What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningPrunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin ConditioningPrunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil
MaskingGlyceryl Oleate Citrate
EmulsifyingArachidyl Alcohol
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
EmollientBehenyl Alcohol
EmollientPersea Gratissima Oil
Skin ConditioningMangifera Indica Seed Oil
EmollientEthyl Ester Of Hydrolyzed Silk
Skin ConditioningBenzyl Alcohol
PerfumingUbiquinone
AntioxidantArachidyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingTocopherol
AntioxidantSodium Citrate
BufferingLycium Barbarum Fruit Extract
AstringentLysolecithin
EmulsifyingSclerotium Gum
Emulsion StabilisingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPullulan
Dehydroacetic Acid
PreservativeParfum
MaskingWater, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil, Glyceryl Oleate Citrate, Arachidyl Alcohol, Glycerin, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Behenyl Alcohol, Persea Gratissima Oil, Mangifera Indica Seed Oil, Ethyl Ester Of Hydrolyzed Silk, Benzyl Alcohol, Ubiquinone, Arachidyl Glucoside, Tocopherol, Sodium Citrate, Lycium Barbarum Fruit Extract, Lysolecithin, Sclerotium Gum, Xanthan Gum, Pullulan, Dehydroacetic Acid, Parfum
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin ConditioningHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
EmollientGlyceryl Stearate Citrate
EmollientCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientGlyceryl Caprylate
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantPopulus Tremuloides Bark Extract
AntiseborrhoeicCaprylhydroxamic Acid
Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil
Skin ConditioningGalactoarabinan
Cetyl Palmitate
EmollientOctyldodecanol
EmollientRibes Nigrum Seed Oil
EmollientHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil Unsaponifiables
EmollientCardiospermum Halicacabum Flower/Leaf/Vine Extract
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
AntioxidantRosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialHippophae Rhamnoides Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningSantalum Spicatum Wood Oil
PerfumingRosa Damascena Flower Oil
MaskingCitrus Aurantium Amara Flower Oil
MaskingCymbopogon Martini Oil
MaskingCalendula Officinalis Flower Extract
MaskingSodium Phytate
Sodium Anisate
AntimicrobialSclerotium Gum
Emulsion StabilisingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCitric Acid
BufferingAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Caprylate, Glycerin, Populus Tremuloides Bark Extract, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil, Galactoarabinan, Cetyl Palmitate, Octyldodecanol, Ribes Nigrum Seed Oil, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil Unsaponifiables, Cardiospermum Halicacabum Flower/Leaf/Vine Extract, Tocopherol, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Hippophae Rhamnoides Fruit Extract, Santalum Spicatum Wood Oil, Rosa Damascena Flower Oil, Citrus Aurantium Amara Flower Oil, Cymbopogon Martini Oil, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract, Sodium Phytate, Sodium Anisate, Sclerotium Gum, Xanthan Gum, Citric Acid
Reviews
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 OilSclerotium Gum is a polysaccharide gum made by the fungus, Sclerotium rolfssii. It is similar to xanthan gum.
In cosmetics, Sclerotium Gum is used to thicken the texture and to help stabilize other ingredients.
As an emulsifier, Sclerotium Gum helps prevent ingredients from separating, such as water and oil.
Learn more about Sclerotium GumTocopherol 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 TocopherolXanthan 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