What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientBehentrimonium Chloride
PreservativeGlycerin
HumectantAmodimethicone
Cyclopentasiloxane
EmollientCitric Acid
BufferingIsopropyl Alcohol
SolventCetrimonium Chloride
AntimicrobialSodium Benzoate
MaskingDimethicone
EmollientTrideceth-12
EmulsifyingPanthenol
Skin ConditioningParfum
MaskingTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantCaramel
Cosmetic ColorantButylene Glycol
HumectantCornus Officinalis Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningRehmannia Glutinosa Root Extract
Skin ConditioningDioscorea Japonica Root Extract
Skin ConditioningAlisma Orientale Tuber Extract
Skin ConditioningPaeonia Suffruticosa Root Extract
Skin ProtectingPoria Cocos Sclerotium Extract
AstringentCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningAlcohol
AntimicrobialHydrolyzed Silk
HumectantHydrolyzed Collagen
EmollientGelatin
Hydrolyzed Keratin
HumectantAvena Sativa Kernel Extract
Abrasive1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Wheat Protein
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Corn Protein
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Soy Protein
HumectantPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeDaucus Carota Sativa Root Extract
Skin ConditioningBrassica Oleracea Italica Extract
AstringentApium Graveolens Extract
Skin ConditioningBrassica Oleracea Capitata Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningOryza Sativa Extract
AbsorbentBrassica Rapa Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningSolanum Lycopersicum Fruit/Leaf/Stem Extract
AstringentWater, Cetearyl Alcohol, Behentrimonium Chloride, Glycerin, Amodimethicone, Cyclopentasiloxane, Citric Acid, Isopropyl Alcohol, Cetrimonium Chloride, Sodium Benzoate, Dimethicone, Trideceth-12, Panthenol, Parfum, Tocopheryl Acetate, Caramel, Butylene Glycol, Cornus Officinalis Fruit Extract, Rehmannia Glutinosa Root Extract, Dioscorea Japonica Root Extract, Alisma Orientale Tuber Extract, Paeonia Suffruticosa Root Extract, Poria Cocos Sclerotium Extract, Ceramide NP, Alcohol, Hydrolyzed Silk, Hydrolyzed Collagen, Gelatin, Hydrolyzed Keratin, Avena Sativa Kernel Extract, 1,2-Hexanediol, Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein, Hydrolyzed Corn Protein, Hydrolyzed Soy Protein, Phenoxyethanol, Daucus Carota Sativa Root Extract, Brassica Oleracea Italica Extract, Apium Graveolens Extract, Brassica Oleracea Capitata Leaf Extract, Oryza Sativa Extract, Brassica Rapa Leaf Extract, Ethylhexylglycerin, Solanum Lycopersicum Fruit/Leaf/Stem Extract
Water
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Collagen
EmollientCitric Acid
BufferingMagnesium Sulfate
Imidazolidinone
MaskingPanthenol
Skin ConditioningTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantMauritia Flexuosa Fruit Oil
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Vegetable Protein Pg-Propyl Silanetriol
Skin ConditioningPhytantriol
HumectantMagnesium Carbonate
AbsorbentCocamidopropyl Betaine
CleansingDimethylol Urea
AntimicrobialTrimethylsiloxyamodimethicone
C11-15 Pareth-7
EmulsifyingC12-16 Pareth-9
EmulsifyingGlycerin
HumectantTrideceth-12
EmulsifyingDMDM Hydantoin
PreservativeParfum
MaskingLinalool
PerfumingWater, Hydrolyzed Collagen, Citric Acid, Magnesium Sulfate, Imidazolidinone, Panthenol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Mauritia Flexuosa Fruit Oil, Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein Pg-Propyl Silanetriol, Phytantriol, Magnesium Carbonate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Dimethylol Urea, Trimethylsiloxyamodimethicone, C11-15 Pareth-7, C12-16 Pareth-9, Glycerin, Trideceth-12, DMDM Hydantoin, Parfum, Linalool
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Citric Acid is an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) naturally found in citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, and limes.
Like other AHAs, citric acid can exfoliate skin by breaking down the bonds that hold dead skin cells together. This helps reveal smoother and brighter skin underneath.
However, this exfoliating effect only happens at high concentrations (20%) which can be hard to find in cosmetic products.
Due to this, citric acid is usually included in small amounts as a pH adjuster. This helps keep products slightly more acidic and compatible with skin's natural pH.
