What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningHamamelis Virginiana Water
Astringent
Glycerin
Humectant
Coco-Caprylate/Caprate
Emollient
Dicaprylyl Carbonate
EmollientCetearyl Olivate
Sorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Silica
Abrasive
Talc
Abrasive
Sodium Levulinate
Skin ConditioningBentonite
Absorbent
Zinc PCA
Humectant
Parfum
Masking
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate
Antimicrobial
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSclerotium Gum
Emulsion StabilisingLactic Acid
Buffering
Glyceryl Undecylenate
Emollient
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Water, Hamamelis Virginiana Water, Glycerin, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, Silica, Talc, Sodium Levulinate, Bentonite, Zinc PCA, Parfum, Sodium Benzoate, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Xanthan Gum, Sclerotium Gum, Lactic Acid, Glyceryl Undecylenate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Tocopherol
Vitis Vinifera Fruit Water
Skin ConditioningWater
Skin ConditioningCoco-Caprylate/Caprate
Emollient
Propanediol
Solvent
Glycerin
Humectant
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Squalane
Emollient
Lauroyl Lysine
Skin Conditioning
Olea Europaea Fruit Oil
Masking
Pentaerythrityl Distearate
Emulsifying
Sodium Polyacrylate
Absorbent
Centella Asiatica Leaf Extract
Skin Conditioning
Vitis Vinifera Skin Extract
Antioxidant
Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Gluconate
Skin ConditioningCitric Acid
Buffering
O-Cymen-5-Ol
Antimicrobial
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingHydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Andrographis Paniculata Leaf Extract
AstringentCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Lactobacillus Ferment
Skin Conditioning
Parfum
Masking
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
Masking
Vitis Vinifera Fruit Water, Water, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Propanediol, Glycerin, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Pentylene Glycol, Squalane, Lauroyl Lysine, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Pentaerythrityl Distearate, Sodium Polyacrylate, Centella Asiatica Leaf Extract, Vitis Vinifera Skin Extract, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Sodium Gluconate, Citric Acid, O-Cymen-5-Ol, Potassium Sorbate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Sodium Benzoate, Sodium Hydroxide, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate, Tocopherol, Andrographis Paniculata Leaf Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Lactobacillus Ferment, Parfum, Xanthan Gum, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Coco-Caprylate/Caprate is a lightweight ester created from coconut oil fatty acids, caprylic acid, and capric acid.
It is an emollient that helps soften skin and reduce transepidermal water loss (TEWL). What sets it apart from heavier emollients is its ultralight, non-greasy feel.
Once applied, this ingredient dries down quickly and leaves a dry, silky finish behind. This also helps improve spreadability and texture.
This ingredient has an excellent safety-record and is non-irritating.
Typical concentrations for cosmetics range from 0.5-62%.
Research on Malassezia growth found no growth on fatty acid esters with chain lengths shorter than 12 carbons (it prefers C11-24).
Since Coco-Caprylate/Caprate is built on C8 and C10 fatty acids, it is out of the range that Malassezia metabolizes, and therefore safe for fungal acne.
Learn more about Coco-Caprylate/CaprateGlycerin (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 GlycerinParfum is a catch-all term for an ingredient or more that is used to give a scent to products.
Also called "fragrance", this ingredient can be a blend of hundreds of chemicals or plant oils. This means every product with "fragrance" or "parfum" in the ingredients list is a different mixture.
For instance, Habanolide is a proprietary trade name for a specific aroma chemical. When used as a fragrance ingredient in cosmetics, most aroma chemicals fall under the broad labeling category of “FRAGRANCE” or “PARFUM” according to EU and US regulations.
The term 'parfum' or 'fragrance' is not regulated in many countries. In many cases, it is up to the brand to define this term.
For instance, many brands choose to label themselves as "fragrance-free" because they are not using synthetic fragrances. However, their products may still contain ingredients such as essential oils that are considered a fragrance by INCI standards.
One example is Calendula flower extract. Calendula is an essential oil that still imparts a scent or 'fragrance'.
Depending on the blend, the ingredients in the mixture can cause allergies and sensitivities on the skin. Some ingredients that are known EU allergens include linalool and citronellol.
Parfum can also be used to mask or cover an unpleasant scent.
The bottom line is: not all fragrances/parfum/ingredients are created equally. If you are worried about fragrances, we recommend taking a closer look at an ingredient. And of course, we always recommend speaking with a professional.
Learn more about ParfumSodium Benzoate is a preservative. It's used in both cosmetic and food products to inhibit the growth of mold and bacteria. It is typically produced synthetically.
Both the US FDA and EU Health Committee have approved the use of sodium benzoate. In the US, levels of 0.1% (of the total product) are allowed.
Sodium benzoate works as a preservative by inhibiting the growth of bacteria inside of cells. It prevents the cell from fermenting a type of sugar using an enzyme called phosphofructokinase.
It is the salt of benzoic acid. Foods containing sodium benzoate include soda, salad dressings, condiments, fruit juices, wines, and snack foods.
Studies for using ascorbic acid and sodium benzoate in cosmetics are lacking, especially in skincare routines with multiple steps.
We always recommend speaking with a professional, such as a dermatologist, if you have any concerns.
Learn more about Sodium BenzoateSodium Hyaluronate is the salt form of hyaluronic acid. It is a long sugar chain that is naturally found in your skin, joints, and connective tissue that maintains hydration and elasticity.
In skincare, it works as a humectant. It pulls water from the environment and deeper layers of skin and binds it to the surface.
Interestingly, the size of the molecule affects its behavior:
Some clinical evidence links low molecular weight versions to improved wrinkle depth, elasticity, anti-inflammatory effects, and barrier repair.
Many serums use a blend of both weights so you can get surface hydration plus longer-lasting and deeper effects.
You'll typically see concentrations between 0.1-2% for this ingredient.
Learn more about Sodium HyaluronateTocopherol 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
