What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingDicaprylyl Ether
EmollientAlcohol Denat.
AntimicrobialGlyceryl Stearate Se
EmulsifyingPolyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate
EmulsifyingZea Mays Starch
AbsorbentStearyl Alcohol
EmollientRosa Damascena Flower Water
MaskingStearic Acid
CleansingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingGlycine Soja Oil
EmollientSodium Hydroxide
BufferingSodium Phytate
Arginine
MaskingMyristic Acid
CleansingPalmitic Acid
EmollientPropanediol
SolventCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientCitric Acid
BufferingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingTocopherol
AntioxidantSalicylic Acid
MaskingLinalool
PerfumingCitronellol
PerfumingParfum
MaskingWater, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Dicaprylyl Ether, Alcohol Denat., Glyceryl Stearate Se, Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate, Zea Mays Starch, Stearyl Alcohol, Rosa Damascena Flower Water, Stearic Acid, Carbomer, Glycine Soja Oil, Sodium Hydroxide, Sodium Phytate, Arginine, Myristic Acid, Palmitic Acid, Propanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Citric Acid, Xanthan Gum, Tocopherol, Salicylic Acid, Linalool, Citronellol, Parfum
Ricinus Communis Seed Oil
MaskingBis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-2
EmollientParaffinum Liquidum
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantIsopropyl Palmitate
EmollientHydrogenated Vegetable Oil
EmollientCetearyl Ethylhexanoate
EmollientHydrogenated Polyisobutene
EmollientPolyethylene
AbrasiveVp/Hexadecene Copolymer
Beeswax
Emulsion StabilisingHydrogenated Castor Oil
Emollient10-Hydroxydecenoic Acid
Skin ConditioningDisteardimonium Hectorite
StabilisingGlyceryl Linoleate
EmollientGlyceryl Linolenate
EmollientGlyceryl Oleate
EmollientGlyceryl Palmitate
EmollientGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientGlycine Soja Oil
EmollientIsopropyl Myristate
EmollientTocopherol
AntioxidantTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantWater
Skin ConditioningRicinus Communis Seed Oil, Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-2, Paraffinum Liquidum, Glycerin, Isopropyl Palmitate, Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil, Cetearyl Ethylhexanoate, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Polyethylene, Vp/Hexadecene Copolymer, Beeswax, Hydrogenated Castor Oil, 10-Hydroxydecenoic Acid, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Glyceryl Linoleate, Glyceryl Linolenate, Glyceryl Oleate, Glyceryl Palmitate, Glyceryl Stearate, Glycine Soja Oil, Isopropyl Myristate, Tocopherol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Water
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 GlycerinGlycine Soja Oil comes from the soybean. Glycine Soja is native to eastern Asia.
Soybean oil is an emollient. It is rich in antioxidants and fatty acids including palmitic, stearic, oleic, and linoleic acids.
As an emollient, the fatty acids in soybean oil helps keep your skin soft and hydrated. It does so by creating a film on top that traps moisture in.
Soybean oil is also rich in vitamin E, a potent antioxidant. Vitamin E is also anti-inflammatory and provides a soothing effect.
Studies show soy may help fade hyperpigmentation from UVB. It does so by disrupting the melanin process from UVB induced skin inflammation.
This ingredient may not be malassezia folliculitis, or fungal-acne, safe.
Soybeans are rich in proteins and are part of the legume family. Foods made with soybeans include tofu, soymilk, edamame, miso, and soy sauce.
Learn more about Glycine Soja OilTocopherol 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