What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Prunus Domestica Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Squalane
Emollient
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Lauroyl Lysine
Skin Conditioning
Glyceryl Stearate Citrate
Emollient
Myristyl Alcohol
Emollient
Xylitylglucoside
Humectant
Ectoin
Skin Conditioning
Gelidium Sesquipedale Extract
Skin ProtectingAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder
Skin Conditioning
Anhydroxylitol
Humectant
Undaria Pinnatifida Extract
Skin ConditioningXylitol
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Bisabolol
Antioxidant
Corallina Officinalis Extract
Skin Conditioning
Alteromonas Ferment Extract
Skin Conditioning
Polyglyceryl-3 Stearate
Emulsifying
Linoleic Acid
Cleansing
Myristyl Glucoside
CleansingHydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Propanediol
Solvent
Glyceryl Caprylate
EmollientLysolecithin
EmulsifyingSclerotium Gum
Emulsion StabilisingPolyglyceryl-4 Caprate
EmulsifyingOleic Acid
Emollient
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Palmitic Acid
Emollient
Pullulan
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingStearic Acid
Cleansing
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingPhenethyl Alcohol
MaskingSilica
Abrasive
Linolenic Acid
Cleansing
Water, Glycerin, Prunus Domestica Seed Oil, Squalane, Pentylene Glycol, Lauroyl Lysine, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Myristyl Alcohol, Xylitylglucoside, Ectoin, Gelidium Sesquipedale Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder, Anhydroxylitol, Undaria Pinnatifida Extract, Xylitol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Bisabolol, Corallina Officinalis Extract, Alteromonas Ferment Extract, Polyglyceryl-3 Stearate, Linoleic Acid, Myristyl Glucoside, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Propanediol, Glyceryl Caprylate, Lysolecithin, Sclerotium Gum, Polyglyceryl-4 Caprate, Oleic Acid, Tocopherol, Palmitic Acid, Pullulan, Xanthan Gum, Stearic Acid, Sodium Hydroxide, Phenethyl Alcohol, Silica, Linolenic Acid
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
C12-16 Alcohols
EmollientCyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
PEG-8
HumectantPolyacrylate-13
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Palmitic Acid
Emollient
Prunus Domestica Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Polyisobutene
Cyclohexasiloxane
Emollient
Sucrose Palmitate
EmollientParfum
Masking
Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Emulsion Stabilising
Steareth-20
CleansingCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Hesperidin Methyl Chalcone
Antioxidant
Tetrasodium EDTA
Glyceryl Linoleate
Emollient
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Tromethamine
BufferingPrunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Chloride
MaskingSodium Polyacrylate
Absorbent
Chlorhexidine Digluconate
Antimicrobial
Glucose
Humectant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Citric Acid
Buffering
N-Hydroxysuccinimide
Skin ConditioningPotassium Chloride
Dipeptide-2
Skin Conditioning
Calcium Chloride
AstringentMagnesium Sulfate
Glutamine
Skin ConditioningSodium Phosphate
BufferingPalmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Skin Conditioning
Ascorbic Acid
Antioxidant
Sodium Acetate
BufferingTocopherol
Antioxidant
Lysine Hcl
Skin Conditioning
Arginine
Masking
Alanine
Masking
Histidine
Humectant
Valine
MaskingChrysin
Skin ConditioningPalmitoyl Oligopeptide
Cleansing
Leucine
Skin ConditioningThreonine
Isoleucine
Skin ConditioningTryptophan
MaskingPhenylalanine
Masking
Tyrosine
MaskingGlycine
Buffering
Polysorbate 80
Emulsifying
Serine
Masking
2'-Deoxyadenosine
Cystine
MaskingCyanocobalamin
Skin ConditioningDeoxycytidine
Deoxyguanosine
Thymidine
Skin ConditioningGlutathione
Asparagine
MaskingAspartic Acid
Masking
Ornithine
Skin ConditioningGlutamic Acid
Humectant
Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide
Skin ConditioningProline
Skin Conditioning
Aminobutyric Acid
Methionine
Skin ConditioningTaurine
BufferingHydroxyproline
Skin ConditioningGlucosamine
Coenzyme A
Skin ConditioningGlucuronolactone
Skin ConditioningSodium Glucuronate
HumectantThiamine Diphosphate
Skin ConditioningDisodium Flavine Adenine Dinucleotide
Sodium Trimetaphosphate
BufferingRetinyl Acetate
