What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Coco-Caprylate/Caprate
Emollient
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Glycine Soja Oil
Emollient
Retinol
Skin Conditioning
Hydrolyzed Glycosaminoglycans
HumectantSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Citrus Aurantium Amara Flower Extract
RefreshingJasminum Officinale Flower Extract
Masking
Lavandula Angustifolia Flower Extract
Cleansing
Paeonia Officinalis Flower Extract
TonicPrunus Serrulata Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningSambucus Nigra Flower Extract
RefreshingHyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
Humectant
Rosa Damascena Flower Oil
Masking
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Raspberry Ketone
Masking
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Sodium Lauroyl Glutamate
SurfactantPolysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Propanediol
Solvent
Dehydroacetic Acid
Preservative
Benzyl Glycol
SolventEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningWater, Glycerin, Cetyl Alcohol, Panthenol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Stearic Acid, Glycine Soja Oil, Retinol, Hydrolyzed Glycosaminoglycans, Sodium Hyaluronate, Citrus Aurantium Amara Flower Extract, Jasminum Officinale Flower Extract, Lavandula Angustifolia Flower Extract, Paeonia Officinalis Flower Extract, Prunus Serrulata Flower Extract, Sambucus Nigra Flower Extract, Hyaluronic Acid, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Rosa Damascena Flower Oil, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Raspberry Ketone, Tocopheryl Acetate, Benzyl Alcohol, Sodium Lauroyl Glutamate, Polysorbate 20, Propanediol, Dehydroacetic Acid, Benzyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin
Water
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Oleyl Erucate
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Triheptanoin
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Olivate
Sorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Ectoin
Skin Conditioning
Cellulose
Absorbent
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Retinal
Skin Conditioning
Biosaccharide Gum-1
Humectant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingCitric Acid
Buffering
Disodium EDTA
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningWater, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Oleyl Erucate, Glycerin, Triheptanoin, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, Panthenol, Ectoin, Cellulose, Allantoin, Retinal, Biosaccharide Gum-1, Tocopherol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Citric Acid, Disodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Ethylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:
The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure.
Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.
Learn more about EthylhexylglycerinGlycerin (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 GlycerinPanthenol is a common ingredient that helps hydrate and soothe the skin. It is found naturally in our skin and hair.
There are two forms of panthenol: D and L.
D-panthenol is also known as dexpanthenol. Most cosmetics use dexpanthenol or a mixture of D and L-panthenol.
Panthenol is famous due to its ability to go deeper into the skin's layers. Using this ingredient has numerous pros (and no cons):
Like hyaluronic acid, panthenol is a humectant. Humectants are able to bind and hold large amounts of water to keep skin hydrated.
This ingredient works well for wound healing. It works by increasing tissue in the wound and helps close open wounds.
Once oxidized, panthenol converts to pantothenic acid. Panthothenic acid is found in all living cells.
This ingredient is also referred to as pro-vitamin B5.
Learn more about PanthenolTocopheryl Acetate is a stable, shelf-friendly form of vitamin E.
Formulators love it because plain vitamin E oxidizes quickly once it hits air. This acetate version stays stable and resists going off, helping to extend a product's shelf life.
It's actually inactive on its own and works like a slow-release "storage" form; the enzymes in your skin called esterases gradually convert it into active vitamin E over time.
One in vivo study showed 5% of the acetate in the living layer of the epidermis converted to vitamin E after 5 days of application. This study also found the skin gained protection against UV damage even though the conversion was slow and small.
Once converted, vitamin E acts as a skin's main fat-soluble antioxidant that fights free radicals to protect skin from damage.
Topical vitamin E generally boosts the skin's photoprotection, and it reduced UV-damage in animal models.
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.
Overall, it has a pretty solid safety profile and has been found to be non-irritating and non-comedogenic. Allergic reactions may happen but stay rare due to how widely the ingredient gets used.
The concentration will vary depending on the formula; industry data shows 0.1% in baby lotions, 3% in lipsticks, and 5% in foot powders. You can also find this ingredient at 100% in a pure vitamin E oil.
Most leave-on skincare keeps it at the lower end, often between 0.5-1%.
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 Water
