What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin ConditioningHydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingMaltodextrin/Vp Copolymer
Potassium Hydroxide
BufferingGluconolactone
ChelatingSodium Benzoate
MaskingCalcium Gluconate
HumectantAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingCitrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil
MaskingCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingPotassium Sorbate
PreservativeSodium Phytate
ChelatingGlycerin
HumectantChamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
MaskingEucalyptus Globulus Leaf Extract
PerfumingGinkgo Biloba Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningAspalathus Linearis Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningHoney Extract
HumectantLimonene
PerfumingWater, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Maltodextrin/Vp Copolymer, Potassium Hydroxide, Gluconolactone, Sodium Benzoate, Calcium Gluconate, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Phytate, Glycerin, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Extract, Ginkgo Biloba Leaf Extract, Aspalathus Linearis Leaf Extract, Honey Extract, Limonene
Water
Skin ConditioningVp/Va Copolymer
Glycerin
HumectantHydrolyzed Jojoba Esters
Skin ConditioningJojoba Esters
EmollientCocoyl Hydrolyzed Quinoa Protein
Hydrolyzed Oat Protein
Skin ConditioningAloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
EmollientPanax Ginseng Root Extract
EmollientSalvia Officinalis Extract
AntimicrobialNigella Sativa Seed Oil
EmollientBoswellia Carterii Oil
MaskingAminomethyl Propanol
BufferingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Phytate
ChelatingCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientHexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeCitric Acid
BufferingParfum 100%
MaskingWater, Vp/Va Copolymer, Glycerin, Hydrolyzed Jojoba Esters, Jojoba Esters, Cocoyl Hydrolyzed Quinoa Protein, Hydrolyzed Oat Protein, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Panax Ginseng Root Extract, Salvia Officinalis Extract, Nigella Sativa Seed Oil, Boswellia Carterii Oil, Aminomethyl Propanol, Carbomer, Sodium Phytate, Caprylyl Glycol, Hexylene Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Citric Acid, Parfum 100%
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 GlycerinSodium Phytate is the sodium salt of Phytic acid, a compound that plants store phosphorus in. It's the plant-derived alternative to ingredients like Disodium EDTA.
In skincare, this ingredient is a chelator that grabs onto trace metal ions like iron and copper that sneak into formulas through water/raw materials.
Those metals speed up oxidation so binding them keeps oils, fragrance, and actives from going off, stops color changes, and helps the preservative system work harder.
Survey data shows usage levels range from 0.0099%-0.5% in leave-on products, 0.025%-0.3% in rinse-off, and up to 0.05% in eye-area products. Suppliers typically recommend a range between 0.05-0.5%.
Learn more about Sodium PhytateWater. 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