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 ConditioningDimethicone
Emollient
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantGlycerin
Humectant
Sd Alcohol 40-B
Astringent
Hydrogenated Polydecene
EmollientPEG-10 Dimethicone
Skin Conditioning
Sorbitol
Humectant
PEG-150
HumectantPEG-400
Emulsion StabilisingDiisostearyl Malate
EmollientPEG-9 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone
Emulsifying
Disteardimonium Hectorite
StabilisingPEG-20
HumectantTrehalose
Humectant
Potassium Methoxysalicylate
BleachingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Polyvinyl Alcohol
Hydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingButylene Glycol
Humectant
Trisodium EDTA
Hdi/Trimethylol Hexyllactone Crosspolymer
Sodium Citrate
BufferingDipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Humectant
Alcohol
Antimicrobial
Parfum
Masking
Caffeine
Skin Conditioning
Citric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Metaphosphate
BufferingPEG/PPG-14/7 Dimethyl Ether
Skin ConditioningPPG-3 Dipivalate
Skin ConditioningLinalool
Perfuming
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Citronellol
Perfuming
Sodium Metabisulfite
Antioxidant
Geraniol
Perfuming
Paeonia Albiflora Root Extract
Skin ConditioningSilica
Abrasive
CI 77491
Cosmetic ColorantAngelica Keiskei Leaf/Stem Extract
Skin ConditioningLimonene
Perfuming
Crataegus Monogyna Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningRehmannia Chinensis Root Extract
Skin ConditioningPrunus Yedoensis Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningZiziphus Jujuba Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningPyrola Incarnata Extract
Skin ConditioningPotentilla Erecta Root Extract
Skin ConditioningAchillea Millefolium Extract
CleansingBenzoic Acid
Masking
Water, Dimethicone, Dipropylene Glycol, Glycerin, Sd Alcohol 40-B, Hydrogenated Polydecene, PEG-10 Dimethicone, Sorbitol, PEG-150, PEG-400, Diisostearyl Malate, PEG-9 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone, Disteardimonium Hectorite, PEG-20, Trehalose, Potassium Methoxysalicylate, Phenoxyethanol, Polyvinyl Alcohol, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Butylene Glycol, Trisodium EDTA, Hdi/Trimethylol Hexyllactone Crosspolymer, Sodium Citrate, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Alcohol, Parfum, Caffeine, Citric Acid, Sodium Metaphosphate, PEG/PPG-14/7 Dimethyl Ether, PPG-3 Dipivalate, Linalool, Tocopherol, Citronellol, Sodium Metabisulfite, Geraniol, Paeonia Albiflora Root Extract, Silica, CI 77491, Angelica Keiskei Leaf/Stem Extract, Limonene, Crataegus Monogyna Flower Extract, Rehmannia Chinensis Root Extract, Prunus Yedoensis Leaf Extract, Ziziphus Jujuba Fruit Extract, Pyrola Incarnata Extract, Potentilla Erecta Root Extract, Achillea Millefolium Extract, Benzoic Acid
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.
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
