What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningTetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate
Antioxidant
Squalane
Emollient
Polyglyceryl-6 Distearate
Emulsifying
Glycerin
Humectant
Stearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Fulvic Acid
Skin ConditioningRaphanus Sativus Root Extract
AstringentCetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Jojoba Esters
Emollient
Butyrospermum Parkii Oil
Emollient
Dimethicone
Emollient
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Extract
Abrasive
Bisabolol
Antioxidant
Pullulan
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Terminalia Ferdinandiana Fruit Extract
Antioxidant
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
Antioxidant
Helianthus Annuus Hybrid Oil
Emollient
Sodium Acrylates Copolymer
Polyglyceryl-3 Beeswax
Emulsifying
Lecithin
Emollient
Saccharide Isomerate
Humectant
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingLimonene
Perfuming
Sclerotium Gum
Emulsion StabilisingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Silica
Abrasive
Sodium Citrate
BufferingCitric Acid
Buffering
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Myrcene
Perfuming
Water, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Squalane, Polyglyceryl-6 Distearate, Glycerin, Stearyl Alcohol, Fulvic Acid, Raphanus Sativus Root Extract, Cetyl Alcohol, Jojoba Esters, Butyrospermum Parkii Oil, Dimethicone, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Extract, Bisabolol, Pullulan, Sodium Hyaluronate, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Terminalia Ferdinandiana Fruit Extract, Ethylhexylglycerin, Tocopherol, Helianthus Annuus Hybrid Oil, Sodium Acrylates Copolymer, Polyglyceryl-3 Beeswax, Lecithin, Saccharide Isomerate, Xanthan Gum, Limonene, Sclerotium Gum, Phenoxyethanol, Silica, Sodium Citrate, Citric Acid, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Myrcene
Water
Skin ConditioningTetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate
Antioxidant
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Dimethyl Isosorbide
SolventHydrolyzed Eruca Sativa Leaf
Antioxidant
Glycerin
Humectant
Zea Mays Starch
Absorbent
Cetearyl Glucoside
Emulsifying
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Acetyl Zingerone
Antioxidant
Palmitoyl Glycine
CleansingCyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Glyceryl Caprylate
EmollientPlantago Lanceolata Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialDiglucosyl Gallic Acid
Squalane
Emollient
Sodium Carboxymethyl Beta-Glucan
CleansingEuterpe Oleracea Fruit Extract
Ergothioneine
Antioxidant
Punica Granatum Extract
AstringentTocopherol
Antioxidant
Ubiquinone
Antioxidant
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingTriethanolamine
BufferingTocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate
Antimicrobial
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Disodium EDTA
PPG-12/Smdi Copolymer
EmollientXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingWater, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Pentylene Glycol, Dimethyl Isosorbide, Hydrolyzed Eruca Sativa Leaf, Glycerin, Zea Mays Starch, Cetearyl Glucoside, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Acetyl Zingerone, Palmitoyl Glycine, Cyclopentasiloxane, Glyceryl Caprylate, Plantago Lanceolata Leaf Extract, Diglucosyl Gallic Acid, Squalane, Sodium Carboxymethyl Beta-Glucan, Euterpe Oleracea Fruit Extract, Ergothioneine, Punica Granatum Extract, Tocopherol, Ubiquinone, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Triethanolamine, Tocopheryl Acetate, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Phenoxyethanol, Disodium EDTA, PPG-12/Smdi Copolymer, Xanthan Gum
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 GlycerinPhenoxyethanol 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.
Squalane is the hydrogenated and shelf-stable form of squalene (a lipid that naturally occurs in human sebum).
It is an emollient and skin conditioning agent that is able to integrate seamlessly into the skin's lipid barrier without clogging pores.
This is due to how structurally similar it is to what your skin already produces.
Though it is mostly an emollient that helps soften and hydrate skin, it also has some humectant and occlusive action. Humectants help the skin retain moisture while occlusives seal it in, making squalane a triple-threat moisturizer.
Research shows it has antioxidant capabilities that help protect against stressors like UV exposure, specifically UVA induced oxidative stress. This study also found that it supports collagen biosynthesis in human dermal fibroblasts.
No clinical study has reported significant adverse effects and irritation reactions are very rare from this ingredient (even at 100% concentration).
Overall, it's a fantastic ingredient for hydration and is suitable for all skin types.
This depends on the source. Squalane can be derived from both plants and animals. Most squalane used in skincare comes from plants.
Please note: the source of squalane is only known if disclosed by the brand. We recommend reaching out to the brand if you have any questions about their squalane.
Read more about squalene with an "e".
Though squalane is often called an oil, itâs technically not one. It is a hydrocarbon, meaning it is only made of carbon and hydrogen. True oils are triglycerides and made of fatty acids and glycerol.
The term âoil-freeâ isnât regulated so companies can define it however they want. Some exclude all oils, while others just avoid mineral oil or comedogenic oils.
Squalane has a comedogenic rating of 1 from the original 1972 study that tested raw ingredients under occlusion on rabbit ears. This system is not standardized or peer-reviewed, and using the raw ingredients is very different from how diluted cosmetic formulations are used on human skin.
A comedogenic rating of 1 means it is "unlikely to clog pores" according to the original rating system.
The overall formula of a product matters more than the individual ingredients on whether or not it will cause clogged pores.
Learn more about SqualaneTetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate (THD) is a stable and oil-soluble form of Vitamin C.
THD is special in that it has the ability to travel deeper into skin than traditional ascorbic acid while maintaining the same skin benefits (double win!).
Because itâs oil-soluble, THD dives deep into your skinâs fatty layers (think ceramides and cholesterol) to fight off the kind of free radicals that mess with your skin barrier. This makes it a great pair with water-based vitamin C (ascorbic acid) that mainly works on the surface.
Even at just 0.1%, THD is already showing great antioxidant activity. When used up to 2%, it helps keep your skin happy and calm, especially when itâs stressed from pollution or sun.
Want to fade dark spots or tackle hyperpigmentation? Youâll want 5% or more. Pairing it with brightening buddies like niacinamide or licorice root gives even better results. One study even used 30% THD with other brighteners and saw real results on stubborn discoloration, even in melasma-prone skin.
A note on THD: Itâs has a slightly silky, oily texture and usually shows up colorless or pale yellow (though the exact shade can vary by supplier).
While you can sneak it into water-based formulas, it really shines when paired with silicones or oils, which help your skin soak it up better.
THD is pretty stable, but itâs still vulnerable to degradation like ascorbic acid. Too much light or heat (above 113°F / 45°C) can break it down over time. Go for dark and opaque packaging that keeps it safe and shady!
Read more about other types of Vitamin C:
Learn more about Tetrahexyldecyl AscorbateTocopherol 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
