What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane 3%
UV Absorber
Homosalate 5%
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexyl Salicylate 5%
UV Absorber
Octocrylene 7%
UV Absorber
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Dimethicone
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Hydroxypropyl Tetrahydropyrantriol
Skin ConditioningSilica
Abrasive
PEG-100 Stearate
Surfactant
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Euphorbia Cerifera Wax
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate
Emulsion StabilisingStearic Acid
Cleansing
Dicaprylyl Carbonate
EmollientCetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Palmitic Acid
Emollient
Capryloyl Salicylic Acid
Exfoliating
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingDimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Skin Conditioning
Parfum
Masking
Disodium EDTA
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Adenosine
Skin Conditioning
Linalool
Perfuming
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingJasminum Officinale Flower Extract
Masking
Citronellol
Perfuming
Geraniol
Perfuming
Citral
Perfuming
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Citric Acid
Buffering
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane 3%, Homosalate 5%, Ethylhexyl Salicylate 5%, Octocrylene 7%, Water, Glycerin, Dimethicone, Glyceryl Stearate, Hydroxypropyl Tetrahydropyrantriol, Silica, PEG-100 Stearate, Propylene Glycol, Euphorbia Cerifera Wax, Phenoxyethanol, Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Stearic Acid, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Cetyl Alcohol, Palmitic Acid, Capryloyl Salicylic Acid, Caprylyl Glycol, Xanthan Gum, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Parfum, Disodium EDTA, Tocopherol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Adenosine, Linalool, Sodium Hydroxide, Jasminum Officinale Flower Extract, Citronellol, Geraniol, Citral, Benzyl Alcohol, Citric Acid
Water
Skin ConditioningSqualane
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Isoamyl Laurate
Emollient
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Sorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Cetearyl Olivate
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Jojoba Esters
Emollient
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Euterpe Oleracea Sterols
Skin ConditioningLinoleic Acid
Cleansing
Oleic Acid
Emollient
Linolenic Acid
Cleansing
Ethyl Linoleate
Emollient
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Isoamyl Cocoate
Cetyl Palmitate
Emollient
Sorbitan Palmitate
Emulsifying
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Sodium Gluconate
Skin ConditioningWater, Squalane, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Isoamyl Laurate, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Sorbitan Olivate, Cetearyl Olivate, Ceramide NP, Jojoba Esters, Sodium Hyaluronate, Euterpe Oleracea Sterols, Linoleic Acid, Oleic Acid, Linolenic Acid, Ethyl Linoleate, Tocopherol, Isoamyl Cocoate, Cetyl Palmitate, Sorbitan Palmitate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Carbomer, Sodium Hydroxide, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Gluconate
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 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.
Sodium 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 HyaluronateSodium 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
