What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Glycerin
Humectant
Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate
UV Absorber
Sorbitol
Humectant
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialAscorbyl Tetraisopalmitate
Antioxidant
Sodium Lactate
Buffering
Hydrolyzed Jojoba Esters
Skin Conditioning
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Palmitoyl Oligopeptide
Cleansing
Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Skin Conditioning
Tribehenin
Emollient
Ceramide Ng
Skin Conditioning
PEG-10 Phytosterol
EmulsifyingPalmitoyl Hexapeptide-12
Skin Conditioning
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingTea-Lactate
HumectantSerine
Masking
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Urea
Buffering
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Retinyl Propionate
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Chloride
MaskingDisodium EDTA
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
BHT
Antioxidant
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingRosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialEpigallocatechin Gallate
Antioxidant
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingLycopene
Antioxidant
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingSodium Ascorbate
Antioxidant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Glucose
Humectant
Corn Starch Modified
AbsorbentZea Mays Starch
Absorbent
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Water, Butylene Glycol, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Glycerin, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Sorbitol, Tocopheryl Acetate, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Ascorbyl Tetraisopalmitate, Sodium Lactate, Hydrolyzed Jojoba Esters, Polysorbate 20, Palmitoyl Oligopeptide, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Tribehenin, Ceramide Ng, PEG-10 Phytosterol, Palmitoyl Hexapeptide-12, Carbomer, Tea-Lactate, Serine, Lactic Acid, Urea, Allantoin, Retinyl Propionate, Sodium Chloride, Disodium EDTA, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, BHT, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Epigallocatechin Gallate, Xanthan Gum, Lycopene, Sodium Hydroxide, Sodium Ascorbate, Tocopherol, Glucose, Corn Starch Modified, Zea Mays Starch, Sodium Benzoate
Water
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Gluconolactone
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cetyl Esters
Emollient
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingDimethicone
Emollient
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter Extract
Skin Conditioning
Retinol
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Cetearyl Glucoside
Emulsifying
Jojoba Esters
Emollient
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingPolysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningSqualane
Emollient
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingAllyl Methacrylates Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate
Polysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Sorbitan Isostearate
Emulsifying
Citric Acid
Buffering
Water, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Gluconolactone, Glycerin, Cetearyl Alcohol, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Cetyl Alcohol, Cetyl Esters, Sodium Hydroxide, Dimethicone, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter Extract, Retinol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Cetearyl Glucoside, Jojoba Esters, Tocopherol, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Polysorbate 20, Ethylhexylglycerin, Squalane, Carbomer, Allyl Methacrylates Crosspolymer, Xanthan Gum, Phenoxyethanol, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Polysorbate 60, Sorbitan Isostearate, 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.
Carbomer is a high-molecular weight polymer of acrylic acid. It is used to form gels and thicken formulas.
Due to its large molecular size, carbomer has minimal skin penetration and is considered an inert ingredient.
A high amount of carbomer can cause pilling or balling up of products. Don't worry, most products contain 1% or less of carbomer.
Learn more about CarbomerGlycerin (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 GlycerinHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil is a plant oil derived from the seeds of a sunflower.
It is rich in fatty acids, primarily linoleic acid and oleic acid. This gives it emollient and skin conditioning properties.
The reason this ingredient is so effective is because it forms a thin film on the skin that reduces transepidermal water loss (TEWL) while supplying linoleic acid to the stratum corneum to improve barrier strength.
The high linoleic acid content is particularly noteworthy for acne-prone skin.
Research suggests that acne-prone skin tends to be deficient in linoleic acid in sebum. Topical application may help replenish this to support a healthier follicular environment and less comedone-promoting sebum.
One randomized study found sunflower seed oil preserved skin barrier integrity in adult volunteers with and without atopic dermatitis (outperforming olive oil).
This ingredient is well-studied, gentle, and an effective emollient suitable for most skin types.
On fungal acne: This ingredient may not be Fungal acne (Malassezia folliculitis) safe. This is because it contains fatty acids with carbon chain lengths in the C11-C24 range.
Learn more about Helianthus Annuus Seed OilPolysorbate 20 is a gentle, water-soluble emulsifier and mild surfactant. It stops oil and water from separating to keep your formulas blended and stable.
It also acts as a mild penetration enhancer by helping active ingredients absorb slightly better.
The common safety discussion around this ingredient involves a manufacturing byproduct called 1,4-dioxane.
Trace amounts can form during production but the EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety has concluded that levels at/below 10 ppm in finished products are safe (commercial products consistently fall within acceptable margins).
True allergic reactions are uncommon and the CIR Expert Panel has confirmed this ingredient to be safe as used in cosmetics.
Because it is derived from lauric acid, it may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Polysorbate 20Sodium Hydroxide is also known as lye or caustic soda. It is used to adjust the pH of products; many ingredients require a specific pH to be effective.
In small amounts, sodium hydroxide is considered safe to use. However, large amounts may cause chemical burns due to its high alkaline.
Your skin has a natural pH and acid mantle. This acid mantle helps prevent harmful bacteria from breaking through. The acid mantle also helps keep your skin hydrated.
"Alkaline" refers to a high pH level. A low pH level would be considered acidic.
Learn more about Sodium HydroxideTocopherol 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
