What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCamellia Oleifera Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil
Emollient
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
Emollient
Citrus Nobilis Peel Oil
Masking
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Hippophae Rhamnoides Fruit Oil
Skin Protecting
Rosa Canina Fruit Oil
Emollient
Triticum Vulgare Germ Oil
Emollient
Daucus Carota Sativa Root Extract
Skin Conditioning
Vanillin
Masking
Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingRosa Damascena Flower Oil
Masking
Sodium Phytate
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Dehydroacetic Acid
Preservative
Linalool
Perfuming
Limonene
Perfuming
Water, Camellia Oleifera Seed Oil, Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil, Cetyl Alcohol, Glycerin, Glyceryl Stearate, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Citrus Nobilis Peel Oil, Tocopherol, Hippophae Rhamnoides Fruit Oil, Rosa Canina Fruit Oil, Triticum Vulgare Germ Oil, Daucus Carota Sativa Root Extract, Vanillin, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Rosa Damascena Flower Oil, Sodium Phytate, Benzyl Alcohol, Dehydroacetic Acid, Linalool, Limonene
Glycerin
Humectant
Sucrose
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Fragaria Ananassa Fruit Juice
Skin ConditioningPolyglyceryl-4 Oleate
Emulsifying
Ribes Nigrum Fruit Extract
Astringent
Zea Mays Starch
Absorbent
Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil
Emollient
Quillaja Saponaria Bark Extract
CleansingTocopherol
Antioxidant
Parfum
Masking
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingWater
Skin ConditioningSodium Hydroxide
BufferingAscorbic Acid
Antioxidant
Citric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Limonene
Perfuming
Citral
Perfuming
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Glycerin, Sucrose, Butylene Glycol, Fragaria Ananassa Fruit Juice, Polyglyceryl-4 Oleate, Ribes Nigrum Fruit Extract, Zea Mays Starch, Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil, Quillaja Saponaria Bark Extract, Tocopherol, Parfum, Carbomer, Water, Sodium Hydroxide, Ascorbic Acid, Citric Acid, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, Limonene, Citral, Benzyl Alcohol, Linalool
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Benzyl Alcohol is most commonly used as a preservative. It also has a subtle, sweet smell. Small amounts of Benzyl Alcohol is not irritating and safe to use in skincare products. Most Benzyl Alcohol is derived from fruits such as apricots.
Benzyl Alcohol has both antibacterial and antioxidant properties. These properties help lengthen the shelf life of products. Benzyl Alcohol is a solvent and helps dissolve other ingredients. It can also improve the texture and spreadability.
Alcohol comes in many different forms. Different types of alcohol will have different effects on skin. This ingredient is an astringent alcohol.
Using high concentrations of these alcohols are drying on the skin. They may strip away your skin's natural oils and even damage your skin barrier. Astringent alcohols may also irritate skin.
Other types of astringent alcohols include:
According to the National Rosacea Society based in the US, you should be mindful of products with these alcohols in the top half of ingredients.
Any type of sanitizing product will have high amounts of alcohol to help kill bacteria and viruses.
Learn more about Benzyl AlcoholGlycerin (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 GlycerinLimonene is a fragrance that adds scent and taste to a formulation.
It's found in the peel oil of citrus fruits and other plants such as lavender and eucalyptus. The scent of limonene is generally described as "sweet citrus".
Limonene acts as an antioxidant, meaning it helps neutralize free radicals.
When exposed to air, oxidized limonene may sensitize the skin. Because of this, limonene is often avoided by people with sensitive skin.
The term '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.
Learn more about LimoneneLinalool is a fragrance and helps add scent to products. It's derived from common plants such as cinnamon, mint, citrus, and lavender.
Like Limonene, this ingredient oxidizes when exposed to air. Oxidized linalool can cause allergies and skin sensitivity.
This ingredient has a scent that is floral, spicy tropical, and citrus-like.
Learn more about LinaloolTocopherol 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 TocopherolVitis Vinifera Seed Oil comes from the grape vine. Grape seeds are a byproduct of creating grape juice or wine.
The components of grape seeds have many skin benefits. Research has found it to be antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory. It also contains many potent antioxidants such as Vitamin E , Vitamin C, proanthocyanidins, polyphenols, flavonoids, and anthocyanins. Proanthocyanidin has been shown to help even out skin tone.
Antioxidants help fight free-radical molecules. Free-radical molecules are capable of damaging our cells and other genetic material. Antioxidants help stabilize free-radicals by donating extra electrons. Grape seed extract may help reduce the signs of aging.
The antimicrobial properties of grape seed may help treat acne. However, more research is needed to support this claim.
Grape seed has also been found to help absorb UV rays. Grape seed extract should not replace your sunscreen.
The fatty acids of grape seed oil give it emollient properties. Emollients help soothe and soften your skin by creating a film. This film traps moisture within, keeping your skin hydrated.
Learn more about Vitis Vinifera Seed OilWater. 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
