What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Squalane
Emollient
Sodium Polyacrylate Starch
AbsorbentNiacinamide
Smoothing
Xylitylglucoside
Humectant
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Centella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Anhydroxylitol
Humectant
Xylitol
Humectant
Sodium Acrylates Copolymer
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Cetyl PCA
Skin ConditioningCetyl-Pg Hydroxyethyl Palmitamide
Skin ConditioningHydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Lecithin
Emollient
Marmot Oil
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Oenothera Biennis Oil
Emollient
Disodium EDTA
Cholesterol
Emollient
Water, Glycerin, Squalane, Sodium Polyacrylate Starch, Niacinamide, Xylitylglucoside, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Centella Asiatica Extract, Anhydroxylitol, Xylitol, Sodium Acrylates Copolymer, Hyaluronic Acid, Cetyl PCA, Cetyl-Pg Hydroxyethyl Palmitamide, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Phenoxyethanol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Lecithin, Marmot Oil, Ceramide NP, Oenothera Biennis Oil, Disodium EDTA, Cholesterol
Water
Skin ConditioningC12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialIsohexadecane
EmollientTrilaureth-4 Phosphate
EmulsifyingMethylene Bis-Benzotriazolyl Tetramethylbutylphenol
UV Filter
Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine
Skin Conditioning
Curcuma Longa Root Extract
Masking
Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate
UV Filter
Ethylhexyl Triazone
UV Absorber
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Titanium Dioxide
Cosmetic Colorant
Trehalose
Humectant
Biosaccharide Gum-4
Skin Conditioning
Xylitylglucoside
Humectant
Anhydroxylitol
Humectant
Xylitol
Humectant
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Silica
Abrasive
Lecithin
Emollient
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Beheneth-25 Methacrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingLaureth-23
Cleansing
Caprylyl Methicone
Skin Conditioning
Dimethicone
Emollient
Acrylates/C12-22 Alkyl Methacrylate Copolymer
Sodium Acrylates Copolymer
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Decyl Glucoside
Cleansing
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCitric Acid
Buffering
Water, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Isohexadecane, Trilaureth-4 Phosphate, Methylene Bis-Benzotriazolyl Tetramethylbutylphenol, Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine, Curcuma Longa Root Extract, Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate, Ethylhexyl Triazone, Sodium Hyaluronate, Glycerin, Titanium Dioxide, Trehalose, Biosaccharide Gum-4, Xylitylglucoside, Anhydroxylitol, Xylitol, Propylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Silica, Lecithin, Tocopheryl Acetate, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Beheneth-25 Methacrylate Crosspolymer, Laureth-23, Caprylyl Methicone, Dimethicone, Acrylates/C12-22 Alkyl Methacrylate Copolymer, Sodium Acrylates Copolymer, Phenoxyethanol, Decyl Glucoside, Xanthan Gum, Ethylhexylglycerin, Citric Acid
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
This ingredient is created from dehydrating xylitol in acidic conditions. Xylitol is a famous sugar and humectant.
Much like its predecessor, anhydroxylitol is a humectant. Humectants attract and hold water to moisturize the skin.
This ingredient is most commonly found in a popular trio called Aquaxyl. Aquaxyl is made up of anhydroxylitol (24 - 34%), xylitylglucoside (35 - 50%), and xylitol (5 - 15%).
According to a manufacturer, Aquaxyl is known for a 3-D hydration concept and an anti-dehydration shield to reinforce the outer layer of skin.
This ingredient is often derived from plants such as wood and sugarcane.
Learn more about AnhydroxylitolGlycerin (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.
Learn more about LecithinPhenoxyethanol 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.
This ingredient is a synthetic, salt form polymer built from acrylic acid, ethacrylic acid, or their simple esters. It works as a binder, film former, and viscosity increasing agent.
Typical concentrations start at around 0.5% but can go up to 25% for film-forming or binding.
The CIR Expert Panel assessed the safety of 126 acrylates copolymers and concluded they are safe in cosmetics at current use levels when formulated to be non-irritating. They also noted the levels present in finished cosmetic products are not considered a safety risk and Genotoxicity testing (Ames tests, chromosomal aberration assays) has come back negative across the board.
Though the raw building blocks (like acrylic acid) can be irritating on their own, cosmetic-grade versions go through purification to keep levels extremely low.
Sodium Acrylates Copolymer is a large molecule that doesn't penetrate skin barrier in any meaningful way.
Learn more about Sodium Acrylates CopolymerTocopheryl 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 WaterXylitol is a humectant and prebiotic. It can help with dry skin.
In studies, xylitol has been shown to improve dry skin. It decreased transepidermal water loss, or when water passes through the skin and evaporates. Xylitol also showed to help improve the biomechanical properties of the skin barrier.
The prebiotic property of xylitol may also help reinforce our skin's natural microbiome. Having a healthy microbiome prevents infection by bad bacteria and helps with hydration.
As a humectant, Xylitol helps draw moisture from both the air and from deeper skin layers. This helps keep skin hydrated.
Xylitol is a sugar alcohol and commonly used as a sugar substitute. It is naturally occurring in plants such as strawberries and pumpkin.
Learn more about XylitolXylitylglucoside is created from xylitol and glucose, two humectants.
Not surprisingly, this ingredient is also a humectant. It attracts and holds water in your skin, helping to maintain hydration.
This ingredient is most commonly found in a popular trio called Aquaxyl. Aquaxyl is made up of anhydroxylitol(24 - 34%), xylitylglucoside (35 - 50%), and xylitol (5 - 15%).
According to a manufacturer, Aquaxyl is known for a 3-D hydration concept and an anti-dehydration shield to reinforce the outer layer of skin.
Learn more about Xylitylglucoside
