What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningEthylhexyl Methoxycinnamate
UV Absorber
Benzophenone-3
UV Absorber
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane
UV Absorber
Phospholipids
Skin Conditioning
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6
Emulsion StabilisingAllantoin
Skin Conditioning
Parfum
Masking
Menthyl Lactate
Masking
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Sea Water
HumectantAloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
Emollient
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Calcium Pantothenate
Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate
Antioxidant
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Pyridoxine Hcl
Skin ConditioningMaltodextrin
Absorbent
Sodium Starch Octenylsuccinate
AbsorbentSilica
Abrasive
Water, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Benzophenone-3, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, Phospholipids, Butylene Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Allantoin, Parfum, Menthyl Lactate, Niacinamide, Sea Water, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, 1,2-Hexanediol, Calcium Pantothenate, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Pyridoxine Hcl, Maltodextrin, Sodium Starch Octenylsuccinate, Silica
Water
Skin ConditioningButyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane
UV Absorber
Octocrylene
UV Absorber
Titanium Dioxide
Cosmetic Colorant
Ethylhexyl Salicylate
UV Absorber
Zinc Oxide
Cosmetic Colorant
Glycine Soja Phytoplacenta Extract
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Phospholipids
Skin Conditioning
Glycereth-26
Humectant
Aluminum Hydroxide
EmollientHydroxyethyl Urea
Humectant
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Royal Jelly
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Lecithin
Emollient
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Humectant
Chamaecyparis Obtusa Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningPotassium Olivoyl PCA
CleansingCeramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Tromethamine
BufferingGalactoarabinan
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin
MaskingMelatonin
Antioxidant
Adenosine
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningWater, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, Octocrylene, Titanium Dioxide, Ethylhexyl Salicylate, Zinc Oxide, Glycine Soja Phytoplacenta Extract, Glycerin, Phospholipids, Glycereth-26, Aluminum Hydroxide, Hydroxyethyl Urea, Niacinamide, Royal Jelly, Butylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Lecithin, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Chamaecyparis Obtusa Leaf Extract, Potassium Olivoyl PCA, Ceramide NP, Tromethamine, Galactoarabinan, Caprylyl Glycol, Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin, Melatonin, Adenosine, Sodium Hyaluronate, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
1,2-Hexanediol is a synthetic liquid and another multi-functional powerhouse.
It is a:
- Humectant, drawing moisture into the skin
- Emollient, helping to soften skin
- Solvent, dispersing and stabilizing formulas
- Preservative booster, enhancing the antimicrobial activity of other preservatives
Also known as Avobenzone, this ingredient is a chemical sunscreen filter that provides protection in the UV-A range.
Avobenzone is globally approved and is the most commonly used UV-A filter in the world.
Studies have found that avobenzone becomes ineffective when exposed to UV light (it is not photostable; meaning that it breaks down in sunlight). Because of this, formulations that include avobenzone will usually contain stabilizers such as octocrylene.
However, some modern formulations (looking at you, EU!) are able to stabilize avobenzone by coating the molecules.
Avobenzone does not protect against the UV-B range, so it's important to check that the sunscreen you're using contains other UV filters that do!
The highest concentration of avobenzone permitted is 3% in the US, and 5% in the EU.
Learn more about Butyl MethoxydibenzoylmethaneButylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:
Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient that works well with other ingredients.
Though this ingredient works well with most skin types, some people with sensitive skin may experience a reaction such as allergic rashes, closed comedones, or itchiness.
Learn more about Butylene GlycolNiacinamide is a multitasking form of vitamin B3 that strengthens the skin barrier, reduces pores and dark spots, regulates oil, and improves signs of aging.
And the best part? It's gentle and well-tolerated by most skin types, including sensitive and reactive skin.
You might have heard of "niacin flush", or the reddening of skin that causes itchiness. Niacinamide has not been found to cause this.
In very rare cases, some individuals may not be able to tolerate niacinamide at all or experience an allergic reaction to it.
If you are experiencing flaking, irritation, and dryness with this ingredient, be sure to double check all your products as this ingredient can be found in all categories of skincare.
When incorporating niacinamide into your routine, look out for concentration amounts. Typically, 5% niacinamide provides benefits such as fading dark spots. However, if you have sensitive skin, it is better to begin with a smaller concentration.
When you apply niacinamide to your skin, your body converts it into nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD). NAD is an essential coenzyme that is already found in your cells as "fuel" and powers countless biological processes.
In your skin, NAD helps repair cell damage, produce new healthy cells, support collagen production, strengthen the skin barrier, and fight environmental stressors (like UV and pollution).
Our natural NAD levels start to decline with age, leading to slower skin repair, visible aging, and a weaker skin barrier. By providing your skin niacinamide, you're recharging your skin's NAD levels. This leads to stronger, healthier, and younger looking skin.
Another name for vitamin B3 is nicotinamide. This vitamin is water-soluble and our bodies don't store it. We obtain Vitamin B3 from either food or skincare. Meat, fish, wheat, yeast, and leafy greens contain vitamin B3.
The type of niacinamide used in skincare is synthetically created.
Learn more about NiacinamidePhenoxyethanol 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.
Phospholipids are a family of skin-identical lipids that makeup the structural backbone of every cell membrane in your body.
In cosmetics, they function as skin conditioning agents with emulsifier and surfactant properties. They're typically sourced from soybean or sunflower lecithin (or sometimes egg yolk or marine sources).
Because they mirror the lipids naturally found in the deeper layers of your skin, topical phospholipids help reinforce the lipid matrix, reduce transepidermal water loss, and leave skin feeling conditioned.
They're also used to form liposomes, or tiny self-assembling vesible used to stabilize actives like vitamin c or retinol. This helps these ingredients integrate into the upper layers of skin more easily.
Phospholipids are compatible with everything and the CIR Expert Panel has concluded them to be safe at current use levels.
Some types of phospholipids include:
Learn more about PhospholipidsWater. 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
