What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningDicaprylyl Carbonate
EmollientPropanediol
SolventGlycerin
HumectantC14-22 Alcohols
Emulsion StabilisingAlgin
MaskingPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningSucrose Stearate
Emollient1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientDehydroxanthan Gum
Emulsion StabilisingC12-20 Alkyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingCalcium Chloride
AstringentDisodium Phosphate
BufferingParfum
MaskingLactic Acid
BufferingCarnosine
Skin ConditioningDisodium Adenosine Triphosphate
Skin ConditioningLaminaria Digitata Extract
Skin ProtectingTocopherol
AntioxidantWater, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Propanediol, Glycerin, C14-22 Alcohols, Algin, Pentylene Glycol, Sucrose Stearate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Dehydroxanthan Gum, C12-20 Alkyl Glucoside, Calcium Chloride, Disodium Phosphate, Parfum, Lactic Acid, Carnosine, Disodium Adenosine Triphosphate, Laminaria Digitata Extract, Tocopherol
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantC13-15 Alkane
SolventPhenyl Trimethicone
Skin ConditioningSodium Acrylates Copolymer
Propanediol
SolventHydrolyzed Soy Protein
HumectantSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantAllantoin
Skin ConditioningAlpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide
CleansingArginine
MaskingAscorbic Acid
AntioxidantAscorbyl Palmitate
AntioxidantBisabolol
AntioxidantButylene Glycol
HumectantCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientChondrus Crispus Powder
AbrasiveCitric Acid
BufferingDiethylhexyl Syringylidenemalonate
Skin ProtectingDisodium EDTA
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningFructose
HumectantGlucose
HumectantGlyceryl Laurate
EmollientGlyceryl Oleate Citrate
EmulsifyingHydrolyzed Wheat Protein
Skin ConditioningLecithin
EmollientMaltose
MaskingPanthenol
Skin ConditioningParfum
MaskingPectin
Emulsion StabilisingPEG-8
HumectantPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningProline
Skin ConditioningPyrus Cydonia Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningSerine
MaskingSodium Chloride
MaskingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingSodium Lactate
BufferingSodium PCA
HumectantSodium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate
Emulsion StabilisingTapioca Starch
Tocopherol
AntioxidantTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantTrehalose
HumectantUrea
BufferingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeWater, Glycerin, C13-15 Alkane, Phenyl Trimethicone, Sodium Acrylates Copolymer, Propanediol, Hydrolyzed Soy Protein, Sodium Hyaluronate, Allantoin, Alpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide, Arginine, Ascorbic Acid, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Bisabolol, Butylene Glycol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Caprylyl Glycol, Chondrus Crispus Powder, Citric Acid, Diethylhexyl Syringylidenemalonate, Disodium EDTA, Ethylhexylglycerin, Fructose, Glucose, Glyceryl Laurate, Glyceryl Oleate Citrate, Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein, Lecithin, Maltose, Panthenol, Parfum, Pectin, PEG-8, Pentylene Glycol, Proline, Pyrus Cydonia Fruit Extract, Serine, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Hydroxide, Sodium Lactate, Sodium PCA, Sodium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Tapioca Starch, Tocopherol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Trehalose, Urea, Xanthan Gum, Phenoxyethanol
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 GlycolGlycerin (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 āFRAGRANCEā or āPARFUMā 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 ParfumPentylene glycol is typically used within a product to thicken it. It also adds a smooth, soft, and moisturizing feel to the product. It is naturally found in plants such as sugar beets.
The hydrophilic trait of Pentylene Glycol makes it a humectant. As a humectant, Pentylene Glycol helps draw moisture from the air to your skin. This can help keep your skin hydrated.
This property also makes Pentylene Glycol a great texture enhancer. It can also help thicken or stabilize a product.
Pentylene Glycol also acts as a mild preservative and helps to keep a product microbe-free.
Some people may experience mild eye and skin irritation from Pentylene Glycol. We always recommend speaking with a professional about using this ingredient in your routine.
Pentylene Glycol has a low molecular weight and is part of the 1,2-glycol family.
Learn more about Pentylene GlycolPropanediol is an all-star ingredient. It softens, hydrates, and smooths the skin.Ā
Itās 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 PropanediolTocopherol 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