What's inside

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Show highlights for:

Water

Skin Conditioning

Cyclopentasiloxane

Emollient
Silicon Icon

Dimethicone

Emollient
1 / 0 Silicon IconGood for Scar Healing Icon

Polysilicone-11

Silicon IconGood for Oily Skin Icon

Isododecane

Emollient

Butylene Glycol

Humectant
1 / 0 Helps hydrate Dry Skin IconGood for Barrier Repair Icon

Ascorbyl Glucoside

Antioxidant
Vitamin C IconAntioxidant IconHelps brighten skin IconGood for Scar Healing Icon

PEG-10 Dimethicone

Skin Conditioning
Silicon Icon

PEG-6

Humectant

Morus Bombycis Root Extract

Skin Conditioning

Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract

Astringent
Helps reduce Skin Redness Icon

Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract

Antimicrobial
Antioxidant IconHelps with Anti-Aging IconHelps hydrate Dry Skin IconHelps brighten skin IconHelps reduce irritation IconGood for Oily Skin IconGood for Minimizing Pores IconHelps reduce Skin Redness Icon

Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract

Emollient
Helps hydrate Dry Skin IconHelps reduce irritation IconHelps reduce Skin Redness Icon

Saccharomyces Lysate Extract

Humectant
Helps hydrate Dry Skin IconNot safe for Fungal Acne Icon

Hordeum Vulgare Extract

Emollient

Salicylic Acid

Masking
BHA IconPreservative IconHelps fight Acne IconHelps brighten skin IconGood for Oily Skin IconGood for Minimizing Pores IconGood for Skin Texture IconCan worsen Dry Skin IconMay worsen Eczema IconMay worsen Rosacea Icon

Triticum Vulgare Germ Extract

Skin Conditioning

Cholesterol

Emollient
0 / 0 Helps hydrate Dry Skin IconGood for Barrier Repair Icon

Oryza Sativa Bran Extract

Skin Conditioning
Helps hydrate Dry Skin Icon

Squalane

Emollient
1 / 0 Helps with Anti-Aging IconHelps hydrate Dry Skin IconGood for Barrier Repair Icon

Acetyl Glucosamine

Skin Conditioning
Helps with Anti-Aging IconHelps brighten skin IconGood for Dark Spots Icon

Sodium Hyaluronate

Humectant
0 / 0 Hyaluronic Acid IconHelps with Anti-Aging IconHelps hydrate Dry Skin IconHelps reduce Skin Redness IconGood for Barrier Repair Icon

Caffeine

Skin Conditioning
Helps with Anti-Aging IconHelps reduce irritation Icon

Isohexadecane

Emollient

Betula Alba Bark Extract

Masking
Fragrance Icon

Trametes Versicolor Extract

Sodium Rna

Skin Conditioning

Glycyrrhetinic Acid

Skin Conditioning
Helps reduce Skin Redness Icon

Dimethoxytolyl Propylresorcinol

Antioxidant
Antioxidant Icon

Di-C12-18 Alkyl Dimonium Chloride

Skin Conditioning

Helianthus Annuus Seedcake

Abrasive
Exfoliant Icon

Yeast Extract

Skin Conditioning

Caprylyl Glycol

Emollient
Fatty Alcohol Icon

Propylene Glycol Dicaprate

Emollient

Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer

Acrylamide/Sodium Acryloyldimethyltaurate Copolymer

Emulsion Stabilising

Polysorbate 20

Emulsifying
0 / 0 Not safe for Fungal Acne Icon

Tocopheryl Acetate

Antioxidant
0 / 0 Vitamin E IconAntioxidant IconHelps brighten skin Icon

Polysorbate 80

Emulsifying
0 / 0 Not safe for Fungal Acne Icon

Tromethamine

Buffering

Sodium Hydroxide

Buffering

Hexylene Glycol

Emulsifying
0-2 / 0-1

Disodium EDTA

Sodium Benzoate

Masking
Preservative Icon

Sodium Metabisulfite

Antioxidant
Preservative IconAntioxidant Icon

Sodium Sulfite

Preservative
Preservative Icon

Phenoxyethanol

Preservative
Preservative Icon

CI 15985

Cosmetic Colorant

CI 19140

Cosmetic Colorant

Reviews

2.50
Overall rating
5
4
3
2
1
What people say
Broke Me Out 33% Doesn't Work 33% Drying 33%
4.00
Overall rating
5
4
3
2
1
What people say
Absorbs Well 100% Great Value 67% Works Well 67%

Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.

This ingredient is a synthetic polymer used to stabilize formulas and give products a "gel-cream" feel.

When applied, this ingredient mostly stays on the surface of skin. Safety reviews have found these polymers safe in cosmetics when made to proper quality standards. Testing also shows they’re unlikely to cause irritation or sensitization at normal use levels.

Emollient, Skin Conditioning, Skin Protecting

Dimethicone is a type of synthetic silicone created from natural materials such as quartz. It is also known as polydimethylsiloxane.

What it does:

Dimethicone comes in different viscosities:

Depending on the viscosity, dimethicone has different properties.

Ingredients lists don't always show which type is used, so we recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about the viscosity.

This ingredient is unlikely to cause irritation because it does not get absorbed into skin. However, people with silicone allergies should be careful about using this ingredient.

Note: Dimethicone may contribute to pilling. This is because it is not oil or water soluble, so pilling may occur when layered with products. When mixed with heavy oils in a formula, the outcome is also quite greasy.

Learn more about Dimethicone

Disodium 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 EDTA
Emollient, Skin Conditioning, Solvent

Isohexadecane is added to enhance texture, emulsify, and to help cleanse. It is an isoparrafin. It is a component of petrolatum.

Due to its large size, Isohexadecane is not absorbed by the skin. Instead, it sits on top and acts as an emollient. Emollients help keep your skin soft and smooth by trapping moisture within.

Isohexadecane is often used in products designed to help oily skin. It is lightweight and non-greasy while helping to moisturize. When mixed with silicones, it gives a product a silky feel.

Learn more about Isohexadecane
Preservative

Phenoxyethanol 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.

Emulsifying

Polysorbate 80 is a surfactant and emulsifier. It is used to keep ingredients together, and prevent oils and waters from separating.

It is made from polyethoxylated sorbitan and oleic acid. This ingredient can be found in cosmetics, foods, and medicine. It is water-soluble.

Polysorbate 80 may not be fungal acne safe.

Learn more about Polysorbate 80
Humectant, Skin Conditioning

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 Hyaluronate
Skin Conditioning, Solvent

Water. 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

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