What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantIsopropyl Palmitate
EmollientAlcohol Denat.
AntimicrobialCetearyl Isononanoate
EmollientSqualane
EmollientPanthenol
Skin ConditioningGlyceryl Stearate Citrate
EmollientCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientHydrogenated Coco-Glycerides
EmollientButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningMethylpropanediol
SolventLauroyl Lysine
Skin ConditioningIsobutylamido Thiazolyl Resorcinol
BleachingGlycyrrhiza Inflata Root Extract
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
AntioxidantGlucosylrutin
AntioxidantCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingChondrus Crispus Extract
Skin ConditioningSodium Hydroxide
BufferingIsoquercitrin
AntioxidantTrisodium EDTA
Phenoxyethanol
PreservativeParfum
MaskingWater, Glycerin, Isopropyl Palmitate, Alcohol Denat., Cetearyl Isononanoate, Squalane, Panthenol, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Hydrogenated Coco-Glycerides, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Methylpropanediol, Lauroyl Lysine, Isobutylamido Thiazolyl Resorcinol, Glycyrrhiza Inflata Root Extract, Tocopherol, Glucosylrutin, Carbomer, Chondrus Crispus Extract, Sodium Hydroxide, Isoquercitrin, Trisodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol, Parfum
Water
Skin ConditioningNiacinamide
SmoothingButylene Glycol
HumectantC13-15 Alkane
SolventDicaprylyl Ether
EmollientPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningJojoba Esters
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantArachidyl Alcohol
EmollientAmmonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Bisabolol
AntioxidantAlpha-Arbutin
AntioxidantActinidia Polygama Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningTranexamoyl Dipeptide-23
BleachingLeontopodium Alpinum Extract
Skin ConditioningAllantoin
Skin ConditioningCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
PreservativePhenyl Trimethicone
Skin ConditioningChlorphenesin
AntimicrobialBehenyl Alcohol
EmollientArachidyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingVinyl Dimethicone/Methicone Silsesquioxane Crosspolymer
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingDeoxyphytantriyl Palmitamide Mea
Skin ConditioningHydrogenated Lecithin
EmulsifyingCholesterol
EmollientPotassium Hydroxide
BufferingTocopherol
AntioxidantParfum
MaskingCitric Acid
BufferingPotassium Sorbate
PreservativeSodium Benzoate
Masking1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientWater, Niacinamide, Butylene Glycol, C13-15 Alkane, Dicaprylyl Ether, Pentylene Glycol, Jojoba Esters, Glycerin, Arachidyl Alcohol, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Bisabolol, Alpha-Arbutin, Actinidia Polygama Fruit Extract, Tranexamoyl Dipeptide-23, Leontopodium Alpinum Extract, Allantoin, Ceramide NP, Phenoxyethanol, Phenyl Trimethicone, Chlorphenesin, Behenyl Alcohol, Arachidyl Glucoside, Xanthan Gum, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Vinyl Dimethicone/Methicone Silsesquioxane Crosspolymer, Carbomer, Deoxyphytantriyl Palmitamide Mea, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Cholesterol, Potassium Hydroxide, Tocopherol, Parfum, Citric Acid, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol
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 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 “FRAGRANCE” or “PARFUM” 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 ParfumPhenoxyethanol 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.
Tocopherol 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