What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Methylpropanediol
SolventAloe Barbadensis Leaf Water
MaskingAlpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide
Cleansing
Polymnia Sonchifolia Root Juice
Skin Conditioning1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Maltodextrin
Absorbent
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingLactococcus Ferment Lysate
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningLactobacillus
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Sodium Chloride
MaskingPhenylpropanol
Masking
Levulinic Acid
Perfuming
Sodium Levulinate
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
Antioxidant
Water, Glycerin, Methylpropanediol, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Water, Alpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide, Polymnia Sonchifolia Root Juice, 1,2-Hexanediol, Maltodextrin, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Allantoin, Xanthan Gum, Lactococcus Ferment Lysate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Lactobacillus, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Chloride, Phenylpropanol, Levulinic Acid, Sodium Levulinate, Tocopherol
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Methylpropanediol
SolventPentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Caffeine
Skin Conditioning
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Madecassoside
Antioxidant
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingHydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningAdenosine
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Phytate
Asiaticoside
Antioxidant
Cynanchum Atratum Extract
Skin ConditioningCentella Asiatica Leaf Extract
Skin Conditioning
Anthemis Nobilis Flower Extract
Masking
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Water, Glycerin, Methylpropanediol, Pentylene Glycol, Butylene Glycol, Caffeine, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Madecassoside, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Xanthan Gum, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Ethylhexylglycerin, Adenosine, Ceramide NP, Sodium Phytate, Asiaticoside, Cynanchum Atratum Extract, Centella Asiatica Leaf Extract, Anthemis Nobilis Flower Extract, Tocopherol, Caprylyl Glycol
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
1,2-Hexanediol is a synthetic liquid and another multi-functional powerhouse.
It is a:
- Humectant, drawing moisture into the skin
- Emollient, helping to soften skin
- Solvent, dispersing and stabilizing formulas
- Preservative booster, enhancing the antimicrobial activity of other preservatives
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer is a synthetically created polymer. It's used as a film-forming agent and used to thicken the consistency of products.
Think of it as a supportive ingredient that helps your gel-creams feel silky, "cloud cream-like", and spread evenly without being greasy.
The Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) Expert Panel evaluated it (along with 22 other acryloyldimethyltaurate polymers) and concluded it's:
Due to its large molecular size, it sits on the surface of skin rather than penetrating it.
Learn more about Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp CopolymerEthylhexylglycerin 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 GlycerinMethylpropanediol is a synthetic solvent and humectant.
As a solvent, it helps dissolve other ingredients, helping to evenly distribute ingredients throughout the product. This ingredient has also been shown to have antimicrobial properties which makes it a preservative booster.
Methylpropanediol is able to add a bit of moisture to the skin. It also helps other ingredients be better absorbed into the skin, such as salicylic acid.
Learn more about MethylpropanediolTocopherol 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 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
