What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningDecyl Cocoate
Emollient
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Polyglyceryl-6 Stearate
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin Conditioning
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Saccharide Isomerate
Humectant
Vaccinium Vitis-Idaea Fruit Extract
Antioxidant
Coco-Caprylate/Caprate
Emollient
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingMicrocrystalline Cellulose
AbsorbentTocopherol
Antioxidant
Polyglyceryl-6 Behenate
Emulsion Stabilising
Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingMica
Cosmetic ColorantDilinoleic Acid/Butanediol Copolymer
Alcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Sodium Gluconate
Skin ConditioningC9-12 Alkane
SolventHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
Skin Conditioning
Hydrolyzed Rice Protein
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Mannitol
Humectant
Cellulose Gum
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
Humectant
Citric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Citrate
BufferingCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Castor Oil/Ipdi Copolymer
Ceramide AP
Skin Conditioning
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Glycine Soja Protein
EmulsifyingCyanocobalamin
Skin ConditioningSh-Polypeptide-69
Skin Protecting
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Tin Oxide
Abrasive
Sodium Dextran Sulfate
Gel Forming
Superoxide Dismutase
Antioxidant
CI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Decyl Cocoate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Polyglyceryl-6 Stearate, Glyceryl Stearate, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Pentylene Glycol, Saccharide Isomerate, Vaccinium Vitis-Idaea Fruit Extract, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Hydroxyacetophenone, Xanthan Gum, Microcrystalline Cellulose, Tocopherol, Polyglyceryl-6 Behenate, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Mica, Dilinoleic Acid/Butanediol Copolymer, Alcohol Denat., Sodium Gluconate, C9-12 Alkane, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Rice Protein, Sodium Hyaluronate, Mannitol, Cellulose Gum, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Citric Acid, Sodium Citrate, Caprylyl Glycol, Castor Oil/Ipdi Copolymer, Ceramide AP, 1,2-Hexanediol, Glycine Soja Protein, Cyanocobalamin, Sh-Polypeptide-69, Sodium Benzoate, Tin Oxide, Sodium Dextran Sulfate, Superoxide Dismutase, CI 77891
Water
Skin ConditioningPrunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin Conditioning
Coco-Caprylate
Emollient
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Dimethicone
Emollient
Propanediol
Solvent
Glycerin
Humectant
Cetearyl Olivate
Sorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Ascorbyl Tetraisopalmitate
Antioxidant
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Rubus Chamaemorus Fruit Extract
Antioxidant
Rubus Chamaemorus Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Cetearyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Cetyl Palmitate
Emollient
Sodium Polyacrylate
Absorbent
Maltodextrin
Absorbent
Sorbitan Palmitate
Emulsifying
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningSodium Gluconate
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Adenosine
Skin Conditioning
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Water, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Coco-Caprylate, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Dimethicone, Propanediol, Glycerin, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, Ascorbyl Tetraisopalmitate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Niacinamide, Rubus Chamaemorus Fruit Extract, Rubus Chamaemorus Seed Extract, Phenoxyethanol, Panthenol, Cetearyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Cetyl Palmitate, Sodium Polyacrylate, Maltodextrin, Sorbitan Palmitate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Xanthan Gum, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Gluconate, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Tocopherol, Adenosine, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
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 GlycerinHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil is a plant oil derived from the seeds of a sunflower.
It is rich in fatty acids, primarily linoleic acid and oleic acid. This gives it emollient and skin conditioning properties.
The reason this ingredient is so effective is because it forms a thin film on the skin that reduces transepidermal water loss (TEWL) while supplying linoleic acid to the stratum corneum to improve barrier strength.
The high linoleic acid content is particularly noteworthy for acne-prone skin.
Research suggests that acne-prone skin tends to be deficient in linoleic acid in sebum. Topical application may help replenish this to support a healthier follicular environment and less comedone-promoting sebum.
One randomized study found sunflower seed oil preserved skin barrier integrity in adult volunteers with and without atopic dermatitis (outperforming olive oil).
This ingredient is well-studied, gentle, and an effective emollient suitable for most skin types.
On fungal acne: This ingredient may not be Fungal acne (Malassezia folliculitis) safe. This is because it contains fatty acids with carbon chain lengths in the C11-C24 range.
Learn more about Helianthus Annuus Seed OilThis ingredient is also known as sweet almond oil. It is a lightweight, cold-pressed oil from the ripe seeds of the sweet almond tree.
Sweet almond oil is rich in skin-nourishing fatty acids such as oleic acid (55-86%) and linolenic acid (7-35%).
As an emollient, it softens and hydrates skin by forming a thin barrier that locks in moisture.
Clinical studies have found it to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing. The CIR Expert Panel has evaluated the available safety data and concluded it is safe for topical use.
Because of the oleic acid content, this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis OilThis is the synthetic salt of gluconic acid, a form of PHA and mild exfoliant.
It is mainly used to stabilize oil and butter formulations from going bad. Sodium gluconate is a humectant, pH regulator, and chelating agent.
Chelating agents help neutralize unwanted metals from affecting the formulation.
Sodium gluconate is water-soluble.
Learn more about Sodium GluconateTocopherol 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
