What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningTheobroma Cacao Seed Butter
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantDimethicone
EmollientIsohexadecane
EmollientPropanediol
SolventGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientPEG-20 Stearate
EmulsifyingNiacinamide
SmoothingPEG/PPG/Polybutylene Glycol-8/5/3 Glycerin
HumectantHydroxyproline
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Soy Protein
HumectantStearic Acid
CleansingPEG-100 Stearate
Palmitic Acid
EmollientGlycine
BufferingOctyldodecanol
EmollientPolyacrylamide
Silica Silylate
EmollientButylene Glycol
HumectantPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeCaffeine
Skin ConditioningC13-14 Isoparaffin
EmollientPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningCI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantTocopherol
AntioxidantHydrolyzed Rice Protein
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingMica
Cosmetic ColorantLaureth-7
EmulsifyingPanax Ginseng Root Extract
EmollientSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantProline
Skin ConditioningAlanine
MaskingCapryloyl Salicylic Acid
ExfoliatingTrisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Myristic Acid
CleansingPentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
AntioxidantCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningAdenosine
Skin ConditioningSodium Lactate
BufferingHydroxypalmitoyl Sphinganine
Skin ConditioningPolysorbate 20
EmulsifyingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingCI 77491
Cosmetic ColorantTin Oxide
AbrasivePalmitoyl Tripeptide-1
Skin ConditioningPalmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Skin ConditioningWater, Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter, Glycerin, Dimethicone, Isohexadecane, Propanediol, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-20 Stearate, Niacinamide, PEG/PPG/Polybutylene Glycol-8/5/3 Glycerin, Hydroxyproline, Hydrolyzed Soy Protein, Stearic Acid, PEG-100 Stearate, Palmitic Acid, Glycine, Octyldodecanol, Polyacrylamide, Silica Silylate, Butylene Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Caffeine, C13-14 Isoparaffin, Pentylene Glycol, CI 77891, Tocopherol, Hydrolyzed Rice Protein, Caprylyl Glycol, Carbomer, Mica, Laureth-7, Panax Ginseng Root Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Proline, Alanine, Capryloyl Salicylic Acid, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Myristic Acid, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Ceramide NP, Adenosine, Sodium Lactate, Hydroxypalmitoyl Sphinganine, Polysorbate 20, Sodium Hydroxide, CI 77491, Tin Oxide, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
C13-15 Alkane
SolventCocoglycerides
EmollientOctyldodecanol
EmollientIsoamyl Laurate
EmollientCoco-Caprylate
EmollientHydrogenated Ethylhexyl Olivate
EmollientAlcohol Denat.
AntimicrobialCrambe Abyssinica Seed Oil
Skin ConditioningOlea Europaea Fruit Oil
MaskingVitis Vinifera Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningWater
Skin ConditioningAscorbyl Tetraisopalmitate
AntioxidantEthyl Linoleate
EmollientEthyl Linolenate
EmollientEthyl Oleate
EmollientEthyl Palmitate
EmollientEthyl Stearate
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
EmollientHydrogenated Olive Oil Unsaponifiables
EmollientLactic Acid
BufferingLecithin
EmollientResveratrol
AntioxidantTocopherol
AntioxidantTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantVitis Vinifera Seed Oil
EmollientPotassium Sorbate
PreservativeSodium Benzoate
MaskingParfum
MaskingC13-15 Alkane, Cocoglycerides, Octyldodecanol, Isoamyl Laurate, Coco-Caprylate, Hydrogenated Ethylhexyl Olivate, Alcohol Denat., Crambe Abyssinica Seed Oil, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Vitis Vinifera Fruit Extract, Water, Ascorbyl Tetraisopalmitate, Ethyl Linoleate, Ethyl Linolenate, Ethyl Oleate, Ethyl Palmitate, Ethyl Stearate, Glycerin, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Hydrogenated Olive Oil Unsaponifiables, Lactic Acid, Lecithin, Resveratrol, Tocopherol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Parfum
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 GlycerinOctyldodecanol is a fatty alcohol sourced from plant oils like coconut or palm (or made synthetically).
It is:
You'll likely see this in many BHA products because this is the go-to solvent for salicylic acid.
This ingredient is typically used at levels between 2-20%.
Regarding fungal acne:
In 2019, this ingredient was tested against multiple Malassezia species (the yeast that causes fungal acne) and showed no growth.
Tocopherol 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