What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningIsopropyl Myristate
Emollient
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Propanediol
Solvent
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Chlorella Vulgaris Extract
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
Antioxidant
Ectoin
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Acrylates Copolymer
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Glycerin
Humectant
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Acetyl Glucosamine
Skin Conditioning
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glyceryl Glucoside
Humectant
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Potassium Cetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingLecithin
Emollient
Biotin
AntiseborrhoeicSodium Phytate
Citric Acid
Buffering
Maltodextrin
Absorbent
Trehalose
Humectant
Linoleic Acid
Cleansing
Adenosine
Skin Conditioning
Cyclodextrin
AbsorbentHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Hydrolyzed Rice Bran Protein
Skin ConditioningLactic Acid
Buffering
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingAnanas Sativus Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningArginine
Masking
Brassica Alba Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Oligopeptide-195
Oligopeptide-196
Skin Conditioning
Oligopeptide-197
Skin Conditioning
Oligopeptide-198
Oligopeptide-199
Oligopeptide-6
Skin Conditioning
Polylysine
Linolenic Acid
Cleansing
Water, Isopropyl Myristate, Pentylene Glycol, Propanediol, Niacinamide, Chlorella Vulgaris Extract, Tocopherol, Ectoin, Sodium Acrylates Copolymer, Hydroxyacetophenone, Glycerin, Panthenol, Acetyl Glucosamine, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Glucoside, Tocopheryl Acetate, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Xanthan Gum, Lecithin, Biotin, Sodium Phytate, Citric Acid, Maltodextrin, Trehalose, Linoleic Acid, Adenosine, Cyclodextrin, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Hydrolyzed Rice Bran Protein, Lactic Acid, Sodium Hydroxide, Ananas Sativus Fruit Extract, Arginine, Brassica Alba Seed Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Oligopeptide-195, Oligopeptide-196, Oligopeptide-197, Oligopeptide-198, Oligopeptide-199, Oligopeptide-6, Polylysine, Linolenic Acid
Water
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
Solvent
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Cetearyl Olivate
Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate
Antimicrobial
Glycine Soja Oil
Emollient
Sorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Glycerin
Humectant
Xylityl Sesquicaprylate
Antimicrobial
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Lactobacillus Ferment
Skin Conditioning
Oryza Sativa Starch
AbsorbentRaphanus Sativus Sprout Extract
Antioxidant
Brassica Oleracea Italica Sprout Extract
EmollientHericium Erinaceum Extract
Skin ConditioningAnhydroxylitol
Humectant
Maltodextrin
Absorbent
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Beta-Sitosterol
Emulsion Stabilising
Squalene
Emollient
Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil
Masking
Lavandula Angustifolia Oil
Masking
Linalool
Perfuming
Linalyl Acetate
Masking
Beta-Caryophyllene
Masking
Terpineol
Masking
Limonene
Perfuming
Water, Propanediol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cetearyl Olivate, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Glycine Soja Oil, Sorbitan Olivate, Glycerin, Xylityl Sesquicaprylate, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Hyaluronate, Lactobacillus Ferment, Oryza Sativa Starch, Raphanus Sativus Sprout Extract, Brassica Oleracea Italica Sprout Extract, Hericium Erinaceum Extract, Anhydroxylitol, Maltodextrin, Tocopherol, Beta-Sitosterol, Squalene, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil, Lavandula Angustifolia Oil, Linalool, Linalyl Acetate, Beta-Caryophyllene, Terpineol, Limonene
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 GlycerinMaltodextrin is a polysaccharide. It is derived from starch such as rice, corn, wheat, or potato starch.
In food, Maltodextrin is used to improve the texture and thicken a product. Due to its structure, it can help create a gel texture. As an emulsion stabilizer, it helps keep the ingredients in a product together.
As a polysaccharide, Maltodextrin has moisturizing properties. Polysaccharides are a type of carbohydrate. The top layer of skin uses polysaccharides to retain water, keeping the skin hydrated.
Maltodextrin is water soluble and has a sweet taste.
Learn more about MaltodextrinPropanediol is an all-star ingredient. It softens, hydrates, and smooths the skin.Â
It’s often used to:
Propanediol is not likely to cause sensitivity and considered safe to use. It is derived from corn or petroleum with a clear color and no scent.
Learn more about PropanediolTocopherol 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
