What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningZinc Oxide
Cosmetic Colorant
Ethylhexyl Stearate
Emollient
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Isostearyl Isostearate
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate
Emulsifying
Sucrose Stearate
EmollientCoco-Caprylate
Emollient
Cocos Nucifera Oil
Masking
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Isostearic Acid
Cleansing
Lecithin
Emollient
Polyhydroxystearic Acid
Emulsifying
Polyglyceryl-3 Polyricinoleate
Emulsifying
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingGlyceryl Caprylate
EmollientPropanediol
Solvent
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Water, Zinc Oxide, Ethylhexyl Stearate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Isostearyl Isostearate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glycerin, Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate, Sucrose Stearate, Coco-Caprylate, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Caprylyl Glycol, Isostearic Acid, Lecithin, Polyhydroxystearic Acid, Polyglyceryl-3 Polyricinoleate, Xanthan Gum, Glyceryl Caprylate, Propanediol, Tocopherol
Water
Skin ConditioningC12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialBis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine
Skin Conditioning
Methylpropanediol
SolventDipropylene Glycol Dibenzoate
EmollientMethylene Bis-Benzotriazolyl Tetramethylbutylphenol
UV Filter
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Cyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Potassium Cetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingPolymethyl Methacrylate
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cyclohexasiloxane
Emollient
Caffeine
Skin Conditioning
Hydrogenated Dimer Dilinoleyl/Dimethylcarbonate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingLecithin
Emollient
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
PPG-15 Stearyl Ether Benzoate
EmollientDecyl Glucoside
Cleansing
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingTetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate
Phenylpropanol
Masking
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingWater, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine, Methylpropanediol, Dipropylene Glycol Dibenzoate, Methylene Bis-Benzotriazolyl Tetramethylbutylphenol, Niacinamide, Cyclopentasiloxane, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Polymethyl Methacrylate, Cetyl Alcohol, Cyclohexasiloxane, Caffeine, Hydrogenated Dimer Dilinoleyl/Dimethylcarbonate Copolymer, Lecithin, Tocopheryl Acetate, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Tocopherol, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Glycerin, Caprylyl Glycol, PPG-15 Stearyl Ether Benzoate, Decyl Glucoside, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Phenylpropanol, Propylene Glycol, Xanthan Gum
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Caprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.
Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.
Because it is not a free-fatty acid or alcohol, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolGlycerin (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 GlycerinLecithin is a term for a group of substances found in the cell membranes of plants, animals, and humans. They are made up of phospholipids.
Thanks to its amphiphilic structure (water-loving head and oil-loving tail), it is a true multitasker:
It plays well with most ingredients and is typically used at 0.1-1%. However, concentrations up to 50% have been reported in moisturizers.
Depending on the source of this ingredient, lecithin may not be fungal acne safe. This is because some sources of lecithin come from soybean oil, which may feed the malassezia yeast that causes fungal acne.
We recommend reaching out to the brand you are purchasing from to inquire about the source of their lecithin.
Learn more about LecithinTocopherol 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 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
