What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningHamamelis Virginiana Water
AstringentCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientDimethicone
EmollientTricaprylyl Citrate
EmollientCetyl Esters
EmollientAlcohol Denat.
AntimicrobialGlycerin
HumectantCeteareth-30
CleansingDiazolidinyl Urea
PreservativeSodium Methylparaben
PreservativeDisodium EDTA
Propylparaben
PreservativePropylene Glycol
HumectantEthylhexyl Methoxycinnamate
UV AbsorberPanthenol
Skin ConditioningCitronellol
PerfumingPelargonium Graveolens Flower Oil
MaskingSodium Ethylparaben
PreservativeBenzophenone-3
UV AbsorberSodium Propylparaben
PreservativeGeraniol
PerfumingLinalool
PerfumingSorbitol
HumectantCucumis Sativus Fruit Extract
EmollientCitral
PerfumingAlthaea Officinalis Root Extract
Skin ConditioningArnica Montana Flower Extract
MaskingSambucus Nigra Extract
Skin ConditioningLimonene
PerfumingMethylparaben
PreservativeWater, Hamamelis Virginiana Water, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, Dimethicone, Tricaprylyl Citrate, Cetyl Esters, Alcohol Denat., Glycerin, Ceteareth-30, Diazolidinyl Urea, Sodium Methylparaben, Disodium EDTA, Propylparaben, Propylene Glycol, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Panthenol, Citronellol, Pelargonium Graveolens Flower Oil, Sodium Ethylparaben, Benzophenone-3, Sodium Propylparaben, Geraniol, Linalool, Sorbitol, Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract, Citral, Althaea Officinalis Root Extract, Arnica Montana Flower Extract, Sambucus Nigra Extract, Limonene, Methylparaben
Hyaluronic Acid
HumectantCeramides
Glycerin
HumectantWater
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingCetyl Alcohol
EmollientStearic Acid
CleansingCeteareth-29
CleansingPropylene Glycol
HumectantTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantAloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
EmollientTitanium Dioxide
Cosmetic ColorantPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientEthylhexyl Methoxycinnamate
UV AbsorberCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingCyclomethicone
EmollientTriethanolamine
BufferingDisodium EDTA
Hyaluronic Acid, Ceramides, Glycerin, Water, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cetyl Alcohol, Stearic Acid, Ceteareth-29, Propylene Glycol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Titanium Dioxide, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Carbomer, Cyclomethicone, Triethanolamine, Disodium EDTA
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Disodium 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 EDTAEthylhexyl Methoxycinnamate is an organic compound that provides UVB protection. It often goes by the more common name of octinoxate. It is created from methoxycinnamic acid and 2-ethylhexanol.
Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate absorbs UVB rays with wavelengths between 280-320 nm. UV absorbers protect your skin by using chemical reactions to convert UV rays into heat and energy.
UVB (290-320 nm) rays emit more energy than UVA rays. They are capable of damaging DNA, causing sunburns and are thought to be linked to skin cancer.
The state of Hawaii has banned sunscreens containing octinoxate due to its potential impact on coral reefs. More research is needed to bridge gaps in this research. The European Union allows higher levels of octinoxate in sunscreens than the US and Australia.
Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate is oil soluble. It is not stable and may lose efficacy when exposed to sunlight.
Learn more about Ethylhexyl MethoxycinnamateGlycerin (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 GlycerinPropylene Glycol is a synthetic, colorless, odorless liquid that has been a staple in cosmetics for decades. It is a skin conditioning agent, humectant, and solvent.
As a humectant, it draw water to the skin to reduce flaking and restore suppleness. It's also a solvent that helps dissolve other actives and keeps formulas stable across temperature changes.
The CIR Expert Panel has confirmed this ingredient to be nontoxic and clinical studies show no sensitization at cosmetic use concentrations.
True allergic reactions are quite rare: a 15-year retrospective study of 6,751 patients found only 0.31% had a positive reaction (and less than half were considered clinically relevant).
It seemed that when sensitization does occur, it's most commonly linked to topical medication (like corticosteroids) and not cosmetics. Allergic contact dermatitis also appears largely limited to individuals with underlying skin conditions.
Overall, propylene glycol is a well-studied ingredient that most people can tolerate without issue.
Learn more about Propylene GlycolWater. 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