What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningPropylene Glycol
Humectant
Dicaprylyl Ether
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
PEG-100 Stearate
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Squalene
Emollient
Hydrogenated Polyisobutene
EmollientPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Sorbitan Oleate
Emulsifying
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingTriethanolamine
BufferingBeeswax
Emulsion Stabilising
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Disodium EDTA
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Myristyl Alcohol
Emollient
Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin Conditioning
Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil
Masking
Elaeis Guineensis Kernel Oil
Emollient
Persea Gratissima Oil
Skin Conditioning
Water, 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
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantHydrogenated Polydecene
EmollientCetyl Ethylhexanoate
EmollientButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Polyglyceryl-3 Distearate
Emulsifying
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Trimethylpentanediol/Adipic Acid/Glycerin Crosspolymer
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Methicone
Skin Conditioning
Vinyldimethicone
Glyceryl Caprylate
EmollientSorbitan Sesquioleate
Emulsifying
Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingGlyceryl Stearate Citrate
Emollient
Dimethiconol
Emollient
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingPolyisobutene
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Ethylhexyl Palmitate
Emollient
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSorbitan Oleate
Emulsifying
Caprylyl/Capryl Glucoside
CleansingHydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Disodium EDTA
Squalane
Emollient
Collagen Extract
Skin Conditioning
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Tromethamine
Buffering1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate
Lonicera Japonica Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningCentella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
Humectant
Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
Humectant
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Leucine
Skin ConditioningLysine
Skin ConditioningMelaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Extract
Perfuming
Madecassoside
Antioxidant
Madecassic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Asiaticoside
Antioxidant
Asiatic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Phenylalanine
Masking
Valine
MaskingThreonine
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Ceramide Ns
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide As
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide AP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide EOP
Skin Conditioning
Water, Glycerin, Dipropylene Glycol, Hydrogenated Polydecene, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Polyglyceryl-3 Distearate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, Trimethylpentanediol/Adipic Acid/Glycerin Crosspolymer, Caprylyl Methicone, Vinyldimethicone, Glyceryl Caprylate, Sorbitan Sesquioleate, Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Dimethiconol, Carbomer, Polyisobutene, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Niacinamide, Ethylhexylglycerin, Xanthan Gum, Sorbitan Oleate, Caprylyl/Capryl Glucoside, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Disodium EDTA, Squalane, Collagen Extract, Butylene Glycol, Tromethamine, 1,2-Hexanediol, Pentylene Glycol, Caprylyl Glycol, Hydroxyacetophenone, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate, Lonicera Japonica Flower Extract, Centella Asiatica Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Ceramide NP, Leucine, Lysine, Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Extract, Madecassoside, Madecassic Acid, Asiaticoside, Asiatic Acid, Phenylalanine, Valine, Threonine, Tocopherol, Ceramide Ns, Ceramide As, Ceramide AP, Ceramide EOP
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Caprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.
Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.
Because it is not a free-fatty acid or alcohol, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolDisodium 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 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 StearateSorbitan Oleate is created from compounds in oleic acid and sorbitol.
It is used to stabilize a product by preventing ingredients from separating. Emulsifiers help keep ingredients together, such as oils and water.
According to a manufacturer, the ingredient Sorbitan Monooleate shares an INCI name with this one.
Sorbitan Oleate may not be fungal acne safe. It can also worsen oily skin.
Learn more about Sorbitan OleateTocopherol 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
