What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantCoco-Caprylate
EmollientSorbitan Stearate
EmulsifyingPropanediol
SolventSaccharomyces/Xylinum/Black Tea Ferment
Skin ConditioningArgania Spinosa Kernel Oil
EmollientPrunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin ConditioningCetyl Alcohol
EmollientPrunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil
MaskingButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningOenothera Biennis Oil
EmollientSqualane
EmollientDecyl Oleate
EmollientPanthenol
Skin ConditioningAlpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide
CleansingChondrus Crispus Extract
Skin ConditioningSodium Polyglutamate
HumectantHippophae Rhamnoides Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningAnnona Cherimola Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningAlbatrellus Confluens Extract
HumectantPhospholipids
Skin ConditioningChlorella Vulgaris Extract
Skin ConditioningUndaria Pinnatifida Extract
Skin ConditioningSphingolipids
EmollientRosa Centifolia Flower Extract
AstringentRosa Damascena Flower Oil
MaskingRosa Damascena Flower Water
MaskingRosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialPantolactone
HumectantAscorbyl Palmitate
AntioxidantLecithin
EmollientXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingTocopherol
AntioxidantHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
EmollientSodium Hydroxide
BufferingSodium Citrate
BufferingBiosaccharide Gum-1
HumectantCitric Acid
BufferingPhenylpropanol
MaskingHydrogenated Palm Glycerides Citrate
EmollientPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingPhenethyl Alcohol
MaskingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeDisodium EDTA
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPotassium Sorbate
PreservativePotassium Benzoate
PreservativeSodium Benzoate
MaskingSodium Dehydroacetate
PreservativeCI 42090
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Glycerin, Coco-Caprylate, Sorbitan Stearate, Propanediol, Saccharomyces/Xylinum/Black Tea Ferment, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Cetyl Alcohol, Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Oenothera Biennis Oil, Squalane, Decyl Oleate, Panthenol, Alpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide, Chondrus Crispus Extract, Sodium Polyglutamate, Hippophae Rhamnoides Fruit Extract, Annona Cherimola Fruit Extract, Albatrellus Confluens Extract, Phospholipids, Chlorella Vulgaris Extract, Undaria Pinnatifida Extract, Sphingolipids, Rosa Centifolia Flower Extract, Rosa Damascena Flower Oil, Rosa Damascena Flower Water, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Pantolactone, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Lecithin, Xanthan Gum, Tocopherol, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Sodium Hydroxide, Sodium Citrate, Biosaccharide Gum-1, Citric Acid, Phenylpropanol, Hydrogenated Palm Glycerides Citrate, Pentylene Glycol, Carbomer, Phenethyl Alcohol, Phenoxyethanol, Disodium EDTA, Ethylhexylglycerin, Potassium Sorbate, Potassium Benzoate, Sodium Benzoate, Sodium Dehydroacetate, CI 42090
Water
Skin ConditioningPropylene Glycol
HumectantDicaprylyl Ether
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantPEG-100 Stearate
SurfactantGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientSqualene
EmollientHydrogenated Polyisobutene
EmollientPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeSorbitan Oleate
EmulsifyingCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingTriethanolamine
BufferingBeeswax
Emulsion StabilisingTocopherol
AntioxidantDisodium EDTA
Stearic Acid
CleansingMyristyl Alcohol
EmollientPrunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin ConditioningPrunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil
MaskingElaeis Guineensis Kernel Oil
EmollientPersea Gratissima Oil
Skin ConditioningWater, Propylene Glycol, Dicaprylyl Ether, Glycerin, PEG-100 Stearate, Glyceryl Stearate, Squalene, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Phenoxyethanol, Sorbitan Oleate, Caprylyl Glycol, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Triethanolamine, Beeswax, Tocopherol, Disodium EDTA, Stearic Acid, Myristyl Alcohol, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil, Elaeis Guineensis Kernel Oil, Persea Gratissima Oil
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Disodium EDTA is a chelating agent. It grabs onto and deactivates metal ions that sneak into your products from water, packaging, or air.
This ingredient mainly works behind the scenes and helps with:
On top of that, this ingredient can counteract the effects of hard water by binding to the minerals in it.
One thing worth knowing is that Disodium EDTA has been shown to be a mild penetration enhancer. It can help other ingredients absorb into skin more effectively which can be a double-edged sword (great for actives, but can also make the active too strong if you have sensitive skin).
Clinical patch testing showed no significant skin irritation at typical use concentrations and minimal dermal absorption.
You'll most likely see this ingredient near the end of an ingredient list. It's typically found in concentrations less than 1%.
Learn more about Disodium EDTAGlycerin (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.
This ingredient is also known as sweet almond oil. It is a lightweight, cold-pressed oil from the ripe seeds of the sweet almond tree.
Sweet almond oil is rich in skin-nourishing fatty acids such as oleic acid (55-86%) and linolenic acid (7-35%).
As an emollient, it softens and hydrates skin by forming a thin barrier that locks in moisture.
Clinical studies have found it to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing. The CIR Expert Panel has evaluated the available safety data and concluded it is safe for topical use.
Because of the oleic acid content, this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis OilThis ingredient is the oil from the apricot.
Apricot Kernel Oil is an emollient and helps soften skin. This is due to its fatty acid components. Some of these fatty acids include linoleic and oleic acid.
This ingredient also has antioxidant properties from Vitamins A, C, and E. Antioxidants help fight free-radicals. Free-radicals are molecules that may damage your skin cells. Besides being antioxidants, these vitamins provide plenty of skin benefits as well.
Learn more about Prunus Armeniaca Kernel OilTocopherol 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