What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningAlcohol Denat.
AntimicrobialGlycolic Acid
BufferingButylene Glycol
HumectantGlycerin
HumectantMethyl Gluceth-20
HumectantTranexamic Acid
Astringent4-Ethylresorcinol
AntimicrobialHexapeptide-2
BleachingRice Amino Acids
Skin ConditioningUrea
BufferingYeast Amino Acids
HumectantTrehalose
HumectantInositol
HumectantTaurine
BufferingBetaine
HumectantZinc Gluconate
Skin ConditioningDipotassium Glycyrrhizate
HumectantAllantoin
Skin ConditioningHydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Metabisulfite
AntioxidantSodium Sulfite
PreservativeSodium Hydroxide
BufferingPPG-26-Buteth-26
Skin ConditioningPEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
EmulsifyingPolyquaternium-4
Disodium EDTA
Limonene
PerfumingBenzyl Salicylate
PerfumingLinalool
PerfumingParfum
MaskingWater, Alcohol Denat., Glycolic Acid, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Methyl Gluceth-20, Tranexamic Acid, 4-Ethylresorcinol, Hexapeptide-2, Rice Amino Acids, Urea, Yeast Amino Acids, Trehalose, Inositol, Taurine, Betaine, Zinc Gluconate, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Allantoin, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Sodium Metabisulfite, Sodium Sulfite, Sodium Hydroxide, PPG-26-Buteth-26, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Polyquaternium-4, Disodium EDTA, Limonene, Benzyl Salicylate, Linalool, Parfum
Water
Skin ConditioningDimethicone
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantTapioca Starch
Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingRetinol
Skin ConditioningRetinyl Propionate
Skin ConditioningNiacinamide
SmoothingPalmitoyl Pentapeptide-4
Skin ConditioningPolyacrylamide
C13-14 Isoparaffin
EmollientDMDM Hydantoin
PreservativePolysorbate 20
EmulsifyingLaureth-4
EmulsifyingAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingLaureth-7
EmulsifyingDimethiconol
EmollientPolymethylsilsesquioxane
Aminomethyl Propanol
BufferingTitanium Dioxide
Cosmetic ColorantDisodium EDTA
Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate
PreservativeCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingWater, Dimethicone, Glycerin, Tapioca Starch, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Retinol, Retinyl Propionate, Niacinamide, Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4, Polyacrylamide, C13-14 Isoparaffin, DMDM Hydantoin, Polysorbate 20, Laureth-4, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Laureth-7, Dimethiconol, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Aminomethyl Propanol, Titanium Dioxide, Disodium EDTA, Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Reviews
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 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 GlycerinWater. 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