What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Caprylyl Caprylate/Caprate
Emollient
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Cetearyl Glucoside
Emulsifying
Myristyl Myristate
Emollient
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Lecithin
Emollient
Glycolipids
Skin ConditioningPhytosphingosine
Skin Conditioning
Cholesterol
Emollient
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Citrullus Lanatus Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingSodium Polyacrylate
Absorbent
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Citric Acid
Buffering
Parfum
Masking
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningBenzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Benzoic Acid
Masking
Dehydroacetic Acid
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Citronellol
Perfuming
Hexyl Cinnamal
Perfuming
Limonene
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Water, Glycerin, Cetearyl Alcohol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Caprylyl Caprylate/Caprate, Niacinamide, Cetearyl Glucoside, Myristyl Myristate, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Ceramide NP, Lecithin, Glycolipids, Phytosphingosine, Cholesterol, Panthenol, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Citrullus Lanatus Fruit Extract, Tocopheryl Acetate, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Sodium Polyacrylate, Tocopherol, Potassium Sorbate, Citric Acid, Parfum, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Benzyl Alcohol, Benzoic Acid, Dehydroacetic Acid, Sodium Benzoate, Citronellol, Hexyl Cinnamal, Limonene, Linalool
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Cocos Nucifera Oil
Masking
Elaeis Guineensis Oil
Emollient
Ethylhexyl Palmitate
Emollient
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Stearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Dimethicone
Emollient
Sodium Stearate
CleansingMangifera Indica Seed Butter
Skin Conditioning
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Caprae Lac
Skin ConditioningCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Vitis Vinifera Seed Extract
Antimicrobial
Vaccinium Myrtillus Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningSilybum Marianum Extract
Skin Conditioning
Pinus Pinaster Bark Extract
Antioxidant
Ginkgo Biloba Leaf Extract
Skin Conditioning
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Ascorbyl Palmitate
Antioxidant
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSteareth-21
CleansingTetrasodium EDTA
Water, Glycerin, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Elaeis Guineensis Oil, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Stearic Acid, Stearyl Alcohol, Dimethicone, Sodium Stearate, Mangifera Indica Seed Butter, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Caprae Lac, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Vitis Vinifera Seed Extract, Vaccinium Myrtillus Fruit Extract, Silybum Marianum Extract, Pinus Pinaster Bark Extract, Ginkgo Biloba Leaf Extract, Tocopherol, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenoxyethanol, Xanthan Gum, Steareth-21, Tetrasodium EDTA
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Ethylhexylglycerin 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 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
