What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCoco-Caprylate/Caprate
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Prunus Domestica Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Sodium Polyacrylate
Absorbent
Dimethyl Isosorbide
SolventPEG-100 Stearate
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Squalane
Emollient
Theobroma Grandiflorum Seed Butter
Skin Conditioning
Copper Tripeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Acetyl Hexapeptide-8
Humectant
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Skin Conditioning
Jojoba Esters
Emollient
Aloe Barbadensis Flower Extract
EmollientAcmella Oleracea Extract
Skin ProtectingSqualene
Emollient
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
Bleaching
Ceramide AP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide EOP
Skin Conditioning
Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil
Emollient
Cholesterol
Emollient
Curcuma Longa Root Extract
Masking
Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Phytosphingosine
Skin Conditioning
Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningMelia Azadirachta Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningCorallina Officinalis Extract
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Phytate
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Coccinia Indica Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningBeta-Sitosterol
Emulsion Stabilising
Solanum Melongena Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Lactate
Buffering
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Ocimum Sanctum Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningPotassium Sorbate
Preservative
Ocimum Basilicum Flower/Leaf Extract
TonicPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Polymethylsilsesquioxane
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningDimethicone
Emollient
Benzaldehyde
Masking
Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate
EmulsifyingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingWater, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Glycerin, Prunus Domestica Seed Oil, Glyceryl Stearate, Sodium Polyacrylate, Dimethyl Isosorbide, PEG-100 Stearate, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Squalane, Theobroma Grandiflorum Seed Butter, Copper Tripeptide-1, Niacinamide, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Jojoba Esters, Aloe Barbadensis Flower Extract, Acmella Oleracea Extract, Squalene, Panthenol, Ceramide NP, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Ceramide AP, Ceramide EOP, Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil, Cholesterol, Curcuma Longa Root Extract, Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Phytosphingosine, Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract, Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract, Corallina Officinalis Extract, Sodium Phytate, Tocopherol, Coccinia Indica Fruit Extract, Beta-Sitosterol, Solanum Melongena Fruit Extract, Carbomer, Sodium Lactate, Polysorbate 20, Ocimum Sanctum Leaf Extract, Potassium Sorbate, Ocimum Basilicum Flower/Leaf Extract, Phenoxyethanol, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Butylene Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Dimethicone, Benzaldehyde, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Xanthan Gum
Water
Skin ConditioningHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Dimethicone
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil
Emollient
Synthetic Beeswax
Emulsion Stabilising
Methyl Glucose Sesquistearate
Emollient
Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin Conditioning
Mandelic Acid
Antimicrobial
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Centella Asiatica Leaf Extract
Skin Conditioning
Dimethiconol
Emollient
Propanediol
Solvent
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingPotassium Cetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingLecithin
Emollient
Disodium EDTA
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingTocopherol
Antioxidant
Water, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Glycerin, Dimethicone, Cetearyl Alcohol, Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil, Synthetic Beeswax, Methyl Glucose Sesquistearate, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Mandelic Acid, Tocopheryl Acetate, Centella Asiatica Leaf Extract, Dimethiconol, Propanediol, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Lecithin, Disodium EDTA, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Hydroxide, Tocopherol
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Dimethicone is a type of synthetic silicone created from natural materials such as quartz. It is also known as polydimethylsiloxane.
What it does:
Dimethicone comes in different viscosities:
Depending on the viscosity, dimethicone has different properties.
Ingredients lists don't always show which type is used, so we recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about the viscosity.
This ingredient is unlikely to cause irritation because it does not get absorbed into skin. However, people with silicone allergies should be careful about using this ingredient.
Note: Dimethicone may contribute to pilling. This is because it is not oil or water soluble, so pilling may occur when layered with products. When mixed with heavy oils in a formula, the outcome is also quite greasy.
Learn more about DimethiconeEthylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:
The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure.
Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.
Learn more about EthylhexylglycerinGlycerin (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 OilPhenoxyethanol is a preservative that has germicide, antimicrobial, and aromatic properties. Studies show that phenoxyethanol can prevent microbial growth. By itself, it has a scent that is similar to that of a rose.
It's often used in formulations along with Caprylyl Glycol to preserve the shelf life of products.
Tocopherol 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
