What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin Conditioning3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid
Skin ConditioningTrehalose
HumectantDicaprylyl Carbonate
EmollientEthoxydiglycol
HumectantGlycerin
HumectantPropanediol
SolventDipropylene Glycol
HumectantHydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingPalmitoyl Proline
Skin ConditioningCitric Acid
BufferingSodium Citrate
BufferingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingBisabolol
AntioxidantPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeDimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Skin ConditioningNymphaea Alba Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningPanthenol
Skin ConditioningSodium Metabisulfite
AntioxidantBHT
AntioxidantDisodium EDTA
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantSilica
AbrasiveButylene Glycol
HumectantIsoceteth-10
EmulsifyingCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientGlyceryl Caprylate
EmollientPhenylpropanol
MaskingPalmitoyl Sh-Octapeptide-24 Amide
Skin ConditioningGlycolic Acid
BufferingLactic Acid
BufferingPolyvinyl Alcohol
Palmitoyl Sh-Tripeptide-5 Norisoleucyl Sh-Nonapeptide-1
Skin ConditioningWater, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Trehalose, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Ethoxydiglycol, Glycerin, Propanediol, Dipropylene Glycol, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Palmitoyl Proline, Citric Acid, Sodium Citrate, Xanthan Gum, Bisabolol, Phenoxyethanol, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Nymphaea Alba Flower Extract, Panthenol, Sodium Metabisulfite, BHT, Disodium EDTA, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Hyaluronate, Silica, Butylene Glycol, Isoceteth-10, Caprylyl Glycol, Glyceryl Caprylate, Phenylpropanol, Palmitoyl Sh-Octapeptide-24 Amide, Glycolic Acid, Lactic Acid, Polyvinyl Alcohol, Palmitoyl Sh-Tripeptide-5 Norisoleucyl Sh-Nonapeptide-1
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
You might know this ingredient as Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, a more stable version of ascorbic acid.
Like other types of vitamin C, this ingredient has many benefits including reducing wrinkles, skin soothing, dark spot fading, and fighting against free radicals.
3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid interferes with the process of skin darkening, helping to reduce hyperpigmentation. It also encourages the skin to produce more collagen.
Once applied, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid is converted to Vitamin C deeper in the skin's layers. This process is slow but makes this ingredient more tolerable for skin.
The optimum pH range for this ingredient is 4 - 5.5
Learn more about 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic AcidEthoxydiglycol is a synthetic solvent.
Solvents are used to keep ingredients together in a product. They can help dissolve ingredients to stable bases or help evenly distribute ingredients throughout the product.
Ethoxydiglycol also helps deliver other key ingredients into the skin.
Learn more about EthoxydiglycolGlycerin (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 GlycerinPanthenol 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 PanthenolPhenoxyethanol is a preservative that has germicide, antimicrobial, and aromatic properties. Studies show that phenoxyethanol can prevent microbial growth. By itself, it has a scent that is similar to that of a rose.
It's often used in formulations along with Caprylyl Glycol to preserve the shelf life of products.
Propanediol is an all-star ingredient. It softens, hydrates, and smooths the skin.Â
It’s often used to:
Propanediol is not likely to cause sensitivity and considered safe to use. It is derived from corn or petroleum with a clear color and no scent.
Learn more about PropanediolWater. 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