What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningRetinyl Palmitate
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Arachis Hypogaea Oil
Skin Conditioning
Cyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Octyldodecanol
Emollient
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Coceth-7
EmulsifyingPPG-1-PEG-9 Lauryl Glycol Ether
EmulsifyingTriethanolamine
BufferingDimethiconol
Emollient
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingPEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingParfum
Masking
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Isohexadecane
EmollientDisodium EDTA
Polysorbate 80
Emulsifying
Sorbitan Oleate
Emulsifying
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Hydrolyzed Collagen
Emollient
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
T-Butyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Butylphenyl Methylpropional
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Benzyl Benzoate
Antimicrobial
Limonene
Perfuming
Hexyl Cinnamal
Perfuming
Water, Retinyl Palmitate, Glycerin, Arachis Hypogaea Oil, Cyclopentasiloxane, Butylene Glycol, Polysorbate 20, Octyldodecanol, Caprylyl Glycol, Hydroxyacetophenone, Pentylene Glycol, Coceth-7, PPG-1-PEG-9 Lauryl Glycol Ether, Triethanolamine, Dimethiconol, Carbomer, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Parfum, Tocopherol, Isohexadecane, Disodium EDTA, Polysorbate 80, Sorbitan Oleate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Hydrolyzed Collagen, 1,2-Hexanediol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Phenoxyethanol, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, T-Butyl Alcohol, Butylphenyl Methylpropional, Linalool, Benzyl Benzoate, Limonene, Hexyl Cinnamal
Water
Skin ConditioningNiacinamide
Smoothing
Glycerin
Humectant
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantButylene Glycol
Humectant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Hydroxyethyl Urea
Humectant
Glycereth-25 PCA Isostearate
Emulsifying
Tranexamic Acid
Astringent
Zinc PCA
Humectant
Hippophae Rhamnoides Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Glycosyl Trehalose
Emulsion StabilisingAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingPanthenol
Skin Conditioning
Hydrogenated Starch Hydrolysate
HumectantSodium Polyacrylate
Absorbent
Betaine
Humectant
Tromethamine
BufferingPhenyl Trimethicone
Skin Conditioning
Polyglyceryl-10 Oleate
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningHydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Disodium EDTA
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Water, Niacinamide, Glycerin, Dipropylene Glycol, Butylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Hydroxyethyl Urea, Glycereth-25 PCA Isostearate, Tranexamic Acid, Zinc PCA, Hippophae Rhamnoides Fruit Extract, Allantoin, Sodium Hyaluronate, Glycosyl Trehalose, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Panthenol, Hydrogenated Starch Hydrolysate, Sodium Polyacrylate, Betaine, Tromethamine, Phenyl Trimethicone, Polyglyceryl-10 Oleate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Disodium EDTA, Tocopherol
Reviews
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 GlycolDisodium 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 GlycerinSodium 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
