What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Vp/Va Copolymer
PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Hydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Parfum
Masking
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningBehentrimonium Chloride
Preservative
Polyquaternium-6
Hydroxyethyl Oleyl Dimonium Chloride
Cetrimonium Chloride
Antimicrobial
Isopropyl Alcohol
Solvent
Hexyl Cinnamal
Perfuming
Benzyl Salicylate
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Ricinus Communis Seed Oil
Masking
Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter
Emollient
Limonene
Perfuming
Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone
Perfuming
Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein
Skin ConditioningCoumarin
Perfuming
Citronellol
Perfuming
Hydroxycitronellal
Perfuming
Geraniol
Perfuming
Hydrolyzed Corn Protein
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Soy Protein
Humectant
Tetrasodium EDTA
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
CI 19140
Cosmetic ColorantCI 17200
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Glycerin, Vp/Va Copolymer, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Phenoxyethanol, Parfum, Ethylhexylglycerin, Behentrimonium Chloride, Polyquaternium-6, Hydroxyethyl Oleyl Dimonium Chloride, Cetrimonium Chloride, Isopropyl Alcohol, Hexyl Cinnamal, Benzyl Salicylate, Linalool, Benzyl Alcohol, Ricinus Communis Seed Oil, Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter, Limonene, Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone, Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein, Coumarin, Citronellol, Hydroxycitronellal, Geraniol, Hydrolyzed Corn Protein, Hydrolyzed Soy Protein, Tetrasodium EDTA, Tocopherol, CI 19140, CI 17200
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Isononyl Isononanoate
EmollientDimethicone
Emollient
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantBis-Ethoxydiglycol Cyclohexane 1,4-Dicarboxylate
EmollientPanthenol
Skin Conditioning
Trehalose
Humectant
Xylitylglucoside
Humectant
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
PEG-20 Methyl Glucose Sesquistearate
Emulsifying
Anhydroxylitol
Humectant
Polyacrylate-13
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Xylitol
Humectant
Adenosine
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Polyisobutene
Dimethiconol
Emollient
Synthetic Fluorphlogopite
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPolysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Sorbitan Isostearate
Emulsifying
Biosaccharide Gum-1
Humectant
Disodium EDTA
Undaria Pinnatifida Extract
Skin ConditioningCrithmum Maritimum Callus Culture Filtrate
Skin ProtectingPalmitoyl Tripeptide-5
Skin Conditioning
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Pseudanabaena Galeata Extract
Skin ConditioningCaramel
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Isononyl Isononanoate, Dimethicone, Dipropylene Glycol, Bis-Ethoxydiglycol Cyclohexane 1,4-Dicarboxylate, Panthenol, Trehalose, Xylitylglucoside, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, PEG-20 Methyl Glucose Sesquistearate, Anhydroxylitol, Polyacrylate-13, Phenoxyethanol, Xylitol, Adenosine, Caprylyl Glycol, Polyisobutene, Dimethiconol, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Ethylhexylglycerin, Polysorbate 20, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sorbitan Isostearate, Biosaccharide Gum-1, Disodium EDTA, Undaria Pinnatifida Extract, Crithmum Maritimum Callus Culture Filtrate, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5, Tocopherol, Pseudanabaena Galeata Extract, Caramel, CI 77891
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 EthylhexylglycerinGlycerin (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
