient in your routine.
Pentylene Glycol has a low molecular weight and is part of the 1,2-glycol family.
Learn more about Pentylene GlycolPhenoxyethanol 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.
We don't have a description for PPG-26-Buteth-26 yet.
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 HyaluronateTocopherol is a fat-soluble antioxidant known as Vitamin E.
You'll find this ingredient in the vast majority of skincare (for good reason). It works to neutralize free radicals, or unstable molecules generated by UV exposure, pollution, and other environmental stressors, before they can cause oxidative damage to your skin cells.
Topically applied tocopherol has been shown to protect against UV damage by ramping up the skin's own natural defense enzymes.
It also acts as a skin conditioning agent; some studies show that regular topical use can improve the skin's water-binding capacity over 2-4 weeks.
This ingredient is especially loved for being a team player. When combined with Vitamin C, the photoprotective effect of both ingredients roughly doubles and the combo also helps reduce UV-induced DNA damage.
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.
In formulations, it also serves as a stabilizer that helps protect other oxidation-prone ingredients from degrading.
Concentrations usually range from 0.1-1% in most leave-on products.
Learn more about TocopherolWater. 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
