What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate
Cleansing
Sodium Cocoamphoacetate
CleansingPropanediol
Solvent
Lavandula Angustifolia Oil
Masking
Salicylic Acid
Masking
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Gluconolactone
Skin Conditioning
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Glycolic Acid
Buffering
Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine
Cleansing
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningSodium Benzoate
Masking
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCalcium Gluconate
HumectantAmylopectin
Dextrin
AbsorbentPolydextrose
HumectantPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Linalool
Perfuming
Water, Glycerin, Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate, Sodium Cocoamphoacetate, Propanediol, Lavandula Angustifolia Oil, Salicylic Acid, Niacinamide, Gluconolactone, Lactic Acid, Glycolic Acid, Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Benzoate, Xanthan Gum, Calcium Gluconate, Amylopectin, Dextrin, Polydextrose, Phenoxyethanol, Tocopherol, Linalool
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium Cocoyl Isethionate
Cleansing
Glycerin
Humectant
Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate
Cleansing
Glycol Distearate
Emollient
Potassium Cocoate
Emulsifying
Glycol Stearate
Emollient
Potassium Cocoyl Glycinate
Sodium Chloride
Masking1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Citric Acid
Buffering
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPolyquaternium-67
Sodium Phytate
Decylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Theobroma Cacao Seed Extract
Antioxidant
Dextrin
AbsorbentEDTA
Amaranthus Caudatus Seed Extract
Skin Conditioning
Ulmus Davidiana Root Extract
Skin Conditioning
Beta-Glucan
Skin Conditioning
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
Skin Conditioning
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Dimethylsilanol Hyaluronate
HumectantPotassium Hyaluronate
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate
Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate Dimethylsilanol
HumectantCeramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
Humectant
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantHydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Ceramide AP
Skin Conditioning
Cholesterol
Emollient
Ceramide As
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide Ns
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide Ng
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide EOP
Skin Conditioning
Water, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Glycerin, Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate, Glycol Distearate, Potassium Cocoate, Glycol Stearate, Potassium Cocoyl Glycinate, Sodium Chloride, 1,2-Hexanediol, Hydroxyacetophenone, Citric Acid, Ethylhexylglycerin, Polyquaternium-67, Sodium Phytate, Decylene Glycol, Butylene Glycol, Theobroma Cacao Seed Extract, Dextrin, EDTA, Amaranthus Caudatus Seed Extract, Ulmus Davidiana Root Extract, Beta-Glucan, Tocopherol, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Dimethylsilanol Hyaluronate, Potassium Hyaluronate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hyaluronic Acid, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Sodium Hyaluronate Dimethylsilanol, Ceramide NP, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Dipropylene Glycol, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Glyceryl Stearate, Ceramide AP, Cholesterol, Ceramide As, Ceramide Ns, Ceramide Ng, Ceramide EOP
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Dextrin is used to thicken a product and helps bind ingredients together. It is created from starch and glycogen.
As an emulsifier, dextrin prevents ingredients from separating. This helps elongate a product's shelf life.
Studies show coating UV filters with dextrin prevents these ingredients from being absorbed. This helps UV ingredients last longer on the skin.
Learn more about DextrinEthylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:
The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure.
Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.
Learn more about EthylhexylglycerinGlycerin (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 GlycerinTocopherol 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