Skin Conditioning
Inositol
Humectant
Niacin
SmoothingNiacinamide
Smoothing
Pyridoxal 5-Phosphate
Skin ConditioningPyridoxine
Skin ConditioningBiotin
AntiseborrhoeicCalcium Pantothenate
Folic Acid
Skin ConditioningRiboflavin
Cosmetic ColorantTocopheryl Phosphate
CleansingWater, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, C12-16 Alcohols, Cyclopentasiloxane, PEG-8, Polyacrylate-13, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Palmitic Acid, Prunus Domestica Seed Oil, Polyisobutene, Cyclohexasiloxane, Sucrose Palmitate, Parfum, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Steareth-20, Caprylyl Glycol, Chlorphenesin, Hesperidin Methyl Chalcone, Tetrasodium EDTA, Glyceryl Linoleate, Polysorbate 20, Tromethamine, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Polyacrylate, Chlorhexidine Digluconate, Glucose, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Potassium Sorbate, Citric Acid, N-Hydroxysuccinimide, Potassium Chloride, Dipeptide-2, Calcium Chloride, Magnesium Sulfate, Glutamine, Sodium Phosphate, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Ascorbic Acid, Sodium Acetate, Tocopherol, Lysine Hcl, Arginine, Alanine, Histidine, Valine, Chrysin, Palmitoyl Oligopeptide, Leucine, Threonine, Isoleucine, Tryptophan, Phenylalanine, Tyrosine, Glycine, Polysorbate 80, Serine, 2'-Deoxyadenosine, Cystine, Cyanocobalamin, Deoxycytidine, Deoxyguanosine, Thymidine, Glutathione, Asparagine, Aspartic Acid, Ornithine, Glutamic Acid, Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide, Proline, Aminobutyric Acid, Methionine, Taurine, Hydroxyproline, Glucosamine, Coenzyme A, Glucuronolactone, Sodium Glucuronate, Thiamine Diphosphate, Disodium Flavine Adenine Dinucleotide, Sodium Trimetaphosphate, Retinyl Acetate, Inositol, Niacin, Niacinamide, Pyridoxal 5-Phosphate, Pyridoxine, Biotin, Calcium Pantothenate, Folic Acid, Riboflavin, Tocopheryl Phosphate
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 GlycerinHydrogenated Lecithin is a more stable version of lecithin.
It's made by taking lecithin (a phospholipid commonly found in soybeans and egg yolks) and hydrogenating it. This just means the unsaturated fatty acids are turned into saturated ones so they don't go bad as easily.
This ingredient is an emollient, emulsifier, and penetration enhancer. As an emollient, it helps soften and hydrate skin by trapping moisture within. As an emulsifier, it prevents oil and water ingredients from separating.
Hydrogenated Lecithin can form tiny spherical structures made of phospholipid bilayers called liposomes. These liposomes are able to capture compounds inside their structure and deliver them through the skin barrier.
Because phospholipids are a natural component of our cell membranes, this ingredient is inherently compatible with skin.
A 2021 study found lecithin-based surfactants were less harsh and more tolerable comared to Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS).
Learn more about Hydrogenated LecithinPalmitic Acid is a fatty acid naturally found in our skin and in many plant and animal sources.
In cosmetics, it is usually derived from palm oil. It serves many purposes in skincare, acting as a cleanser, emollient, and emulsifier.
Interestingly, topically applied Palmitic Acid can be elongated into longer chain fatty acids and ceramides. A 2019 study found low levels of Palmitic Acid lead to slower development of cells, suggesting it plays a role in keeping your skin's renewal process on track.
The CIR (Cosmetic Ingredient Review) panel determined it safe as used in cosmetics at concentrations up to 13%. It is non-irritating and non-sensitizing in clinical studies.
The culprit behind fungal acne, the Malassezia yeast, feeds on fatty acids with carbon chain lengths between C11-C24. Palmitic Acid, at C16, falls right into that sweet spot.
In vitro studies have shown that Palmitic Acid is one of the fatty acids that induce rapid Malassezia growth in lab settings.
It's worth noting that what feeds yeast in a lab doesn't necessarily feed it on your face since formulation and your skin's chemistry play a bigger role.
Learn more about Palmitic AcidPrunus Domestica Seed Oil is an oil and isn't fungal acne safe.
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 HyaluronateTocopherol 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
