What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningOenothera Biennis Oil
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin Conditioning
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Pentaerythrityl Distearate
Emulsifying
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Potassium Cetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingOctyldodecanol
Emollient
Betaine
Humectant
Hydrogenated Palm Glycerides
Emollient
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Echium Plantagineum Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Cardiospermum Halicacabum Flower/Leaf/Vine Extract
Skin ConditioningHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil Unsaponifiables
Emollient
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Bisabolol
Antioxidant
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingTocopherol
Antioxidant
Ascorbyl Palmitate
Antioxidant
Water, Oenothera Biennis Oil, Glycerin, Pentylene Glycol, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Pentaerythrityl Distearate, Glyceryl Stearate, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Octyldodecanol, Betaine, Hydrogenated Palm Glycerides, Tocopheryl Acetate, Panthenol, Echium Plantagineum Seed Oil, Cardiospermum Halicacabum Flower/Leaf/Vine Extract, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil Unsaponifiables, Xanthan Gum, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Caprylyl Glycol, Allantoin, Bisabolol, Sodium Hydroxide, Tocopherol, Ascorbyl Palmitate
Cyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Emulsion Stabilising
Dimethicone
Emollient
Lauryl PEG-9 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone
Skin Conditioning
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Bisabolol
Antioxidant
Zingiber Officinale Root Extract
Masking
Avena Sativa Kernel Oil
Skin Conditioning
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Boerhavia Diffusa Root Extract
Skin Protecting
Glycerin
Humectant
Avena Sativa Kernel Extract
Abrasive
Stearyl Glycyrrhetinate
Skin ConditioningPentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Hydroxyphenyl Propamidobenzoic Acid
Skin ConditioningOenothera Biennis Oil
Emollient
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Ascorbyl Palmitate
Antioxidant
Borago Officinalis Seed Oil
Emollient
Safflower Oil/Palm Oil Aminopropanediol Esters
Skin Conditioning
Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate
Antioxidant
Water
Skin ConditioningCyclopentasiloxane, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Dimethicone, Lauryl PEG-9 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone, Tocopheryl Acetate, Bisabolol, Zingiber Officinale Root Extract, Avena Sativa Kernel Oil, Butylene Glycol, Boerhavia Diffusa Root Extract, Glycerin, Avena Sativa Kernel Extract, Stearyl Glycyrrhetinate, Pentylene Glycol, Hydroxyphenyl Propamidobenzoic Acid, Oenothera Biennis Oil, Tocopherol, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Borago Officinalis Seed Oil, Safflower Oil/Palm Oil Aminopropanediol Esters, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Water
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Ascorbyl Palmitate is a fat-soluble form of vitamin C (Ascorbic Acid) made by combining it with palmitic acid.
It is able to blend easily into creams and oil-based formulas because it dissolves in oils rather than water.
As you may know, regular vitamin C is notorious for breaking down when exposed to sunlight and air. Ascorbyl Palmitate is more stable and degrades at a slower rate.
Research on whether it converts efficiently into active vitamin C once it's applied on your skin is still limited. Some in-vitro studies suggest it may support collagen production, but it is not considered one of the stronger vitamin C derivatives, like:
Due to the palmitic acid base, this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe. Comedogenic studies have also shown this ingredient to have a rating of 2.
It's also worth keeping in mind that comedogenic and irritancy ratings are tested on individual ingredients, not finished formulas. The final product's formulation, concentration, and other ingredients all play a role in how something actually behaves on your skin.
Learn more about Ascorbyl PalmitateBisabolol is a gentle skin conditioner, antioxidant, and soothing ingredient.
It's primary claim to fame is soothing and research shows topically applied bisabolol can quiet the chemical messengers that cause your skin to become inflamed, helping to sooth any irritation.
A clinical study found that applying 0.5% bisabolol daily for 8 weeks produced an average 9% decrease in skin pigmentation. Researchers found it can also suppress the process that leads to excess melanin production in skin.
In vitro studies found that bisabolol combined with propylene glycol significantly increased skin permeability by increasing lipid fluidity in the stratum corneum.
You'll likely see use concentrations quite low, usually 0.1-0.2%.
Overall, this is a well-tolerated ingredient that works well in formulas designed for sensitive, reactive, or post-procedure skin.
Learn more about BisabololGlycerin (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 GlycerinOenothera Biennis Oil is the fixed oil derived from the seeds of the Evening Primrose.
Evening primrose oil is rich in fatty acids. These fatty acids include linoleic (60-85%), oleic (5-12%), palmitic (4-10%), and stearic (2-4%).
The fatty acid composition makes it a great ingredient for soothing and moisturizing skin. However, it may not be Malassezia folliculitis, or fungal acne safe.
Further research is needed on the role of evening primrose in treating eczema.
Evening primrose is native to North America.
Learn more about Oenothera Biennis OilPentylene 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 GlycolTocopherol 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 TocopherolTocopheryl Acetate is AKA Vitamin E. It is an antioxidant and protects your skin from free radicals. Free radicals damage the skin by breaking down collagen.
One study found using Tocopheryl Acetate with Vitamin C decreased the number of sunburned cells.
Tocopheryl Acetate is commonly found in both skincare and dietary supplements.
Learn more about Tocopheryl AcetateWater. 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
