What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningPentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate
Antioxidant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Hydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingPPG-26-Buteth-26
Skin ConditioningZiziphus Spina-Christi Leaf
Trehalose
Humectant
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Epilobium Angustifolium Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract
Skin ConditioningGlycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
Bleaching
PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate
Antioxidant
Aminopropyl Ascorbyl Phosphate
Antioxidant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningSodium Hydroxide
BufferingWater, Pentylene Glycol, Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Panthenol, Glycerin, Hydroxyethylcellulose, PPG-26-Buteth-26, Ziziphus Spina-Christi Leaf, Trehalose, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Epilobium Angustifolium Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Tocopherol, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Aminopropyl Ascorbyl Phosphate, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Hydroxide
Water
Skin ConditioningEthylhexyl Isononanoate
EmollientIsononyl Isononanoate
EmollientHordeum Distichon Extract
Skin ProtectingPentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Propanediol
Solvent
Micrococcus Lysate
Skin ConditioningPlankton Extract
Skin ConditioningMagnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate
Antioxidant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Arabidopsis Thaliana Extract
Antioxidant
Evodia Rutaecarpa Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningPhellodendron Amurense Bark Extract
Skin ConditioningSantalum Album Extract
CleansingLecithin
Emollient
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingWater, Ethylhexyl Isononanoate, Isononyl Isononanoate, Hordeum Distichon Extract, Pentylene Glycol, Propanediol, Micrococcus Lysate, Plankton Extract, Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Tocopherol, Arabidopsis Thaliana Extract, Evodia Rutaecarpa Fruit Extract, Phellodendron Amurense Bark Extract, Santalum Album Extract, Lecithin, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Carbomer, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Hydroxide
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Ethylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:
The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure.
Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.
Learn more about EthylhexylglycerinMagnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate (MAP) is a water-soluble form of Vitamin C. It is used in skincare because it tends to be more formulation friendly than pure vitamin C (ascorbic acid).
According to research, MAP has three major benefits:
While MAP is gentler on the skin than ascorbic acid, it is thought to be less easily absorbed into the skin.
In a well-known absorption study, pure vitamin C increased skin vitamin C levels when formulated correctly, but derivatives like MAP did not in that experiment. This suggests MAP may not always convert into active vitamin C in the skin.
Due to MAP's stability up to a pH level of 7, it is more stable to air and sunlight exposure than ascorbic acid. The best pH range for MAP is between 5 and 6.
Learn more about Magnesium Ascorbyl PhosphatePentylene Glycol (1,2-pentanediol) is a multitasking little diol with three main roles in a formula:
Research on alkanediols (the family pentylene glycol belongs to) show they work by disrupting microbial cell membranes. This disruption helps the primary preservative system in a product work more effectively at lower doses.
On the safety side, the Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has concluded this ingredient to be safe as used in current cosmetic practices + concentrations.
Typical use levels in a formula run about 1-5%.
Learn more about Pentylene GlycolPhenoxyethanol is one of the most widely used preservatives in skincare (and for good reason!).
It has a large spectrum of antimicrobial activity and especially effective bacteria, yeast, and mold while only having a weak effect on your skin's natural microbiome.
On a cellular level, it disrupts the cell membranes of microbes by poking holes that make the cell leak. This shuts down the chemical reactions the microbe needs to make energy so it can no longer survive.
Another perk of this ingredient is that it stays functional across a wide pH range (3-10).
You'll often see it paired with boosters like Ethylhexylglycerin; one study showed that a 1:9 ratio of Ethylhexylglycerin to Phenoxyethanol damages bacterial membranes as effectively as doubling the Phenoxyethanol concentration on its own.
Typical use concentrations range from 0.3-1% depending on the formula, and this ingredient is capped at 1% int the EU.
Safety-wise, the fear mongering does not hold up to the evidence. The EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety and FDA consider it safe as a preservative at up to 1%, including for children of all ages.
Adverse systemic effects only showed up in animal studies at exposures roughly 200x higher than what people get from cosmetics. And despite its very widespread use, this ingredient is a rare sensitizer and allergic reactions are uncommon.
Learn more about PhenoxyethanolSodium Hydroxide is also known as lye or caustic soda. It is used to adjust the pH of products; many ingredients require a specific pH to be effective.
In small amounts, sodium hydroxide is considered safe to use. However, large amounts may cause chemical burns due to its high alkaline.
Your skin has a natural pH and acid mantle. This acid mantle helps prevent harmful bacteria from breaking through. The acid mantle also helps keep your skin hydrated.
"Alkaline" refers to a high pH level. A low pH level would be considered acidic.
Learn more about Sodium HydroxideTocopherol 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
