What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
SolventGlycereth-26
HumectantGlycerin
HumectantNiacinamide
SmoothingButylene Glycol
HumectantHamamelis Virginiana Water
AstringentMica
Cosmetic Colorant1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningCetyl Ethylhexanoate
EmollientCitrullus Lanatus Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningCentella Asiatica Extract
CleansingHydroxyethylpiperazine Ethane Sulfonic Acid
BufferingCoffea Arabica Seed Extract
MaskingPolyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate
EmulsifyingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningTromethamine
BufferingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingGlyceryl Stearate Se
EmulsifyingPolyquaternium-51
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
AntioxidantCI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingWater, Propanediol, Glycereth-26, Glycerin, Niacinamide, Butylene Glycol, Hamamelis Virginiana Water, Mica, 1,2-Hexanediol, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Citrullus Lanatus Fruit Extract, Centella Asiatica Extract, Hydroxyethylpiperazine Ethane Sulfonic Acid, Coffea Arabica Seed Extract, Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Tromethamine, Carbomer, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Polyquaternium-51, Tocopherol, CI 77891, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Hyaluronate, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycereth-7
HumectantBis-PEG-18 Methyl Ether Dimethyl Silane
EmollientDimethicone
EmollientButylene Glycol
HumectantMica
Cosmetic ColorantPEG-7 Methyl Ether
SolventPEG-32
HumectantBoron Nitride
AbsorbentNylon-12
CI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantCyclomethicone
EmollientDimethicone Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingGlycerin
HumectantCI 77491
Cosmetic ColorantTocopherol
AntioxidantCI 77163
Cosmetic ColorantAcrylates/Palmeth-25 Acrylate Copolymer
Phenoxyethanol
PreservativeChlorphenesin
AntimicrobialEthylparaben
PreservativeParfum
MaskingPolymethylsilsesquioxane
Styrene/Acrylamide Copolymer
Potassium Hydroxide
BufferingCI 77492
Cosmetic ColorantBenzophenone-4
UV AbsorberCI 77499
Cosmetic ColorantCyclotetrasiloxane
EmollientHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
EmollientXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPotassium Sorbate
PreservativePapain
Skin ConditioningBHT
AntioxidantRosa Alba Leaf Cell Extract
AntioxidantCeramide AP
Skin Conditioning1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingRosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialAlgin
MaskingCI 75470
Cosmetic ColorantTin Oxide
AbrasiveLecithin
EmollientMethylparaben
PreservativeWater, Glycereth-7, Bis-PEG-18 Methyl Ether Dimethyl Silane, Dimethicone, Butylene Glycol, Mica, PEG-7 Methyl Ether, PEG-32, Boron Nitride, Nylon-12, CI 77891, Cyclomethicone, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Glycerin, CI 77491, Tocopherol, CI 77163, Acrylates/Palmeth-25 Acrylate Copolymer, Phenoxyethanol, Chlorphenesin, Ethylparaben, Parfum, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Styrene/Acrylamide Copolymer, Potassium Hydroxide, CI 77492, Benzophenone-4, CI 77499, Cyclotetrasiloxane, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Xanthan Gum, Potassium Sorbate, Papain, BHT, Rosa Alba Leaf Cell Extract, Ceramide AP, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Carbomer, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Algin, CI 75470, Tin Oxide, Lecithin, Methylparaben
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
1,2-Hexanediol is a synthetic liquid and another multi-functional powerhouse.
It is a:
- Humectant, drawing moisture into the skin
- Emollient, helping to soften skin
- Solvent, dispersing and stabilizing formulas
- Preservative booster, enhancing the antimicrobial activity of other preservatives
Butylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:
Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient that works well with other ingredients.
Though this ingredient works well with most skin types, some people with sensitive skin may experience a reaction such as allergic rashes, closed comedones, or itchiness.
Learn more about Butylene GlycolCarbomer is a high-molecular weight polymer of acrylic acid. It is used to form gels and thicken formulas.
Due to its large molecular size, carbomer has minimal skin penetration and is considered an inert ingredient.
A high amount of carbomer can cause pilling or balling up of products. Don't worry, most products contain 1% or less of carbomer.
Learn more about CarbomerCi 77891 is a white pigment from Titanium dioxide. It is naturally found in minerals such as rutile and ilmenite.
It's main function is to add a white color to cosmetics. It can also be mixed with other colors to create different shades.
Ci 77891 is commonly found in sunscreens due to its ability to block UV rays.
Learn more about CI 77891Glycerin (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 GlycerinMica is a naturally occurring mineral used to add shimmer and color in cosmetics. It can also help improve the texture of a product or give it an opaque, white/silver color.
Serecite is the name for very fine but ragged grains of mica.
This ingredient is often coated with metal oxides like titanium dioxide. Trace amounts of heavy metals may be found in mica, but these metals are not harmful in our personal products.
Mica has been used since prehistoric times throughout the world. Ancient Egyptian, Indian, Greek, Roman, Aztec, and Chinese civilizations have used mica.
Learn more about MicaTocopherol 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 WaterXanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.
On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.
Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.
Learn more about Xanthan Gum