What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningPropylene Glycol
HumectantButylene Glycol
HumectantGlycerin
HumectantHyaluronic Acid
HumectantGlycereth-26
HumectantDipropylene Glycol
HumectantArbutin
AntioxidantBiosaccharide Gum-1
HumectantPEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
EmulsifyingNiacinamide
SmoothingBetaine
HumectantSolanum Lycopersicum Fruit Extract
AntioxidantCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingTriethanolamine
BufferingChlorphenesin
AntimicrobialTrehalose
HumectantParfum
MaskingHydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
HumectantAscorbyl Glucoside
AntioxidantGlycolic Acid
BufferingPanthenol
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
Centella Asiatica Extract
CleansingGlycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
BleachingCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialGlutathione
Water, Propylene Glycol, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Hyaluronic Acid, Glycereth-26, Dipropylene Glycol, Arbutin, Biosaccharide Gum-1, PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Niacinamide, Betaine, Solanum Lycopersicum Fruit Extract, Carbomer, Triethanolamine, Chlorphenesin, Trehalose, Parfum, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Glycolic Acid, Panthenol, Disodium EDTA, Centella Asiatica Extract, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Glutathione
Water
Skin ConditioningNiacinamide
SmoothingGlycerin
HumectantGlyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer
HumectantPropylene Glycol
HumectantPvm/Ma Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningKojic Acid
AntioxidantSaccharide Isomerate
HumectantCitric Acid
BufferingSodium Citrate
BufferingMenthyl Lactate
MaskingPPG-26-Buteth-26
Skin ConditioningPEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
EmulsifyingSodium Polyacrylate
AbsorbentCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeSodium Ascorbyl Phosphate
AntioxidantTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantPanthenol
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantParfum
MaskingBHT
AntioxidantAllantoin
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
Water, Niacinamide, Glycerin, Glyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer, Propylene Glycol, Pvm/Ma Copolymer, Pentylene Glycol, Kojic Acid, Saccharide Isomerate, Citric Acid, Sodium Citrate, Menthyl Lactate, PPG-26-Buteth-26, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Sodium Polyacrylate, Caprylyl Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Panthenol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Parfum, BHT, Allantoin, Disodium EDTA
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Disodium EDTA is a chelating agent. It grabs onto and deactivates metal ions that sneak into your products from water, packaging, or air.
This ingredient mainly works behind the scenes and helps with:
On top of that, this ingredient can counteract the effects of hard water by binding to the minerals in it.
One thing worth knowing is that Disodium EDTA has been shown to be a mild penetration enhancer. It can help other ingredients absorb into skin more effectively which can be a double-edged sword (great for actives, but can also make the active too strong if you have sensitive skin).
Clinical patch testing showed no significant skin irritation at typical use concentrations and minimal dermal absorption.
You'll most likely see this ingredient near the end of an ingredient list. It's typically found in concentrations less than 1%.
Learn more about Disodium EDTAGlycerin (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 GlycerinNiacinamide 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 NiacinamidePanthenol is a common ingredient that helps hydrate and soothe the skin. It is found naturally in our skin and hair.
There are two forms of panthenol: D and L.
D-panthenol is also known as dexpanthenol. Most cosmetics use dexpanthenol or a mixture of D and L-panthenol.
Panthenol is famous due to its ability to go deeper into the skin's layers. Using this ingredient has numerous pros (and no cons):
Like hyaluronic acid, panthenol is a humectant. Humectants are able to bind and hold large amounts of water to keep skin hydrated.
This ingredient works well for wound healing. It works by increasing tissue in the wound and helps close open wounds.
Once oxidized, panthenol converts to pantothenic acid. Panthothenic acid is found in all living cells.
This ingredient is also referred to as pro-vitamin B5.
Learn more about PanthenolParfum is a catch-all term for an ingredient or more that is used to give a scent to products.
Also called "fragrance", this ingredient can be a blend of hundreds of chemicals or plant oils. This means every product with "fragrance" or "parfum" in the ingredients list is a different mixture.
For instance, Habanolide is a proprietary trade name for a specific aroma chemical. When used as a fragrance ingredient in cosmetics, most aroma chemicals fall under the broad labeling category of “FRAGRANCE” or “PARFUM” according to EU and US regulations.
The term 'parfum' or 'fragrance' is not regulated in many countries. In many cases, it is up to the brand to define this term.
For instance, many brands choose to label themselves as "fragrance-free" because they are not using synthetic fragrances. However, their products may still contain ingredients such as essential oils that are considered a fragrance by INCI standards.
One example is Calendula flower extract. Calendula is an essential oil that still imparts a scent or 'fragrance'.
Depending on the blend, the ingredients in the mixture can cause allergies and sensitivities on the skin. Some ingredients that are known EU allergens include linalool and citronellol.
Parfum can also be used to mask or cover an unpleasant scent.
The bottom line is: not all fragrances/parfum/ingredients are created equally. If you are worried about fragrances, we recommend taking a closer look at an ingredient. And of course, we always recommend speaking with a professional.
Learn more about ParfumPropylene Glycol is a synthetic, colorless, odorless liquid that has been a staple in cosmetics for decades. It is a skin conditioning agent, humectant, and solvent.
As a humectant, it draw water to the skin to reduce flaking and restore suppleness. It's also a solvent that helps dissolve other actives and keeps formulas stable across temperature changes.
The CIR Expert Panel has confirmed this ingredient to be nontoxic and clinical studies show no sensitization at cosmetic use concentrations.
True allergic reactions are quite rare: a 15-year retrospective study of 6,751 patients found only 0.31% had a positive reaction (and less than half were considered clinically relevant).
It seemed that when sensitization does occur, it's most commonly linked to topical medication (like corticosteroids) and not cosmetics. Allergic contact dermatitis also appears largely limited to individuals with underlying skin conditions.
Overall, propylene glycol is a well-studied ingredient that most people can tolerate without issue.
Learn more about Propylene GlycolWater. 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