What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantGlycereth-26
HumectantCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingNiacinamide
SmoothingCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientAdenosine
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Collagen
EmollientSoluble Collagen
HumectantCollagen Extract
Skin ConditioningAcetyl Hexapeptide-8
HumectantGlyceryl Stearate Se
EmulsifyingDipropylene Glycol
HumectantCetyl Ethylhexanoate
EmollientSorbitan Stearate
EmulsifyingPalmitic Acid
EmollientHydroxyacetophenone
AntioxidantStearic Acid
CleansingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingArginine
MaskingAllantoin
Skin ConditioningJojoba Oil/Macadamia Seed Oil Esters
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
HumectantCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientGlyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer
HumectantDisodium EDTA
Squalene
Emollient1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningPhytosteryl Macadamiate
Skin ConditioningPhytosterols
Skin ConditioningEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
AntioxidantParfum
MaskingWater, Glycerin, Glycereth-26, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Niacinamide, Cetearyl Alcohol, Adenosine, Hydrolyzed Collagen, Soluble Collagen, Collagen Extract, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Dipropylene Glycol, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Sorbitan Stearate, Palmitic Acid, Hydroxyacetophenone, Stearic Acid, Carbomer, Arginine, Allantoin, Jojoba Oil/Macadamia Seed Oil Esters, Butylene Glycol, Caprylyl Glycol, Glyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer, Disodium EDTA, Squalene, 1,2-Hexanediol, Phytosteryl Macadamiate, Phytosterols, Ethylhexylglycerin, Tocopherol, Parfum
Water
Skin ConditioningIsododecane
EmollientOctocrylene
UV AbsorberHydrogenated Tetradecenyl/Methylpentadecene
SolventEthylhexyl Salicylate
UV AbsorberC12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialButyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane
UV AbsorberPropylene Glycol
HumectantBis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine
Skin ConditioningMethylene Bis-Benzotriazolyl Tetramethylbutylphenol
UV FilterGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientEthylhexyl Triazone
UV AbsorberMethyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer
PEG-100 Stearate
Cetearyl Alcohol
EmollientPotassium Cetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingSoluble Collagen
HumectantPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeBakuchiol
AntimicrobialAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingChlorphenesin
AntimicrobialDecyl Glucoside
CleansingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingDisodium EDTA
Isopentyldiol
HumectantParfum
MaskingDipropylene Glycol
HumectantGlycerin
HumectantXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingHexyl Cinnamal
PerfumingTrifolium Pratense Flower Extract
AstringentLinalool
PerfumingCoco-Glucoside
CleansingLimonene
PerfumingCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientAlcohol
AntimicrobialSodium Citrate
BufferingSodium Carrageenan
Emulsion StabilisingGlaucine
Skin ConditioningCitric Acid
BufferingMaris Sal
Skin ConditioningBiotin
AntiseborrhoeicWater, Isododecane, Octocrylene, Hydrogenated Tetradecenyl/Methylpentadecene, Ethylhexyl Salicylate, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, Propylene Glycol, Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine, Methylene Bis-Benzotriazolyl Tetramethylbutylphenol, Glyceryl Stearate, Ethylhexyl Triazone, Methyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer, PEG-100 Stearate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Soluble Collagen, Phenoxyethanol, Bakuchiol, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Chlorphenesin, Decyl Glucoside, Sodium Hydroxide, Disodium EDTA, Isopentyldiol, Parfum, Dipropylene Glycol, Glycerin, Xanthan Gum, Hexyl Cinnamal, Trifolium Pratense Flower Extract, Linalool, Coco-Glucoside, Limonene, Caprylyl Glycol, Alcohol, Sodium Citrate, Sodium Carrageenan, Glaucine, Citric Acid, Maris Sal, Biotin
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Caprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.
Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.
Because it is not a free-fatty acid or alcohol, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolCetearyl alcohol is a waxy mixture of two fatty alcohols: cetyl alcohol and stearyl alcohol. It is an emollient and emulsifier.
Despite having "alcohol" in its name, it has nothing to do with drying solvent alcohols; the FDA also allows "alcohol-free" products to contain fatty alcohols like this ingredient.
It plays several roles in a formula:
Typical use levels for this ingredient sit around 1-10% and the Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has affirmed safety at concentrations up to 25% in leave-on products.
Multiple assessments have found it to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing to most people.
However, there have been some cases of allergic contact dermatitis in patients with chronically compromised skin barriers.
Cetearyl alcohol has a comedogenic rating of 2 and irritancy rating of 1. Both of these numbers come from the 1989 study that used rabbit ears; a "2" means mildly comedogenic and a "1" means low irritancy.
Here's the catch: rabbit skin is more sensitive than human skin and throws a lot of false positives. A 1996 reappraisal found that ingredients rated 1-2 in the rabbit ear tests are generally safe for humans.
Remember comedogenic ratings are unable to assess the entire formula of a product or how it will react on your skin. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure about certain ingredients.
This ingredient is not fungal acne safe. Cetearyl alcohol is a fatty alcohol with chain lengths that fall within the range that Malassezia can metabolize.
Learn more about Cetearyl AlcoholDipropylene Glycol is a synthetically created humectant, stabilizer, and solvent.
This ingredient helps:
Dipropylene glycol is technically an alcohol, but it belongs to the glycol family (often considered part of the ‘good’ alcohols). This means it is hydrating and gentle on skin unlike drying solvent alcohols like denatured alcohol.
As a masking agent, Dipropylene Glycol can be used to cover the smell of other ingredients. However, it does not have a scent.
Studies show Dipropylene Glycol is considered safe to use in skincare.
Learn more about Dipropylene 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 GlycerinParfum is a catch-all term for an ingredient or more that is used to give a scent to products.
Also called "fragrance", this ingredient can be a blend of hundreds of chemicals or plant oils. This means every product with "fragrance" or "parfum" in the ingredients list is a different mixture.
For instance, Habanolide is a proprietary trade name for a specific aroma chemical. When used as a fragrance ingredient in cosmetics, most aroma chemicals fall under the broad labeling category of “FRAGRANCE” or “PARFUM” according to EU and US regulations.
The term 'parfum' or 'fragrance' is not regulated in many countries. In many cases, it is up to the brand to define this term.
For instance, many brands choose to label themselves as "fragrance-free" because they are not using synthetic fragrances. However, their products may still contain ingredients such as essential oils that are considered a fragrance by INCI standards.
One example is Calendula flower extract. Calendula is an essential oil that still imparts a scent or 'fragrance'.
Depending on the blend, the ingredients in the mixture can cause allergies and sensitivities on the skin. Some ingredients that are known EU allergens include linalool and citronellol.
Parfum can also be used to mask or cover an unpleasant scent.
The bottom line is: not all fragrances/parfum/ingredients are created equally. If you are worried about fragrances, we recommend taking a closer look at an ingredient. And of course, we always recommend speaking with a professional.
Learn more about ParfumSoluble collagen comes from animals and fish. It has a large molecule size, meaning it doesn't get absorbed into skin.
Instead, it sits on top of skin as a humectant to improve skin hydration. It has incredible water-binding properties and creates a water barrier on skin that prevents evaporation.
This ingredient is incredibly gentle and often used to counter more irritating ingredients.
While our skin does have collagen, this ingredient is not used by the skin for anti-aging. Applying collagen topically has not been linked to helping with collagen loss in skin. All the benefits of soluble collagen are related to hydration.
Fun fact: The name "soluble collagen" refers to its ability to dissolve in water.
Learn more about Soluble CollagenWater. 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