What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Squalane
Emollient
Ethylene/Propylene/Styrene Copolymer
Petrolatum
Emollient
Punica Granatum Sterols
Skin Conditioning
Water
Skin ConditioningPhytosteryl/Isostearyl/Cetyl/Stearyl/Behenyl Dimer Dilinoleate
Skin Conditioning
Octyldodecanol
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Euphorbia Cerifera Wax
Polyglyceryl-2 Diisostearate
Emulsifying
Butylene/Ethylene/Styrene Copolymer
Silica Silylate
Emollient
Hydroxycaprylic Acid
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Methylpropanediol
SolventPentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
Antioxidant
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Squalane, Ethylene/Propylene/Styrene Copolymer, Petrolatum, Punica Granatum Sterols, Water, Phytosteryl/Isostearyl/Cetyl/Stearyl/Behenyl Dimer Dilinoleate, Octyldodecanol, Glycerin, Euphorbia Cerifera Wax, Polyglyceryl-2 Diisostearate, Butylene/Ethylene/Styrene Copolymer, Silica Silylate, Hydroxycaprylic Acid, Phenoxyethanol, Methylpropanediol, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Caprylyl Glycol, Tocopherol
Hydrogenated Polyisobutene
EmollientEthylene/Propylene/Styrene Copolymer
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Olea Europaea Fruit Oil
Masking
Glycerin
Humectant
Propanediol
Solvent
Water
Skin ConditioningMethyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Cetearyl Ethylhexanoate
Emollient
Dimethyl Isosorbide
SolventAroma
Stevia Rebaudiana Leaf Extract
EmollientMenthol
Masking
Chondrus Crispus Extract
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningSesamum Indicum Seed Extract
Skin Conditioning
Sorbitan Isostearate
Emulsifying
Capsicum Frutescens Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Portulaca Pilosa Extract
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
Antioxidant
Sucrose Cocoate
Emulsifying
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-38
Skin Conditioning
Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Ethylene/Propylene/Styrene Copolymer, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Glycerin, Propanediol, Water, Methyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer, Phenoxyethanol, Cetearyl Ethylhexanoate, Dimethyl Isosorbide, Aroma, Stevia Rebaudiana Leaf Extract, Menthol, Chondrus Crispus Extract, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sesamum Indicum Seed Extract, Sorbitan Isostearate, Capsicum Frutescens Fruit Extract, Portulaca Pilosa Extract, Tocopherol, Sucrose Cocoate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-38
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
This is a synthetic polymer used to thicken formulas, improve texture, and enhance spreadability.
Due to its large molecule size, this ingredient does not penetrate the skin and is considered well-tolerated.
Glycerin (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 GlycerinPhenoxyethanol 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
