What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningZinc Oxide
Cosmetic Colorant
Cyclohexasiloxane
Emollient
Propanediol
Solvent
Butyloctyl Salicylate
Skin Conditioning
Propylheptyl Caprylate
EmollientIsododecane
EmollientDipropylene Glycol
HumectantPolyglyceryl-3 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone
Skin Conditioning
Dicaprylyl Carbonate
EmollientCaprylyl Methicone
Skin Conditioning
Methyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer
Polymethylsilsesquioxane
Disteardimonium Hectorite
StabilisingMagnesium Sulfate
Triethoxycaprylylsilane
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Polyglyceryl-2 Dipolyhydroxystearate
Skin Conditioning
Lauryl Polyglyceryl-3 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Glyceryl Caprylate
EmollientEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCI 77288
Cosmetic ColorantMica
Cosmetic ColorantSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Madecassoside
Antioxidant
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Asiaticoside
Antioxidant
Madecassic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Asiatic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Portulaca Oleracea Extract
Skin Conditioning
Salvia Hispanica Seed Extract
EmollientCentella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Houttuynia Cordata Extract
Skin Conditioning
Water, Zinc Oxide, Cyclohexasiloxane, Propanediol, Butyloctyl Salicylate, Propylheptyl Caprylate, Isododecane, Dipropylene Glycol, Polyglyceryl-3 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Caprylyl Methicone, Methyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Magnesium Sulfate, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, 1,2-Hexanediol, Polyglyceryl-2 Dipolyhydroxystearate, Lauryl Polyglyceryl-3 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone, Caprylyl Glycol, Glyceryl Caprylate, Ethylhexylglycerin, CI 77288, Mica, Sodium Hyaluronate, Tocopherol, Madecassoside, Allantoin, Glycerin, Panthenol, Asiaticoside, Madecassic Acid, Butylene Glycol, Asiatic Acid, Portulaca Oleracea Extract, Salvia Hispanica Seed Extract, Centella Asiatica Extract, Houttuynia Cordata Extract
Water
Skin ConditioningC12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialSilica
Abrasive
Glycerin
Humectant
Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine
Skin Conditioning
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane
UV Absorber
Ethylhexyl Methoxycrylene
Skin Conditioning
Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate
UV Filter
Diisopropyl Sebacate
EmollientLauroyl Lysine
Skin Conditioning
Propanediol
Solvent
Dicaprylyl Carbonate
Emollient1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Polysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Cetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingMaltooligosyl Glucoside
Skin ConditioningGlycyrrhetinic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Arginine
Masking
Hydrogenated Starch Hydrolysate
Humectant1-Methylhydantoin-2-Imide
Skin ConditioningHydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Citric Acid
Buffering
Ectoin
Skin Conditioning
Mannitol
Humectant
Sodium Phytate
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingXylitol
Humectant
Rhamnose
HumectantO-Cymen-5-Ol
Antimicrobial
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Water, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Silica, Glycerin, Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, Ethylhexyl Methoxycrylene, Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate, Diisopropyl Sebacate, Lauroyl Lysine, Propanediol, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Polysorbate 60, Cetyl Phosphate, Maltooligosyl Glucoside, Glycyrrhetinic Acid, Arginine, Hydrogenated Starch Hydrolysate, 1-Methylhydantoin-2-Imide, Hydroxyacetophenone, Citric Acid, Ectoin, Mannitol, Sodium Phytate, Xanthan Gum, Xylitol, Rhamnose, O-Cymen-5-Ol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Tocopherol
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.Â
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 preservativesÂ
Dicaprylyl Carbonate comes from carbonic acid and caprylyl alcohol, a fatty alcohol. It is an emollient and gives skin a velvet feel. The sources of Dicaprylyl Carbonate may be synthetic or from animals.
As an emollient, Dicaprylyl Carbonate creates a film on the skin. This film traps moisture in, keeping your skin soft and hydrated.
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 GlycerinPropanediol is an all-star ingredient. It softens, hydrates, and smooths the skin.Â
It’s often used to:
Propanediol is not likely to cause sensitivity and considered safe to use. It is derived from corn or petroleum with a clear color and no scent.
Learn more about PropanediolSodium 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 HyaluronateTocopherol 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 Water
