What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Gluconolactone
Skin Conditioning
Lactobionic Acid
Buffering
Polysorbate 80
Emulsifying
Triethanolamine
BufferingMandelic Acid
Antimicrobial
Arginine
Masking
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Retinyl Palmitate
Skin Conditioning
Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate
Antioxidant
Chondrus Crispus Extract
Skin Conditioning
Citric Acid
Buffering
Hydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingDisodium EDTA
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Methylparaben
Preservative
Parfum
Masking
Limonene
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Citral
Perfuming
Water, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Gluconolactone, Lactobionic Acid, Polysorbate 80, Triethanolamine, Mandelic Acid, Arginine, Tocopheryl Acetate, Retinyl Palmitate, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Chondrus Crispus Extract, Citric Acid, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Disodium EDTA, Propylene Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Chlorphenesin, Methylparaben, Parfum, Limonene, Linalool, Citral
Water
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
Solvent
Gluconolactone
Skin Conditioning
Arginine
Masking
Hydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingGlycerin
Humectant
Caprylyl/Capryl Glucoside
CleansingCalcium Carbonate
Abrasive
Calcium Gluconate
HumectantPhospholipids
Skin Conditioning
Phytonadione Epoxide
AstringentCamellia Oleifera Leaf Extract
AstringentCitrullus Lanatus Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Citrus Limon Fruit Extract
Masking
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Retinyl Palmitate
Skin Conditioning
Pantothenic Acid
Skin ConditioningAscorbyl Palmitate
Antioxidant
Cholecalciferol
Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate
Antimicrobial
Rice Ferment Filtrate
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Ananas Sativus Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningDisodium Phosphate
BufferingGlucose
Humectant
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Aroma
Water, Propanediol, Gluconolactone, Arginine, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Glycerin, Caprylyl/Capryl Glucoside, Calcium Carbonate, Calcium Gluconate, Phospholipids, Phytonadione Epoxide, Camellia Oleifera Leaf Extract, Citrullus Lanatus Fruit Extract, Citrus Limon Fruit Extract, Tocopheryl Acetate, Retinyl Palmitate, Pantothenic Acid, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Cholecalciferol, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Rice Ferment Filtrate, Sodium Benzoate, Ananas Sativus Fruit Extract, Disodium Phosphate, Glucose, Potassium Sorbate, Aroma
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Arginine is a semi-essential amino acid. This just means our bodies can product a bit on its own, but sometimes needs a little boost from food sources.
It is a part of your skin's natural moisturizing factor (NMF), or the water-loving molecules in your outermost layer of skin (stratum corneum) that keeps everything hydrated and happy.
Here's an interesting thing about Arginine: your skin converts it into urea through the Krebs-Henseleit urea cycle. Urea is one of the most effective humectants your skin naturally produces.
A clinical study showed applying 2.5% arginine hydrochloride to atopic dermatitis skin showed significant urea levels in the stratum corneum and improved moisture in just four weeks.
Arginine is also a precursor to nitric oxide; nitric oxide improves microcirculation and supports wound healing and collagen synthesis.
One study found that an amino acid complex containing Arginine reduced skin irritation, improved hydration, and accelerated skin repair in clinical / in-vivo studies.
Arginine itself is an amino acid and not a fatty acid, oil, or ester. On its own, it's not a direct food source for Malassezia, or the yeast that causes fungal acne.
Learn more about ArginineGluconolactone is a PHA. PHAs are a great gentle alternative to traditional AHAs.
When applied, Gluconolactone has the same affect on skin as AHAs such as lactic acid. It helps dissolve the dead skin cells in the top layer of your skin. This improves texture and brightens the skin.
PHAs are more gentle than AHAs due to their larger structure. They do not penetrate as deeply as AHAs and take a longer time to dissolve dead cells. Studies show PHAs do not cause as much irritation.
Gluconolactone has some interesting properties:
In a 2004 study, Gluconolactone was found to prevent UV damage in mouse skin cells and has not been found to increase sun sensitivity. However, we still recommend wearing SPF daily.
This ingredient is is an created by reacting gluconic acid with an alcohol.
Learn more about GluconolactoneGlycerin (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 GlycerinHydroxyethylcellulose is used to improve the texture of products. It is created from a chemical reaction involving ethylene oxide and alkali-cellulose. Cellulose is a sugar found in plant cell walls and help give plants structure.
This ingredient helps stabilize products by preventing ingredients from separating. It can also help thicken the texture of a product.
This ingredient can also be found in pill medicines to help our bodies digest other ingredients.
Learn more about HydroxyethylcelluloseRetinyl palmitate is a form of retinoid. Retinoids are the superstar class of anti-aging ingredients that include tretinoin and retinol.
This particular ingredient has had a bumpy year with its rise and fall in popularity.
First, Retinyl palmitate is created from palmitic acid and retinol. It is a retinol ester and considered one of the weaker forms of retinoid.
This is because all retinoids have to be converted to Tretinoin, AKA retinoic acid. Retinyl Palmitate is pretty far down the line and has to go through multiple conversions before its effects are seen.
Due to this long and ineffective conversion line, the benefits of Retinyl Palmitate are debated.
Studies show Retinyl Palmitate to help:
Dermatologists say this ingredient is ineffective because it isn't used in high enough concentrations in cosmetics.
This ingredient used to be found in sunscreens to boost the efficacy of sunscreen filters.
The downfall of Retinyl Palmitate was due to released reports about the ingredient being correlated to sun damage and skin tumors.
While there is a study showing this ingredient to cause DNA damage when exposed to UV-A, there is no concrete proof of it being linked to skin cancer. It is safe to use when used correctly.
All retinoids increase your skin's sensitivity to the sun in the first few months of usage. Be especially careful with reapplying sunscreen when using any form of retinoid.
Currently, this ingredient is still allowed in cosmetics all over the world. In Canada, cosmetics must have a warning label stating the product to contain Retinyl Palmitate
Fun fact: This ingredient is often added to low-fat milk to increase the levels of Vitamin A.
Learn more about Retinyl PalmitateTocopheryl 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
