What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCyclomethicone
EmollientCetyl Ethylhexanoate
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantCetyl Ricinoleate
EmollientStearyl Alcohol
EmollientGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientPEG-100 Stearate
Methyl Methacrylate
Glycol Dimethacrylate Crosspolymer
Lysine Carboxymethyl Cysteinate
Skin ConditioningLysine Thiazolidine Carboxylate
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
AntioxidantSilica
AbrasiveXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingMethylparaben
PreservativePropylparaben
PreservativeDiazolidinyl Urea
PreservativeBenzalkonium Chloride
AntimicrobialWater, Cyclomethicone, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Glycerin, Cetyl Ricinoleate, Stearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Methyl Methacrylate, Glycol Dimethacrylate Crosspolymer, Lysine Carboxymethyl Cysteinate, Lysine Thiazolidine Carboxylate, Tocopherol, Silica, Xanthan Gum, Methylparaben, Propylparaben, Diazolidinyl Urea, Benzalkonium Chloride
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantButylene Glycol
HumectantDimethicone
EmollientGlycereth-26
HumectantIsononyl Isononanoate
EmollientXylitylglucoside
HumectantAmmonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate
EmulsifyingAnhydroxylitol
HumectantPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeXylitol
HumectantCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningDimethiconol
EmollientSodium Hydroxide
BufferingNiacinamide
SmoothingDisodium EDTA
Sodium Hyaluronate
HumectantRosa Damascena Flower Extract
MaskingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingTocopherol
AntioxidantCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingSalvia Officinalis Extract
Antimicrobial1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningActinidia Chinensis Fruit Extract
EmollientSodium Lauroyl Lactylate
EmulsifyingLindera Strychnifolia Root Extract
Skin ConditioningCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningCeramide AP
Skin ConditioningPalmitoyl Tripeptide-5
Skin ConditioningPhytosphingosine
Skin ConditioningCholesterol
EmollientRubus Idaeus Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningCeramide EOP
Skin ConditioningWater, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Dimethicone, Glycereth-26, Isononyl Isononanoate, Xylitylglucoside, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate, Anhydroxylitol, Phenoxyethanol, Xylitol, Carbomer, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Dimethiconol, Sodium Hydroxide, Niacinamide, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Hyaluronate, Rosa Damascena Flower Extract, Xanthan Gum, Tocopherol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Salvia Officinalis Extract, 1,2-Hexanediol, Actinidia Chinensis Fruit Extract, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Lindera Strychnifolia Root Extract, Ceramide NP, Ceramide AP, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5, Phytosphingosine, Cholesterol, Rubus Idaeus Leaf Extract, Ceramide EOP
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 GlycerinTocopherol 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 TocopherolWater. 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