What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningIsopropyl Palmitate
Emollient
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Propanediol
Solvent
Glycerin
Humectant
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Dimethicone
Emollient
Parfum
Masking
Sorbitan Stearate
Emulsifying
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Glyceryl Glucoside
Humectant
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
PEG-100 Stearate
Cannabis Sativa Seed Oil
Emollient
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Polysorbate 40
Emulsifying
Nylon-12
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingChlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningAminomethyl Propanol
BufferingLinalool
Perfuming
Disodium EDTA
Benzyl Salicylate
Perfuming
Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone
Perfuming
Limonene
Perfuming
Coumarin
Perfuming
Benzyl Benzoate
Antimicrobial
Citral
Perfuming
Methyl 2-Octynoate
Perfuming
Ascorbic Acid
Antioxidant
Retinyl Palmitate
Skin Conditioning
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Citric Acid
Buffering
Phospholipids
Skin Conditioning
Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate
Antimicrobial
Pantothenic Acid
Skin ConditioningPotassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Water, Isopropyl Palmitate, Butylene Glycol, Propanediol, Glycerin, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Dimethicone, Parfum, Sorbitan Stearate, Stearic Acid, Glyceryl Glucoside, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Cannabis Sativa Seed Oil, Sodium Hyaluronate, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Phenoxyethanol, Cetyl Alcohol, Polysorbate 40, Nylon-12, Carbomer, Chlorphenesin, Ethylhexylglycerin, Aminomethyl Propanol, Linalool, Disodium EDTA, Benzyl Salicylate, Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone, Limonene, Coumarin, Benzyl Benzoate, Citral, Methyl 2-Octynoate, Ascorbic Acid, Retinyl Palmitate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Citric Acid, Phospholipids, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Pantothenic Acid, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate
Water
Skin ConditioningDimethicone
Emollient
Isopropyl Palmitate
Emollient
Ethylhexyl Cocoate
Emollient
Isododecane
EmollientIsopropyl Myristate
Emollient
Urea
Buffering
Polyglyceryl-2 Dipolyhydroxystearate
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Dicaprylyl Carbonate
EmollientPolyglyceryl-3 Diisostearate
Emulsifying
Sodium Lactate
Buffering
Dipentaerythrityl Hexacaprylate/Hexacaprate
EmulsifyingGluconolactone
Skin Conditioning
Rosa Canina Fruit Oil
Emollient
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Calendula Officinalis Extract
Skin Conditioning
Butyrospermum Parkii Oil
Emollient
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Glycine Soja Oil
Emollient
Isostearyl Isostearate
Emollient
Bisabolol
Antioxidant
Octyldodecyl PCA
EmollientRetinyl Palmitate
Skin Conditioning
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Linoleic Acid
Cleansing
Linolenic Acid
Cleansing
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Sodium PCA
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Stearalkonium Hectorite
Gel FormingPropylene Carbonate
SolventWater, Dimethicone, Isopropyl Palmitate, Ethylhexyl Cocoate, Isododecane, Isopropyl Myristate, Urea, Polyglyceryl-2 Dipolyhydroxystearate, Glycerin, Pentylene Glycol, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Polyglyceryl-3 Diisostearate, Sodium Lactate, Dipentaerythrityl Hexacaprylate/Hexacaprate, Gluconolactone, Rosa Canina Fruit Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Calendula Officinalis Extract, Butyrospermum Parkii Oil, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Glycine Soja Oil, Isostearyl Isostearate, Bisabolol, Octyldodecyl PCA, Retinyl Palmitate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Linoleic Acid, Linolenic Acid, Tocopherol, Sodium PCA, Sodium Hyaluronate, Lactic Acid, Stearalkonium Hectorite, Propylene Carbonate
Reviews
Alternatives
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Dimethicone is a type of synthetic silicone created from natural materials such as quartz. It is also known as polydimethylsiloxane.
What it does:
Dimethicone comes in different viscosities:
Depending on the viscosity, dimethicone has different properties.
Ingredients lists don't always show which type is used, so we recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about the viscosity.
This ingredient is unlikely to cause irritation because it does not get absorbed into skin. However, people with silicone allergies should be careful about using this ingredient.
Note: Dimethicone may contribute to pilling. This is because it is not oil or water soluble, so pilling may occur when layered with products. When mixed with heavy oils in a formula, the outcome is also quite greasy.
Learn more about DimethiconeGlycerin (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 GlycerinIsopropyl Palmitate is a texture enhancer and emollient. It is an ester of isopropyl alcohol and palmitic acid.
Palmitates are emollients. Emollients help keep your skin soft and smooth by creating a barrier that traps moisture in.
When added to cosmetics, Isopropyl Palmitate creates a silky texture and improves spreadability.
Isopropyl Palmitate may not be fungal acne safe. It can worsen acne prone skin.
Learn more about Isopropyl PalmitateRetinyl palmitate is a form of retinoid. Retinoids are the superstar class of anti-aging ingredients that include tretinoin and retinol.
This particular ingredient has had a bumpy year with its rise and fall in popularity.
First, Retinyl palmitate is created from palmitic acid and retinol. It is a retinol ester and considered one of the weaker forms of retinoid.
This is because all retinoids have to be converted to Tretinoin, AKA retinoic acid. Retinyl Palmitate is pretty far down the line and has to go through multiple conversions before its effects are seen.
Due to this long and ineffective conversion line, the benefits of Retinyl Palmitate are debated.
Studies show Retinyl Palmitate to help:
Dermatologists say this ingredient is ineffective because it isn't used in high enough concentrations in cosmetics.
This ingredient used to be found in sunscreens to boost the efficacy of sunscreen filters.
The downfall of Retinyl Palmitate was due to released reports about the ingredient being correlated to sun damage and skin tumors.
While there is a study showing this ingredient to cause DNA damage when exposed to UV-A, there is no concrete proof of it being linked to skin cancer. It is safe to use when used correctly.
All retinoids increase your skin's sensitivity to the sun in the first few months of usage. Be especially careful with reapplying sunscreen when using any form of retinoid.
Currently, this ingredient is still allowed in cosmetics all over the world. In Canada, cosmetics must have a warning label stating the product to contain Retinyl Palmitate
Fun fact: This ingredient is often added to low-fat milk to increase the levels of Vitamin A.
Learn more about Retinyl PalmitateSodium Hyaluronate is the salt form of hyaluronic acid. It is a long sugar chain that is naturally found in your skin, joints, and connective tissue that maintains hydration and elasticity.
In skincare, it works as a humectant. It pulls water from the environment and deeper layers of skin and binds it to the surface.
Interestingly, the size of the molecule affects its behavior:
Some clinical evidence links low molecular weight versions to improved wrinkle depth, elasticity, anti-inflammatory effects, and barrier repair.
Many serums use a blend of both weights so you can get surface hydration plus longer-lasting and deeper effects.
You'll typically see concentrations between 0.1-2% for this ingredient.
Learn more about Sodium HyaluronateTocopheryl Acetate is AKA Vitamin E. It is an antioxidant and protects your skin from free radicals. Free radicals damage the skin by breaking down collagen.
One study found using Tocopheryl Acetate with Vitamin C decreased the number of sunburned cells.
Tocopheryl Acetate is commonly found in both skincare and dietary supplements.
Learn more about Tocopheryl AcetateWater. 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
