What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningC12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialAvena Sativa Kernel Extract
AbrasivePersea Gratissima Fruit Butter
EmollientButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientSilicon
AbrasiveTitanium Dioxide
Cosmetic ColorantGlycerin
HumectantDiethyl Ethanolamine
BufferingCetearyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingSclerotium Gum
Emulsion StabilisingIron Oxides
Thioctic Acid
AntioxidantTetrahydrobisdemethoxydiferuloylmethane
AntioxidantSpilanthes Acmella Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningRetinol
Skin ConditioningMalus Domestica Fruit Cell Culture Extract
Skin ConditioningMagnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate
AntioxidantGlycine Soja Oil
EmollientMagnesium Carbonate Hydroxide
BufferingCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingHydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeTribehenin
EmollientAcrylamide/Sodium Acryloyldimethyltaurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingCeramide Ns
Skin ConditioningEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPalmitoyl Oligopeptide
CleansingPalmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Skin ConditioningRetinyl Palmitate
Skin ConditioningPEG-10 Rapeseed Sterol
CleansingHesperidin Methyl Chalcone
AntioxidantSteareth-20
CleansingPalmitoyl Tripeptide-5
Skin ConditioningAcetyl Hexapeptide-8
HumectantDipeptide-2
Skin ConditioningCholecalciferol
Ubiquinone
AntioxidantTocopherol
AntioxidantTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantZea Mays Oil
EmulsifyingAscorbyl Palmitate
AntioxidantWater, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Avena Sativa Kernel Extract, Persea Gratissima Fruit Butter, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Cetearyl Alcohol, Silicon, Titanium Dioxide, Glycerin, Diethyl Ethanolamine, Cetearyl Glucoside, Sclerotium Gum, Iron Oxides, Thioctic Acid, Tetrahydrobisdemethoxydiferuloylmethane, Spilanthes Acmella Flower Extract, Retinol, Malus Domestica Fruit Cell Culture Extract, Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Glycine Soja Oil, Magnesium Carbonate Hydroxide, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Phenoxyethanol, Tribehenin, Acrylamide/Sodium Acryloyldimethyltaurate Copolymer, Ceramide Ns, Ethylhexylglycerin, Palmitoyl Oligopeptide, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Retinyl Palmitate, PEG-10 Rapeseed Sterol, Hesperidin Methyl Chalcone, Steareth-20, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Dipeptide-2, Cholecalciferol, Ubiquinone, Tocopherol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Zea Mays Oil, Ascorbyl Palmitate
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 GlycerinSilicon is an abrasive as an INCI ingredient, meaning it has exfoliation properties.
If you see this ingredient in a tool, such as a brush, it is a material.
Sodium 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 HyaluronateTocopherol is a fat-soluble antioxidant known as Vitamin E.
You'll find this ingredient in the vast majority of skincare (for good reason). It works to neutralize free radicals, or unstable molecules generated by UV exposure, pollution, and other environmental stressors, before they can cause oxidative damage to your skin cells.
Topically applied tocopherol has been shown to protect against UV damage by ramping up the skin's own natural defense enzymes.
It also acts as a skin conditioning agent; some studies show that regular topical use can improve the skin's water-binding capacity over 2-4 weeks.
This ingredient is especially loved for being a team player. When combined with Vitamin C, the photoprotective effect of both ingredients roughly doubles and the combo also helps reduce UV-induced DNA damage.
This ingredient has some brightening potential but it's more of a prevention ingredient than spot-fader. Cell studies show it can slow down melanin production but it's worth noting that it's not the most powerful brightener out there.
In formulations, it also serves as a stabilizer that helps protect other oxidation-prone ingredients from degrading.
Concentrations usually range from 0.1-1% in most leave-on products.
Learn more about Tocopherol