In skincare formulas, citric acid can:
While it can provide some skin benefits, research shows lactic acid and glycolic acid are generally more effective and less irritating exfoliants.
Most citric acid used in skincare today is made by fermenting sugars (usually from molasses). This synthetic version is identical to the natural citrus form but easier to stabilize and use in formulations.
Read more about some other popular AHA's here:
Learn more about Citric AcidGlycerin (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 GlycerinHydrolyzed Collagen is Collagen (usually sourced from fish, bovine, or porcine byproducts) that's been broken down into smaller peptides. This makes it water-soluble and easy to blend into formulations.
In a formula, it works mainly as a skin-conditioning and moisturizing agent.
The small peptides and amino acids (including Natural Moisturizing Factor components like Hydroxyproline, Serine, and Aspartic Acid) help the surface of the skin hold onto water, feel softer, and look temporarily plumper.
This ingredient also has mild film-forming and antioxidant properties with research showing the antioxidant effect is stronger the lower the molecular weight of the peptides.
It's worth being realistic here:
Topically applied Hydrolyzed Collagen conditions the upper layers of skin rather than rebuilding the structural collagen deep in your dermis (the wrinkle-and-firmness benefits people associate with Collagen mostly come from oral supplements in studies, not topicals).
However, recent lab and skin-model work on Hydrolyzed Fish Collagen has shown promising effects on cell viability and wound healing when used as an active.
Typical concentrations range from 0.2-2%, but the percentage can go much higher in rinse-off or hair products (sometimes even above 50%).
Clinical studies on this ingredient showed no irritation, sensitization, or phototoxicity.
If you are looking for vegan collagen, it usually goes by a different INCI name like hydrolyzed soy protein. Vegan collagen is derived from yeast, bacteria, or plant sources.
The results are varied.
A study from 2021 found hydrolyzed collagen increased elasticity and improved wrinkles in 1,125 participants between age 20 and 70. Another study found increased skin thickness in participants between the ages of 45 to 59.
However, It is difficult to prove that oral collagen will end up working on your skin. Many of the studies using hydrolyzed collagen also add several vitamins and nutrients into the test mixture as well.
Further studies are needed at this time.
Learn more about Hydrolyzed CollagenPanthenol is a common ingredient that helps hydrate and soothe the skin. It is found naturally in our skin and hair.
There are two forms of panthenol: D and L.
D-panthenol is also known as dexpanthenol. Most cosmetics use dexpanthenol or a mixture of D and L-panthenol.
Panthenol is famous due to its ability to go deeper into the skin's layers. Using this ingredient has numerous pros (and no cons):
Like hyaluronic acid, panthenol is a humectant. Humectants are able to bind and hold large amounts of water to keep skin hydrated.
This ingredient works well for wound healing. It works by increasing tissue in the wound and helps close open wounds.
Once oxidized, panthenol converts to pantothenic acid. Panthothenic acid is found in all living cells.
This ingredient is also referred to as pro-vitamin B5.
Learn more about PanthenolParfum 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 ParfumTocopheryl Acetate is a stable, shelf-friendly form of vitamin E.
Formulators love it because plain vitamin E oxidizes quickly once it hits air. This acetate version stays stable and resists going off, helping to extend a product's shelf life.
It's actually inactive on its own and works like a slow-release "storage" form; the enzymes in your skin called esterases gradually convert it into active vitamin E over time.
One in vivo study showed 5% of the acetate in the living layer of the epidermis converted to vitamin E after 5 days of application. This study also found the skin gained protection against UV damage even though the conversion was slow and small.
Once converted, vitamin E acts as a skin's main fat-soluble antioxidant that fights free radicals to protect skin from damage.
Topical vitamin E generally boosts the skin's photoprotection, and it reduced UV-damage in animal models.
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.
Overall, it has a pretty solid safety profile and has been found to be non-irritating and non-comedogenic. Allergic reactions may happen but stay rare due to how widely the ingredient gets used.
The concentration will vary depending on the formula; industry data shows 0.1% in baby lotions, 3% in lipsticks, and 5% in foot powders. You can also find this ingredient at 100% in a pure vitamin E oil.
Most leave-on skincare keeps it at the lower end, often between 0.5-1%.
Learn more about Tocopheryl AcetateWe don't have a description for Trideceth-12 yet.
Water. 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