What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPropylene Glycol
Humectant
Arbutin
Antioxidant
Vitis Vinifera
MaskingVitis Vinifera Seed Extract
Antimicrobial
Lecithin
Emollient
Linolenic Acid
Cleansing
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate
Antioxidant
Glutathione
PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Aloe Barbadensis Extract
Skin Conditioning
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Pearl Powder
Collagen
Moisturising
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Water, Glycerin, Xanthan Gum, Propylene Glycol, Arbutin, Vitis Vinifera, Vitis Vinifera Seed Extract, Lecithin, Linolenic Acid, Tocopheryl Acetate, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Glutathione, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Tocopherol, Aloe Barbadensis Extract, Phenoxyethanol, Pearl Powder, Collagen, Hyaluronic Acid
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Coco-Caprylate/Caprate
Emollient
Dicaprylyl Carbonate
EmollientCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Hydrogenated Coco-Glycerides
Emollient
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Zea Mays Starch
Absorbent
Dimethicone
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate Citrate
Emollient
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glyceryl Behenate
Emollient
Stearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Palmitoyl Dipeptide-5 Diaminobutyroyl Hydroxythreonine
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Dipeptide-5 Diaminohydroxybutyrate
Skin Conditioning
Alpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide
Cleansing
Alpinia Galanga Extract
Skin ConditioningHydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Silanetriol
Sodium Polyacrylate
Absorbent
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingTocopherol
Antioxidant
Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate
Antioxidant
Methylpropanediol
SolventCitric Acid
Buffering
Water, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Hydrogenated Coco-Glycerides, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Zea Mays Starch, Dimethicone, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Niacinamide, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Tocopheryl Acetate, Cetyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Behenate, Stearyl Alcohol, Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate, Palmitoyl Dipeptide-5 Diaminobutyroyl Hydroxythreonine, Palmitoyl Dipeptide-5 Diaminohydroxybutyrate, Alpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide, Alpinia Galanga Extract, Hydroxyacetophenone, Silanetriol, Sodium Polyacrylate, Pentylene Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Xanthan Gum, Tocopherol, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Methylpropanediol, Citric Acid
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Glycerin (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 GlycerinHyaluronic acid (HA) is a glycosaminoglycan (basically a long sugar chain) that your skin already makes on its own. In your skin, HA lives in the extracellular matrix and acts as the body's moisture reservoir.
Topically, HA is a humectant that binds water and helps skin look more plump, smooth, and hydrated.
The only catch is that HA isn't a single thing; it actually comes in a wide range of molecular weights (~50 - 2,000+ kDA) and size matters.
Some clinical evidence links low molecular weight versions to improved wrinkle depth, elasticity, anti-inflammatory effects, and barrier repair.
This is why the best HA serums blend the two sizes together so you get the best of both worlds.
The majority of cosmetic HA is produced by bacterial fermentation, typically using Streptococcus or Bacillus strains. Typical use levels in skincare sit around 0.1-2%.
A clinical study using a 0.2% low-molecular weight HA gel showed improvement in facial seborrheic dermatitis with excellent tolerance.
These are some other common types of Hyaluronic Acid:
Learn more about Hyaluronic AcidSodium Ascorbyl Phosphate (SAP) is a water-soluble form of Vitamin C. It is the salt of ascorbic acid.
This ingredient is commonly used in skincare because it's more formulation-stable while still offering the same benefits as pure ascorbic acid. Ascorbic acid is notorious for breaking down when exposed to sunlight and oxygen whereas SAP has been shown to be more stable.
Studies show SAP has anti-acne and antioxidant benefits. One study found 5% of SAP lotion to be an effective ingredient for treating acne vulgaris. This is because research shows that SAP may help control acne by reducing acne-causing bacteria and slowing the oxidation of skin oils caused by UV exposure.
In addition to acne, vitamin C is important for skin structure. Lab studies suggest SAP may support collagen production in skin cells, making it a great ingredient in anti-aging routines.
Vitamin C has many benefits: it helps reduce redness, improve skin texture, fade the appearance of dark spots, and brighten the skin.
Read more about other types of Vitamin C:
Learn more about Sodium Ascorbyl PhosphateTocopherol (also known as Vitamin E) is a common antioxidant used to help protect the skin from free-radicals and strengthen the skin barrier. It's also fat soluble - this means our skin is great at absorbing it.
Vitamin E also helps keep your natural skin lipids healthy. Your lipid skin barrier naturally consists of lipids, ceramides, and fatty acids. Vitamin E offers extra protection for your skin’s lipid barrier, keeping your skin healthy and nourished.
Another benefit is a bit of UV protection. Vitamin E helps reduce the damage caused by UVB rays. (It should not replace your sunscreen). Combining it with Vitamin C can decrease sunburned cells and hyperpigmentation after UV exposure.
You might have noticed Vitamin E + C often paired together. This is because it is great at stabilizing Vitamin C. Using the two together helps increase the effectiveness of both ingredients.
There are often claims that Vitamin E can reduce/prevent scarring, but these claims haven't been confirmed by scientific research.
Learn more about TocopherolTocopheryl Acetate is AKA Vitamin E. It is an antioxidant and protects your skin from free radicals. Free radicals damage the skin by breaking down collagen.
One study found using Tocopheryl Acetate with Vitamin C decreased the number of sunburned cells.
Tocopheryl Acetate is commonly found in both skincare and dietary supplements.
Learn more about Tocopheryl AcetateWater. 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 WaterXanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.
On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.
Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.
Learn more about Xanthan Gum
