What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate
Antioxidant
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Dimethicone
Emollient
Cyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Maltodextrin
Absorbent
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Hexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingBisabolol
Antioxidant
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil
Masking
Citrus Limon Peel Oil
Masking
Microcrystalline Cellulose
AbsorbentSodium Acrylates Copolymer
Alaria Esculenta Extract
Skin ProtectingSyringa Vulgaris Leaf Cell Culture Extract
Skin ConditioningHydrogenated Polydecene
EmollientUndaria Pinnatifida Extract
Skin ConditioningPhospholipids
Skin Conditioning
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Polyglyceryl-10 Stearate
Skin Conditioning
Cellulose Gum
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Water, Glycerin, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Caprylyl Glycol, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Dimethicone, Cyclopentasiloxane, Maltodextrin, Phenoxyethanol, Hexylene Glycol, Bisabolol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil, Citrus Limon Peel Oil, Microcrystalline Cellulose, Sodium Acrylates Copolymer, Alaria Esculenta Extract, Syringa Vulgaris Leaf Cell Culture Extract, Hydrogenated Polydecene, Undaria Pinnatifida Extract, Phospholipids, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Polyglyceryl-10 Stearate, Cellulose Gum, Sodium Hyaluronate
Cyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Water
Skin ConditioningRosa Damascena Flower Water
Masking
Citrus Aurantium Amara Flower Water
MaskingGlycerin
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Skin Conditioning
Cetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone
Emulsifying
Boswellia Serrata Extract
Skin Conditioning
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil
Masking
Citrus Limon Peel Oil
Masking
Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Oil
Masking
Cinnamomum Camphora Bark Oil
Masking
Mentha Viridis Leaf Oil
Astringent
Vetiveria Zizanoides Root Oil
Masking
Plumeria Alba Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningMagnolia Acuminata Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningIris Pallida Root Extract
Masking
Rosa Damascena Extract
MaskingCitral
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Limonene
Perfuming
Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate
Antioxidant
Dimethicone
Emollient
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingPotato Starch Modified
Squalane
Emollient
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Polysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Hexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingEssential Oil Blend
Cyclopentasiloxane, Water, Rosa Damascena Flower Water, Citrus Aurantium Amara Flower Water, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Cetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone, Boswellia Serrata Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil, Citrus Limon Peel Oil, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Oil, Cinnamomum Camphora Bark Oil, Mentha Viridis Leaf Oil, Vetiveria Zizanoides Root Oil, Plumeria Alba Flower Extract, Magnolia Acuminata Flower Extract, Iris Pallida Root Extract, Rosa Damascena Extract, Citral, Linalool, Limonene, Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Dimethicone, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Potato Starch Modified, Squalane, Caprylyl Glycol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Polysorbate 60, Hexylene Glycol, Essential Oil Blend
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, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolCitrus Limon Peel Oil is created from the peels of the lemon. It is used to add a lemon-scent to products. Lemon peel oil also has antibacterial, antifungal, and antioxidant properties. However, it may also cause phototoxicity and sensitize skin.
Lemon peel oil contains limonene, a skin sensitizing ingredient. Another component is furanocoumarin, which induces phototoxicity in skin.
Furanocoumarins bind and destabilize your DNA to increase the rate of sunburn.
Most reputable companies will remove furanocoumarins from their formulations.
Learn more about Citrus Limon Peel OilCyclopentasiloxane (D5) is a lightweight silicone that mostly acts as an emollient and solvent in cosmetics. Its the reason your products feel silky, fast-spreading, and non-greasy.
Since D5 is volatile, it does its thing and then evaporates off the skin quickly.
The safety profile of this ingredient is reassuring; the US CIR Expert Panel concluded D5 is safe as used in cosmetics and Health Canada concluded that D5 is not harmful to human health or the environment as currently used in cosmetics
There's a study that people mention about D5 in a rat study showing tumors. This study is related to long-term inhalation of high D5 levels.
Regulatory bodies have judged this study to be not applicable in topical skincare since skin absorption of D5 is very low and we're not really inhaling huge amounts of D5.
The only restriction for this ingredient is environmental. The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) restricted D5 in wash-off cosmetics at or above 0.1% due to their persistence in water.
Learn more about CyclopentasiloxaneDimethicone is a type of synthetic silicone created from natural materials such as quartz. It is also known as polydimethylsiloxane.
What it does:
Dimethicone comes in different viscosities:
Depending on the viscosity, dimethicone has different properties.
Ingredients lists don't always show which type is used, so we recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about the viscosity.
This ingredient is unlikely to cause irritation because it does not get absorbed into skin. However, people with silicone allergies should be careful about using this ingredient.
Note: Dimethicone may contribute to pilling. This is because it is not oil or water soluble, so pilling may occur when layered with products. When mixed with heavy oils in a formula, the outcome is also quite greasy.
Learn more about DimethiconeGlycerin (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 GlycerinHexylene Glycol is a multitasker ingredient that works as a solvent, humectant, emulsifier, viscosity reducer, and preservative booster.
It is able to dissolve both water and oil-soluble ingredients to stabilize tricky actives and make products spread more easily.
As a humectant, it pulls water into the skin. But it's a pretty minor moisturizing ingredient compared to other humectants, like glycerin.
Interestingly, it can act as a mild penetration enhancer. One in vitro study on human skin found a 12% concentration upped the absorption of mometasone furoate (a medicinal ingredient used to treat inflammatory skin conditions) up to 7%.
This ingredient is typically used at levels of 0.1-10% depending on the role it's playing.
A patch test study on eczema patients didn't find a significant increase in irritation versus the control group, but the potential for irritation rises at higher concentrations.
Learn more about Hexylene GlycolThis is a synthetic polymer. It helps improve the texture of products by adding thickness and gel-like feel.
It is also an emulsifer, meaning it prevents ingredients such as oil and water from separating. It also helps evenly disperse other ingredients.
Tocopheryl Acetate is AKA Vitamin E. It is an antioxidant and protects your skin from free radicals. Free radicals damage the skin by breaking down collagen.
One study found using Tocopheryl Acetate with Vitamin C decreased the number of sunburned cells.
Tocopheryl Acetate is commonly found in both skincare and dietary supplements.
Learn more about Tocopheryl AcetateWater. 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
