What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
SolventGlycerin
HumectantIsononyl Isononanoate
EmollientButylene Glycol
HumectantPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningDextrin Palmitate/Ethylhexanoate
EmulsifyingLimnanthes Alba Seed Oil
Skin ConditioningHelichrysum Italicum Flower Oil
MaskingOriganum Majorana Leaf Extract
AntiseborrhoeicAcmella Oleracea Extract
Skin ProtectingHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
EmollientAdenosine
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingMaltodextrin
AbsorbentSodium Hydroxide
BufferingPalmitic Acid
EmollientDisodium EDTA
Cellulose Gum
Emulsion StabilisingAmodimethicone
Tocopherol
AntioxidantParfum
MaskingCI 75130
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Propanediol, Glycerin, Isononyl Isononanoate, Butylene Glycol, Pentylene Glycol, Dextrin Palmitate/Ethylhexanoate, Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil, Helichrysum Italicum Flower Oil, Origanum Majorana Leaf Extract, Acmella Oleracea Extract, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Adenosine, Phenoxyethanol, Carbomer, Maltodextrin, Sodium Hydroxide, Palmitic Acid, Disodium EDTA, Cellulose Gum, Amodimethicone, Tocopherol, Parfum, CI 75130
Water
Skin ConditioningDimethicone
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantAlcohol Denat.
AntimicrobialHamamelis Virginiana Water
AstringentPropanediol
SolventPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeTocopherol
AntioxidantAmmonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate
Emulsion StabilisingSchisandra Chinensis Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningCapryloyl Salicylic Acid
ExfoliatingCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
EmulsifyingPanax Ginseng Root Extract
EmollientSodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
HumectantPEG-20 Methyl Glucose Sesquistearate
EmulsifyingDisodium EDTA
Ocimum Sanctum Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningCitrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil
MaskingLimonene
PerfumingAdenosine
Skin ConditioningSodium Hydroxide
BufferingMethyldihydrojasmonate
MaskingCitric Acid
BufferingEugenol
PerfumingSodium Benzoate
MaskingPelargonium Graveolens Flower Oil
MaskingCitral
PerfumingPotassium Sorbate
PreservativeLavandula Angustifolia Oil
MaskingCymbopogon Schoenanthus Oil
MaskingCitronellol
PerfumingLinalool
PerfumingGeraniol
PerfumingRosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil
MaskingWater, Dimethicone, Glycerin, Alcohol Denat., Hamamelis Virginiana Water, Propanediol, Phenoxyethanol, Tocopherol, Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Schisandra Chinensis Fruit Extract, Capryloyl Salicylic Acid, Caprylyl Glycol, Xanthan Gum, PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Panax Ginseng Root Extract, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, PEG-20 Methyl Glucose Sesquistearate, Disodium EDTA, Ocimum Sanctum Leaf Extract, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil, Limonene, Adenosine, Sodium Hydroxide, Methyldihydrojasmonate, Citric Acid, Eugenol, Sodium Benzoate, Pelargonium Graveolens Flower Oil, Citral, Potassium Sorbate, Lavandula Angustifolia Oil, Cymbopogon Schoenanthus Oil, Citronellol, Linalool, Geraniol, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Adenosine is in every living organism. It is one of four components in nucleic acids that helps store our DNA.
Adenosine has many benefits when used. These benefits include hydrating the skin, smoothing skin, and reducing wrinkles. Once applied, adenosine increases collagen production. It also helps with improving firmness and tissue repair.
Studies have found adenosine may also help with wound healing.
In skincare products, Adenosine is usually derived from yeast.
Learn more about AdenosineDisodium 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 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.
Propanediol is an all-star ingredient. It softens, hydrates, and smooths the skin.Â
It’s often used to:
Propanediol is not likely to cause sensitivity and considered safe to use. It is derived from corn or petroleum with a clear color and no scent.
Learn more about PropanediolSodium 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