What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Pentaerythrityl Tetraisostearate
Emollient
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialButylene Glycol
Humectant
Palmitoyl Oligopeptide
Cleansing
Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Skin Conditioning
Acetyl Hexapeptide-8
Humectant
Tribehenin
Emollient
Ceramide Ng
Skin Conditioning
PEG-10 Phytosterol
EmulsifyingPalmitoyl Hexapeptide-12
Skin Conditioning
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingAscorbyl Tetraisopalmitate
Antioxidant
Disodium EDTA
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialGlycine Soja Oil
Emollient
Retinyl Palmitate
Skin Conditioning
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingPolysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPolyglyceryl-10 Laurate
Skin Conditioning
Methylparaben
Preservative
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingPropylparaben
Preservative
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Water, Glycerin, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Pentaerythrityl Tetraisostearate, Panthenol, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Butylene Glycol, Palmitoyl Oligopeptide, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Tribehenin, Ceramide Ng, PEG-10 Phytosterol, Palmitoyl Hexapeptide-12, Tocopheryl Acetate, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Ascorbyl Tetraisopalmitate, Disodium EDTA, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Glycine Soja Oil, Retinyl Palmitate, Tocopherol, Carbomer, Polysorbate 20, Caprylyl Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Methylparaben, Sodium Hydroxide, Propylparaben, Lactic Acid
Water
Skin ConditioningCaffeine
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Isopentyldiol
Humectant
Propanediol
Solvent
Octyldodecanol
Emollient
Dimethyl Isosorbide
SolventPyrus Malus Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Pfaffia Paniculata Root Extract
SoothingPtychopetalum Olacoides Bark/Root Extract
EmollientLilium Candidum Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningAcmella Oleracea Extract
Skin ProtectingSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate
Antioxidant
Tetrapeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Urea
Buffering
Yeast Amino Acids
HumectantTrehalose
Humectant
Inositol
Humectant
Taurine
BufferingBetaine
Humectant
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl/Capryl Glucoside
CleansingPvm/Ma Decadiene Crosspolymer
Silica
Abrasive
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingCitric Acid
Buffering
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Xylitol
Humectant
Caprylic Acid
CleansingLeuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate
Antimicrobial
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Tin Oxide
Abrasive
Synthetic Fluorphlogopite
CI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Caffeine, Glycerin, Isopentyldiol, Propanediol, Octyldodecanol, Dimethyl Isosorbide, Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract, Pfaffia Paniculata Root Extract, Ptychopetalum Olacoides Bark/Root Extract, Lilium Candidum Flower Extract, Acmella Oleracea Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Tetrapeptide-1, Urea, Yeast Amino Acids, Trehalose, Inositol, Taurine, Betaine, Hydroxyacetophenone, Ethylhexylglycerin, Caprylyl/Capryl Glucoside, Pvm/Ma Decadiene Crosspolymer, Silica, Sodium Hydroxide, Citric Acid, Chlorphenesin, Sodium Benzoate, Caprylyl Glycol, Benzyl Alcohol, Xylitol, Caprylic Acid, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Tocopherol, Tin Oxide, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, CI 77891
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Caprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.
Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.
Because it is not a free-fatty acid, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolEthylhexylglycerin 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 GlycerinSodium 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 Water
