What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningC12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialGlycerin
Humectant
Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine
Skin Conditioning
Alcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Dimethicone
Emollient
Ethylhexyl Triazone
UV Absorber
Drometrizole Trisiloxane
UV Absorber
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane
UV Absorber
Styrene/Acrylates Copolymer
Pentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate
Emollient
Titanium Dioxide
Cosmetic Colorant
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Diisopropyl Sebacate
EmollientStearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Talc
Abrasive
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Nylon-12
Synthetic Wax
Abrasive
Acetyl Dipeptide-1 Cetyl Ester
Skin Conditioning
Aluminum Hydroxide
EmollientAmmonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Steareth-8 Methacrylate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingAmmonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate
Emulsion StabilisingCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Emulsion Stabilising
Disodium EDTA
Glyceryl Isostearate
Emollient
Isopropyl Lauroyl Sarcosinate
Skin ConditioningPEG-8 Laurate
Emulsifying
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Potassium Cetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingScutellaria Baicalensis Extract
AntimicrobialScutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract
Astringent
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
T-Butyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Terephthalylidene Dicamphor Sulfonic Acid
UV Absorber
Toluene Sulfonic Acid
SurfactantTriethanolamine
BufferingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingWater, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Glycerin, Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine, Alcohol Denat., Dimethicone, Ethylhexyl Triazone, Drometrizole Trisiloxane, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, Styrene/Acrylates Copolymer, Pentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate, Titanium Dioxide, Propylene Glycol, Diisopropyl Sebacate, Stearyl Alcohol, Talc, Tocopherol, Nylon-12, Synthetic Wax, Acetyl Dipeptide-1 Cetyl Ester, Aluminum Hydroxide, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Steareth-8 Methacrylate Copolymer, Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Caprylyl Glycol, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Disodium EDTA, Glyceryl Isostearate, Isopropyl Lauroyl Sarcosinate, PEG-8 Laurate, Pentylene Glycol, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Scutellaria Baicalensis Extract, Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract, Stearic Acid, T-Butyl Alcohol, Terephthalylidene Dicamphor Sulfonic Acid, Toluene Sulfonic Acid, Triethanolamine, Xanthan Gum
Water
Skin ConditioningPanax Ginseng Root Extract
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Pentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate
Emollient
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Butylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate
EmollientCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Sorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Cetearyl Olivate
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Tromethamine
BufferingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingGlyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil
Emollient
Adenosine
Skin Conditioning
Theobroma Cacao Extract
Skin ConditioningDextrin
AbsorbentCholesterol
Emollient
Polyglyceryl-10 Oleate
Skin Conditioning
Retinal
Skin Conditioning
Brassica Campestris Sterols
EmollientPhytosteryl/Behenyl/Octyldodecyl Lauroyl Glutamate
Skin ConditioningSilica
Abrasive
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Aluminum/Magnesium Hydroxide Stearate
Emulsion StabilisingPotassium Cetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingPentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
Antioxidant
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5
Skin Conditioning
Disodium EDTA
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningWater, Panax Ginseng Root Extract, Glycerin, Dipropylene Glycol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, 1,2-Hexanediol, Pentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate, Niacinamide, Butylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Sorbitan Olivate, Cetearyl Olivate, Butylene Glycol, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Tromethamine, Carbomer, Glyceryl Stearate, Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil, Adenosine, Theobroma Cacao Extract, Dextrin, Cholesterol, Polyglyceryl-10 Oleate, Retinal, Brassica Campestris Sterols, Phytosteryl/Behenyl/Octyldodecyl Lauroyl Glutamate, Silica, Sodium Hyaluronate, Tocopherol, Aluminum/Magnesium Hydroxide Stearate, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Ceramide NP, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5, Disodium EDTA, Ethylhexylglycerin
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
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 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 GlycerinPentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate is an emollient that helps make your skin smooth and hydrated. It specializes in creating a non-oily and "wet" feeling on skin.
This ingredient comes from isostearic acid, a saturated fatty acid. It is a synthetic ingredient.
Potassium Cetyl Phosphate is the potassium salt of a mixture. This mixture consists of the esters from phosphoricacid and cetyl alcohol.
Potassium Cetyl Phosphate is an emulsifier and cleansing agent. Emulsifiers help stabilize a product. It does this by preventing certain ingredients from separating.
As a cleansing agent, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate helps gather oils, dirts, and pollutants from your skin. This makes it easier to rinse them away with water.
Learn more about Potassium Cetyl PhosphateTocopherol 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
