What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Propanediol
Solvent
Coco-Caprylate/Caprate
Emollient
Hydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate
C14-22 Alcohols
Emulsion Stabilising
Squalane
Emollient
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantC12-20 Alkyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingBakuchiol
Antimicrobial
Lecithin
Emollient
Sodium Palmitoyl Proline
Skin ConditioningNymphaea Alba Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningCaprylhydroxamic Acid
Glyceryl Caprylate
EmollientGlycerin
Humectant
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Ethyl Ferulate
Antioxidant
Humulus Lupulus Extract
AntimicrobialGlycine Soja Oil
Emollient
Retinol
Skin Conditioning
Retinyl Sunflowerseedate
Skin Conditioning
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingRosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialWater
Skin ConditioningGlucose
Humectant
Sunflower Seed Acid
CleansingCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Propanediol, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Hydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate, C14-22 Alcohols, Squalane, Dipropylene Glycol, C12-20 Alkyl Glucoside, Bakuchiol, Lecithin, Sodium Palmitoyl Proline, Nymphaea Alba Flower Extract, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, Glyceryl Caprylate, Glycerin, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Tocopherol, Ethyl Ferulate, Humulus Lupulus Extract, Glycine Soja Oil, Retinol, Retinyl Sunflowerseedate, Xanthan Gum, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Water, Glucose, Sunflower Seed Acid
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Propanediol
Solvent
C15-19 Alkane
SolventCoco-Caprylate
Emollient
3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Propanediol Dicaprylate/Caprate
EmollientHydrated Silica
Abrasive
Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil
Masking
Mannitol
Humectant
Polyglyceryl-3 Cocoate
Emulsifying
Polyglyceryl-4 Caprate
EmulsifyingPolyglyceryl-6 Caprylate
EmulsifyingPolyglyceryl-6 Ricinoleate
Emulsifying
Hectorite
AbsorbentSodium Levulinate
Skin ConditioningGluconolactone
Skin Conditioning
Glyceryl Caprylate
EmollientHydrogenated Castor Oil
Emollient
Dimethyl Isosorbide
SolventHydroxyapatite
Abrasive
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Citrus Limon Peel Powder
AbsorbentNiacinamide
Smoothing
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Sodium Phytate
Citrus Aurantifolia Peel Powder
Skin ConditioningSclerotium Gum
Emulsion StabilisingTriticum Vulgare Germ Oil
Emollient
Cellulose Gum
Emulsion StabilisingCeratonia Siliqua Gum
EmollientChondrus Crispus Powder
Abrasive
Glucose
Humectant
Chlorella Vulgaris Extract
Skin ConditioningRetinal
Skin Conditioning
Hydroxypinacolone Retinoate
Skin Conditioning
Lecithin
Emollient
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Acetyl Tetrapeptide-9
Skin Conditioning
Acetyl Tetrapeptide-11
Skin Conditioning
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Water, Glycerin, Propanediol, C15-19 Alkane, Coco-Caprylate, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Propanediol Dicaprylate/Caprate, Hydrated Silica, Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil, Mannitol, Polyglyceryl-3 Cocoate, Polyglyceryl-4 Caprate, Polyglyceryl-6 Caprylate, Polyglyceryl-6 Ricinoleate, Hectorite, Sodium Levulinate, Gluconolactone, Glyceryl Caprylate, Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Dimethyl Isosorbide, Hydroxyapatite, Sodium Benzoate, Citrus Limon Peel Powder, Niacinamide, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Phytate, Citrus Aurantifolia Peel Powder, Sclerotium Gum, Triticum Vulgare Germ Oil, Cellulose Gum, Ceratonia Siliqua Gum, Chondrus Crispus Powder, Glucose, Chlorella Vulgaris Extract, Retinal, Hydroxypinacolone Retinoate, Lecithin, Lactic Acid, Acetyl Tetrapeptide-9, Acetyl Tetrapeptide-11, Tocopherol
Alternatives
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Glucose is a simple sugar (a monosaccharide). In skincare, it is mostly a humectant and skin conditioning agent.
Mechanistically, it has multiple hydroxyl groups that hydrogen-bond to water. This pulls moisture into the upper layers of skin to keep the surface soft and hydrated.
It's worth knowing sugars are already a natural component of the skin's NMF (natural moisturizing factor) so it's a molecule that your stratum corneum is well-acquainted with.
Just so you know, glucose is hydrophilic (water-loving) and the stratum corneum is a strong barrier to hydrophilic compounds. This just means penetration is slow and most of the action is happening on the surface.
Gram-to-gram, glucose is not as efficient as a humectant as glycerin. This is why you'll likely see glycose paired with stronger humectants for a bigger hydration payoff.
In skincare, glucose is typically derived from corn or other starch sources.
Learn more about GlucoseGlycerin (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 GlycerinGlyceryl Caprylate comes from glycerin and caprylic acid. It is an emollient, co-emulsifier, and preservative booster.
Its short C8 fatty acid chain makes it behave differently from its longer-chain emollient cousins like Glyceryl Stearate. It feels more lightweight, fast-absorbing, and silky instead of rich and waxy.
As a co-emulsifier, its "head" and "tail" sit at the oil-water interface. But overall, the short C8 tail and not being water soluble means it doesn't really have the muscle to emulsify a formula on its own. That's why you'll often see it paired with a primary emulsifier like Cetearyl Glucoside.
Interestingly, Glyceryl Caprylate acts as a preservative booster. This is because its fatty-acid backbone disrupts microbial lipid membranes. It shows excellent activity against bacteria and yeast but is weaker against mold.
Typical concentrations range from 0.5-1% and this ingredient is generally non-irritating.
Because this ingredient has a C8 fatty acid chain, it is outside the range that the Malassezia yeast metabolizes (making it fungal acne safe).
Learn more about Glyceryl CaprylateLecithin is a term for a group of substances found in the cell membranes of plants, animals, and humans. They are made up of phospholipids.
Thanks to its amphiphilic structure (water-loving head and oil-loving tail), it is a true multitasker:
It plays well with most ingredients and is typically used at 0.1-1%. However, concentrations up to 50% have been reported in moisturizers.
Depending on the source of this ingredient, lecithin may not be fungal acne safe. This is because some sources of lecithin come from soybean oil, which may feed the malassezia yeast that causes fungal acne.
We recommend reaching out to the brand you are purchasing from to inquire about the source of their lecithin.
Learn more about LecithinPropanediol is an all-star ingredient. It softens, hydrates, and smooths the skin.Â
It’s often used to:
Propanediol is not likely to cause sensitivity and considered safe to use. It is derived from corn or petroleum with a clear color and no scent.
Learn more about PropanediolTocopherol 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
