What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Salicylic Acid 1%
Masking
Water
Skin ConditioningNiacinamide
Smoothing
Glycerin
Humectant
Silica
Abrasive
Propanediol
Solvent
Isododecane
EmollientTranexamic Acid
Astringent
Glyceryl Stearate Citrate
Emollient
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialAcetyl Glucosamine
Skin Conditioning
Tromethamine
BufferingAluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate
Absorbent
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Capryloyl Glycine
CleansingPotassium Cetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingAllantoin
Skin Conditioning
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
Antioxidant
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Disodium EDTA
Caprylic Acid
CleansingCI 77288
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77492
Cosmetic ColorantSalicylic Acid 1%, Water, Niacinamide, Glycerin, Silica, Propanediol, Isododecane, Tranexamic Acid, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Acetyl Glucosamine, Tromethamine, Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate, Phenoxyethanol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Capryloyl Glycine, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Allantoin, Xanthan Gum, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Tocopherol, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Disodium EDTA, Caprylic Acid, CI 77288, CI 77492
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Methyl Trimethicone
Skin Conditioning
Dicaprylyl Ether
Emollient
Artemisia Argyi Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningBetaine
Humectant
Cetyl Ethylhexanoate
EmollientHydrogenated Poly(C6-14 Olefin)
EmollientGlyceryl Polymethacrylate
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Glyceryl Stearate Citrate
Emollient
Cnidium Officinale Root Water
MaskingAngelica Acutiloba Root Extract
Skin ConditioningAmmonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
C14-22 Alcohols
Emulsion Stabilising
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingPolymethylsilsesquioxane
Arachidyl Alcohol
Emollient
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Palmitic Acid
Emollient
Behenyl Alcohol
Emollient
Dioscorea Japonica Root Extract
Skin Conditioning
C12-20 Alkyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingRubus Idaeus Fruit Extract
AstringentUlmus Davidiana Root Extract
Skin Conditioning
Arachidyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingParfum
Masking
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningSalicornia Herbacea Extract
Skin ConditioningMorus Alba Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningAngelica Keiskei Extract
Antioxidant
Disodium EDTA
Sorbitan Isostearate
Emulsifying
Myristic Acid
Cleansing
Lauric Acid
Cleansing
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Glycine Soja Oil
Emollient
Water, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Methyl Trimethicone, Dicaprylyl Ether, Artemisia Argyi Leaf Extract, Betaine, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Hydrogenated Poly(C6-14 Olefin), Glyceryl Polymethacrylate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Cnidium Officinale Root Water, Angelica Acutiloba Root Extract, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, C14-22 Alcohols, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Arachidyl Alcohol, Stearic Acid, Glyceryl Stearate, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Palmitic Acid, Behenyl Alcohol, Dioscorea Japonica Root Extract, C12-20 Alkyl Glucoside, Rubus Idaeus Fruit Extract, Ulmus Davidiana Root Extract, Arachidyl Glucoside, Parfum, Ethylhexylglycerin, Salicornia Herbacea Extract, Morus Alba Leaf Extract, Angelica Keiskei Extract, Disodium EDTA, Sorbitan Isostearate, Myristic Acid, Lauric Acid, Tocopherol, Glycine Soja Oil
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Disodium EDTA is a chelating agent. It grabs onto and deactivates metal ions that sneak into your products from water, packaging, or air.
This ingredient mainly works behind the scenes and helps with:
On top of that, this ingredient can counteract the effects of hard water by binding to the minerals in it.
One thing worth knowing is that Disodium EDTA has been shown to be a mild penetration enhancer. It can help other ingredients absorb into skin more effectively which can be a double-edged sword (great for actives, but can also make the active too strong if you have sensitive skin).
Clinical patch testing showed no significant skin irritation at typical use concentrations and minimal dermal absorption.
You'll most likely see this ingredient near the end of an ingredient list. It's typically found in concentrations less than 1%.
Learn more about Disodium EDTAEthylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:
The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure.
Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.
Learn more about EthylhexylglycerinGlycerin (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 GlycerinGlyceryl Stearate Citrate is a citric acid ester of glyceryl stearate.
It is an emulsifier, emollient, and a surfactant.
Emulsifiers help stabilize a product. It does this by preventing certain ingredients from separating. Common ingredients include oils and water, which do not mix naturally. Emulsifiers have properties that help keep ingredients such as these together.
Emollients help soothe and soften the skin. They do this by creating a protective film on your skin. This barrier helps trap moisture and keeps your skin hydrated. Emollients may be effective at treating dry or itchy skin.
Surfactants help gather oils, dirt, and other pollutants from the skin. This helps them to be easily rinsed away.
Learn more about Glyceryl Stearate CitrateTocopherol 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
