What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningOctocrylene
UV AbsorberC12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientPropylene Glycol
HumectantPhenylbenzimidazole Sulfonic Acid
UV AbsorberButyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane
UV AbsorberCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientBenzophenone-3
UV AbsorberPotassium Cetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingIsopropyl Myristate
EmollientPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeSodium Hydroxide
BufferingParfum
MaskingMethylparaben
PreservativeCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantGlycerin
HumectantPropylparaben
PreservativeDisodium EDTA
Punica Granatum Fruit Extract
AntioxidantSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantHexyl Cinnamal
PerfumingLinalool
PerfumingLimonene
PerfumingAlpha-Isomethyl Ionone
PerfumingCitronellol
PerfumingCitral
PerfumingWater, Octocrylene, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Glyceryl Stearate, Propylene Glycol, Phenylbenzimidazole Sulfonic Acid, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, Cetearyl Alcohol, Benzophenone-3, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Isopropyl Myristate, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Hydroxide, Parfum, Methylparaben, Carbomer, Tocopheryl Acetate, Glycerin, Propylparaben, Disodium EDTA, Punica Granatum Fruit Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hexyl Cinnamal, Linalool, Limonene, Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone, Citronellol, Citral
Water
Skin ConditioningOryza Sativa Seed Water
AntimicrobialDibutyl Adipate
EmollientButyloctyl Salicylate
Skin ConditioningEthylhexyl Triazone
UV Absorber1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningDrometrizole Trisiloxane
UV AbsorberPolyglyceryl-3 Distearate
EmulsifyingTerephthalylidene Dicamphor Sulfonic Acid
UV AbsorberDiethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate
UV FilterPolymethylsilsesquioxane
Tromethamine
BufferingPanthenol
Skin ConditioningPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientSilica
AbrasiveCaprylyl Methicone
Skin ConditioningAvena Sativa Kernel Extract
AbrasiveCynara Scolymus Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningCamellia Sinensis Leaf Water
MaskingHydrogenated Lecithin
EmulsifyingOryza Sativa Bran Oil
EmollientSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantBis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
SolventPotassium Cetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingPoly C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate
Emulsion StabilisingMethylpropanediol
SolventCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingGlycerin
HumectantPolyether-1
Polyquaternium-51
Skin ConditioningBeta-Glucan
Skin ConditioningBiosaccharide Gum-1
HumectantInositol
HumectantTocopherol
AntioxidantFerulic Acid
AntimicrobialCitric Acid
BufferingCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningPhytosphingosine
Skin ConditioningRice Amino Acids
Skin ConditioningRice Sh-Oligopeptide-1
Skin ConditioningWater, Oryza Sativa Seed Water, Dibutyl Adipate, Butyloctyl Salicylate, Ethylhexyl Triazone, 1,2-Hexanediol, Drometrizole Trisiloxane, Polyglyceryl-3 Distearate, Terephthalylidene Dicamphor Sulfonic Acid, Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Tromethamine, Panthenol, Pentylene Glycol, Glyceryl Stearate, Silica, Caprylyl Methicone, Avena Sativa Kernel Extract, Cynara Scolymus Leaf Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Water, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Oryza Sativa Bran Oil, Sodium Hyaluronate, Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine, Propanediol, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Poly C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate, Methylpropanediol, Carbomer, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Ethylhexylglycerin, Xanthan Gum, Glycerin, Polyether-1, Polyquaternium-51, Beta-Glucan, Biosaccharide Gum-1, Inositol, Tocopherol, Ferulic Acid, Citric Acid, Ceramide NP, Phytosphingosine, Rice Amino Acids, Rice Sh-Oligopeptide-1
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Carbomer is a high-molecular weight polymer of acrylic acid. It is used to form gels and thicken formulas.
Due to its large molecular size, carbomer has minimal skin penetration and is considered an inert ingredient.
A high amount of carbomer can cause pilling or balling up of products. Don't worry, most products contain 1% or less of carbomer.
Learn more about CarbomerGlycerin (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 Stearate is made by reacting glycerin with stearic acid (typically sourced from plant oils like palm or coconut). It's an emulsifier, emollient, and mild occlusive.
Emulsifiers help ingredients like oil and water stay mixed so your formula stays nicely blended and uniform in texture.
This ingredient is typically used in concentrations between 1-10%. Studies have found it to be non-sensitizing, non-phototoxic, and non-photoallergenic.
A close cousin of this ingredient is Glyceryl Stearate SE ("self-emulsifying"). This just has a small amount of sodium or potassium stearate added so it can emulsify without a co-emulsifier.
Since this ingredient is an ester of a C18 fatty acid, it may not be fungal acne safe. The Malassezia yeast can potentially metabolize within the C11-C24 range.
Fun fact: The human body also creates Glyceryl Stearate naturally.
Learn more about Glyceryl StearatePotassium Cetyl Phosphate is the potassium salt of a mixture. This mixture consists of the esters from phosphoricacid and cetyl alcohol.
Potassium Cetyl Phosphate is an emulsifier and cleansing agent. Emulsifiers help stabilize a product. It does this by preventing certain ingredients from separating.
As a cleansing agent, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate helps gather oils, dirts, and pollutants from your skin. This makes it easier to rinse them away with water.
Learn more about Potassium Cetyl PhosphateSodium 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 HyaluronateWater. 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