What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Ethylhexyl Stearate
Emollient
Helianthus Annuus Hybrid Oil
Emollient
Behenyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Pentaerythrityl Distearate
Emulsifying
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Dicaprylyl Carbonate
EmollientPanthenol
Skin Conditioning
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Retinal
Skin Conditioning
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingCellulose
Absorbent
Microcrystalline Cellulose
AbsorbentXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCellulose Gum
Emulsion StabilisingCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Caprylhydroxamic Acid
Citric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingWater, Glycerin, Ethylhexyl Stearate, Helianthus Annuus Hybrid Oil, Behenyl Alcohol, Cetyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, Pentaerythrityl Distearate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Panthenol, Allantoin, Retinal, Tocopherol, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Cellulose, Microcrystalline Cellulose, Xanthan Gum, Cellulose Gum, Caprylyl Glycol, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, Citric Acid, Sodium Hydroxide
Water
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Dipropylheptyl Carbonate
EmollientGlycerin
Humectant
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Phospholipids
Skin Conditioning
Niacinamide
Smoothing
3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Ascorbic Acid
Antioxidant
Sodium Polyacrylate
Absorbent
Squalane
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Retinal
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Skin Conditioning
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingPolysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
Antioxidant
Water, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Dipropylheptyl Carbonate, Glycerin, Glyceryl Stearate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Phospholipids, Niacinamide, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Ascorbic Acid, Sodium Polyacrylate, Squalane, Phenoxyethanol, Retinal, Sodium Hyaluronate, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Butylene Glycol, Carbomer, Polysorbate 20, Xanthan Gum, Ethylhexylglycerin, Tocopherol
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 GlycerinGlyceryl Stearate is made by reacting glycerin with stearic acid (typically sourced from plant oils like palm or coconut). It's an emulsifier, emollient, and mild occlusive.
Emulsifiers help ingredients like oil and water stay mixed so your formula stays nicely blended and uniform in texture.
This ingredient is typically used in concentrations between 1-10%. Studies have found it to be non-sensitizing, non-phototoxic, and non-photoallergenic.
A close cousin of this ingredient is Glyceryl Stearate SE ("self-emulsifying"). This just has a small amount of sodium or potassium stearate added so it can emulsify without a co-emulsifier.
Since this ingredient is an ester of a C18 fatty acid, it may not be fungal acne safe. The Malassezia yeast can potentially metabolize within the C11-C24 range.
Fun fact: The human body also creates Glyceryl Stearate naturally.
Learn more about Glyceryl StearateRetinal is a form of retinoid. Retinoids are the gold-standard class of anti-aging ingredients.
Retinal has many benefits as other retinoids: improve skin texture, reduce large pores, reduce the effects of aging, reduce the visibility of dark spots, heal scars, and fight acne.
Studies show retinal may work at a faster rate than retinol due to its structure.
All retinoids have to be converted into retinoic acid before starting to work. Some retinoids take several steps of conversion before binding. Retinal is only one step away, making it more potent.
Like other retinoids, retinal may be irritating. It is best to ease into using this ingredient frequently.
Using the 'ramp up' method, start by using retinol once a week. This gives your skin time to adjust and decrease irritation. Once you feel ready, you can slowly increase the frequency of retinol use.
Using retinoids will increase sun-sensitivity in the first few weeks of use. Though studies show retinoids increase your skin's natural SPF with continuous use, it is best to always wear sunscreen and sun-protection.
Learn more about RetinalTocopherol 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
