What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningOlea Europaea Leaf Water
Skin ConditioningOlea Europaea Fruit Oil
Masking
Glycerin
Humectant
Propanediol
Solvent
Citric Acid
Buffering
Zea Mays Starch
Absorbent
Squalane
Emollient
Helianthus Annuus Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningAsparagus Officinalis Stem Extract
Skin ConditioningBeta Vulgaris Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningCichorium Intybus Leaf Extract
MaskingMalva Sylvestris Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningMalva Sylvestris Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningNigella Sativa Seed Extract
Perfuming
Silybum Marianum Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningPrunus Spinosa Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningEquisetum Arvense Extract
AstringentLamium Album Extract
AstringentCichorium Intybus Root Oligosaccharides
Skin ConditioningCaesalpinia Spinosa Gum
Skin ConditioningXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingHyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Lactobacillus Ferment
Skin Conditioning
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Alkanna Tinctoria Root Extract
Skin ConditioningPolyglyceryl-10 Caprylate
EmulsifyingGlyceryl Caprylate
EmollientGlyceryl Undecylenate
Emollient
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Gluconolactone
Skin Conditioning
Calcium Gluconate
HumectantWater, Olea Europaea Leaf Water, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Glycerin, Propanediol, Citric Acid, Zea Mays Starch, Squalane, Helianthus Annuus Flower Extract, Asparagus Officinalis Stem Extract, Beta Vulgaris Leaf Extract, Cichorium Intybus Leaf Extract, Malva Sylvestris Leaf Extract, Malva Sylvestris Flower Extract, Nigella Sativa Seed Extract, Silybum Marianum Fruit Extract, Prunus Spinosa Fruit Extract, Equisetum Arvense Extract, Lamium Album Extract, Cichorium Intybus Root Oligosaccharides, Caesalpinia Spinosa Gum, Xanthan Gum, Hyaluronic Acid, Lactobacillus Ferment, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Alkanna Tinctoria Root Extract, Polyglyceryl-10 Caprylate, Glyceryl Caprylate, Glyceryl Undecylenate, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, Gluconolactone, Calcium Gluconate
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Squalane
Emollient
Capryloyl Glycerin/Sebacic Acid Copolymer
Skin ConditioningDiheptyl Succinate
EmollientMica
Cosmetic ColorantTitanium Dioxide
Cosmetic Colorant
Bakuchiol
Antimicrobial
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Glycolic Acid
Buffering
Sodium Phytate
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
Skin Conditioning
Azelaic Acid
Buffering
Zinc Oxide
Cosmetic Colorant
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingLinoleic Acid
Cleansing
Cetearyl Glucoside
Emulsifying
Arnica Montana Flower Extract
Masking
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Wax
Skin Conditioning
Borago Officinalis Extract
Emollient
Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract
Masking
Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
Masking
Salvia Officinalis Leaf Extract
CleansingDehydroacetic Acid
Preservative
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Tripeptide-29
Skin Conditioning
Hydrolyzed Lupine Protein
Skin ConditioningCentella Asiatica Meristem Cell Culture
Antioxidant
Lavandula Angustifolia Oil
Masking
Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Oil
Masking
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Arctostaphylos Uva Ursi Leaf Extract
Skin Conditioning
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
Bleaching
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningTin Oxide
Abrasive
Caesalpinia Sappan Bark Extract
Skin ConditioningAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glycerin, Squalane, Capryloyl Glycerin/Sebacic Acid Copolymer, Diheptyl Succinate, Mica, Titanium Dioxide, Bakuchiol, Tocopherol, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Glycolic Acid, Sodium Phytate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Azelaic Acid, Zinc Oxide, Xanthan Gum, Linoleic Acid, Cetearyl Glucoside, Arnica Montana Flower Extract, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Wax, Borago Officinalis Extract, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Salvia Officinalis Leaf Extract, Dehydroacetic Acid, Benzyl Alcohol, Potassium Sorbate, Lactic Acid, Tripeptide-29, Hydrolyzed Lupine Protein, Centella Asiatica Meristem Cell Culture, Lavandula Angustifolia Oil, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Oil, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Arctostaphylos Uva Ursi Leaf Extract, Water, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Ethylhexylglycerin, Tin Oxide, Caesalpinia Sappan Bark Extract
Alternatives
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Glycerin (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 GlycerinHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil is a plant oil derived from the seeds of a sunflower.
