What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningC15-19 Alkane
SolventGlycerin
Humectant
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
PEG/PPG/Polybutylene Glycol-8/5/3 Glycerin
HumectantIsosorbide Dicaprylate
Skin ConditioningEctoin
Skin Conditioning
Xylitylglucoside
Humectant
Bisabolol
Antioxidant
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Anhydroxylitol
Humectant
Xylitol
Humectant
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingAmmonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Glucose
Humectant
Citric Acid
Buffering
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Water, C15-19 Alkane, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, PEG/PPG/Polybutylene Glycol-8/5/3 Glycerin, Isosorbide Dicaprylate, Ectoin, Xylitylglucoside, Bisabolol, Allantoin, Anhydroxylitol, Xylitol, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Glucose, Citric Acid, Tocopherol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenoxyethanol
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Propanediol
Solvent
Triheptanoin
Skin ConditioningDimethicone
Emollient
Betaine
Humectant
Ethyl Macadamiate
Skin Conditioning
Isosorbide Dicaprylate
Skin ConditioningSodium PCA
Humectant
Ceramide Ng
Skin Conditioning
PCA
Humectant
Lactococcus Ferment Lysate
Skin Conditioning
Lysine
Skin ConditioningSerine
Masking
Alanine
Masking
Glycine
Buffering
Lysine Hcl
Skin Conditioning
Threonine
Arginine
Masking
Proline
Skin Conditioning
Glutamic Acid
Humectant
Gluconolactone
Skin Conditioning
Matrixyl 3000
Magnesium Chloride
Potassium Chloride
Manganese Chloride
Skin ConditioningAluminum Chloride
AstringentCopper Sulfate
Skin Conditioning
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Phenethyl Alcohol
MaskingCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Zinc Chloride
AntimicrobialMalic Acid
Buffering
Calcium Gluconate
HumectantSodium Polyacrylate
Absorbent
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingDimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Skin Conditioning
Hydrogenated Polydecene
EmollientButylene Glycol
Humectant
Sodium Lactate
Buffering
Trideceth-6
EmulsifyingSodium Phytate
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Sodium Chloride
MaskingPolysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Water, Glycerin, Niacinamide, Propanediol, Triheptanoin, Dimethicone, Betaine, Ethyl Macadamiate, Isosorbide Dicaprylate, Sodium PCA, Ceramide Ng, PCA, Lactococcus Ferment Lysate, Lysine, Serine, Alanine, Glycine, Lysine Hcl, Threonine, Arginine, Proline, Glutamic Acid, Gluconolactone, Matrixyl 3000, Magnesium Chloride, Potassium Chloride, Manganese Chloride, Aluminum Chloride, Copper Sulfate, Tocopherol, Phenethyl Alcohol, Caprylyl Glycol, Zinc Chloride, Malic Acid, Calcium Gluconate, Sodium Polyacrylate, Carbomer, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Hydrogenated Polydecene, Butylene Glycol, Sodium Lactate, Trideceth-6, Sodium Phytate, Lactic Acid, Sodium Chloride, Polysorbate 20, Sodium Benzoate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenoxyethanol
Reviews
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 GlycerinIsosorbide Dicaprylate is a diester derivative of isosorbide and caprylic acid. It has skin conditioning properties.
One study using real people found that a lotion with 2% of Isosorbide Dicaprylate kept the skin 3x more hydrated than 2% glycerin. It works by helping the skin produce more of the natural molecules (AQP3 and CD44) to keep it moisturized and protected for longer.
Besides improving hydration, combining Isosorbide Dicaprylate with isosorbide di-esters has shown to have anti-inflammatory and barrier reinforcing effects in in-vitro models.
In lab tests that simulated irritated skin, Isosorbide Dicaprylate calmed inflammation and supported healthier skin cell growth. This suggests that it may be useful for soothing and strengthening dry or weakened skin.
Learn more about Isosorbide DicaprylatePhenoxyethanol 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 (also known as Vitamin E) is a common antioxidant used to help protect the skin from free-radicals and strengthen the skin barrier. It's also fat soluble - this means our skin is great at absorbing it.
Vitamin E also helps keep your natural skin lipids healthy. Your lipid skin barrier naturally consists of lipids, ceramides, and fatty acids. Vitamin E offers extra protection for your skin’s lipid barrier, keeping your skin healthy and nourished.
Another benefit is a bit of UV protection. Vitamin E helps reduce the damage caused by UVB rays. (It should not replace your sunscreen). Combining it with Vitamin C can decrease sunburned cells and hyperpigmentation after UV exposure.
You might have noticed Vitamin E + C often paired together. This is because it is great at stabilizing Vitamin C. Using the two together helps increase the effectiveness of both ingredients.
There are often claims that Vitamin E can reduce/prevent scarring, but these claims haven't been confirmed by scientific research.
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