It is rich in fatty acids, primarily linoleic acid and oleic acid. This gives it emollient and skin conditioning properties.
The reason this ingredient is so effective is because it forms a thin film on the skin that reduces transepidermal water loss (TEWL) while supplying linoleic acid to the stratum corneum to improve barrier strength.
The high linoleic acid content is particularly noteworthy for acne-prone skin.
Research suggests that acne-prone skin tends to be deficient in linoleic acid in sebum. Topical application may help replenish this to support a healthier follicular environment and less comedone-promoting sebum.
One randomized study found sunflower seed oil preserved skin barrier integrity in adult volunteers with and without atopic dermatitis (outperforming olive oil).
This ingredient is well-studied, gentle, and an effective emollient suitable for most skin types.
On fungal acne: This ingredient may not be Fungal acne (Malassezia folliculitis) safe. This is because it contains fatty acids with carbon chain lengths in the C11-C24 range.
Learn more about Helianthus Annuus Seed OilPotassium Sorbate is a preservative used to prevent yeast and mold in products. It is commonly found in both cosmetic and food products.
This ingredient comes from potassium salt derived from sorbic acid. Sorbic acid is a natural antibiotic and effective against fungus.
Both potassium sorbate and sorbic acid can be found in baked goods, cheeses, dried meats, dried fruit, ice cream, pickles, wine, yogurt, and more.
You'll often find this ingredient used with other preservatives.
Learn more about Potassium SorbateSqualane is the hydrogenated and shelf-stable form of squalene (a lipid that naturally occurs in human sebum).
It is an emollient and skin conditioning agent that is able to integrate seamlessly into the skin's lipid barrier without clogging pores.
This is due to how structurally similar it is to what your skin already produces.
Though it is mostly an emollient that helps soften and hydrate skin, it also has some humectant and occlusive action. Humectants help the skin retain moisture while occlusives seal it in, making squalane a triple-threat moisturizer.
Research shows it has antioxidant capabilities that help protect against stressors like UV exposure, specifically UVA induced oxidative stress. This study also found that it supports collagen biosynthesis in human dermal fibroblasts.
No clinical study has reported significant adverse effects and irritation reactions are very rare from this ingredient (even at 100% concentration).
Overall, it's a fantastic ingredient for hydration and is suitable for all skin types.
This depends on the source. Squalane can be derived from both plants and animals. Most squalane used in skincare comes from plants.
Please note: the source of squalane is only known if disclosed by the brand. We recommend reaching out to the brand if you have any questions about their squalane.
Read more about squalene with an "e".
Though squalane is often called an oil, it’s technically not one. It is a hydrocarbon, meaning it is only made of carbon and hydrogen. True oils are triglycerides and made of fatty acids and glycerol.
The term “oil-free” isn’t regulated so companies can define it however they want. Some exclude all oils, while others just avoid mineral oil or comedogenic oils.
Squalane has a comedogenic rating of 1 from the original 1972 study that tested raw ingredients under occlusion on rabbit ears. This system is not standardized or peer-reviewed, and using the raw ingredients is very different from how diluted cosmetic formulations are used on human skin.
A comedogenic rating of 1 means it is "unlikely to clog pores" according to the original rating system.
The overall formula of a product matters more than the individual ingredients on whether or not it will cause clogged pores.
Learn more about SqualaneWater. 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 WaterXanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.
On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.
Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.
Learn more about Xanthan Gum
