What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Gluconolactone
Skin Conditioning
3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate
Absorbent
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6
Emulsion StabilisingPotassium Hydroxide
BufferingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ammonium Glycyrrhizate
MaskingPhyllanthus Emblica Fruit Extract
HumectantPropylene Glycol
Humectant
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Sophora Angustifolia Root Extract
Skin ConditioningHydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin
MaskingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningTetrasodium EDTA
T-Butyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Morus Alba Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningWater, Glycerin, Gluconolactone, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate, Butylene Glycol, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Potassium Hydroxide, Phenoxyethanol, Ammonium Glycyrrhizate, Phyllanthus Emblica Fruit Extract, Propylene Glycol, Caprylyl Glycol, Sophora Angustifolia Root Extract, Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin, Ethylhexylglycerin, Tetrasodium EDTA, T-Butyl Alcohol, Morus Alba Leaf Extract
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid is one of the most popular "stable" vitamin C derivatives in skincare.
Plain ascorbic acid is fantastic but notoriously fragile; it browns, oxidizes, and loses potency fast. So attaching an ethyl group to the third carbon of the molecule gives it some cool perks:
In a formula, it does the 3 classic vitamin C jobs: it acts as an antioxidant, helps brighten skin tone by inhibiting tyrosinase, and supports collagen.
The evidence is reasonably solid for a cosmetic ingredient; Liao and colleagues (2018) showed it's significantly more stable than ascorbic acid while still being effective.
A 2021 study by Zerbinati and colleagues tested a serum with 30% 3-O-ethyl-l-ascorbic acid and 1% lactic acid significantly increased collagen production, reduced UVB-induced DNA damage, and decreased melanin on a reconstructed pigmented skin model.
Typical real world usage sits around 0.5-5% (and 1-2% is common for daily serums).
Amounts up to 30% have been shown to be non-irritating on human skin samples, but two isolated cases reported allergic contact dermatitis so a patch test is sensible if you have reactive skin.
Learn more about 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic AcidEthylhexylglycerin 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 EthylhexylglycerinPhenoxyethanol is a preservative that has germicide, antimicrobial, and aromatic properties. Studies show that phenoxyethanol can prevent microbial growth. By itself, it has a scent that is similar to that of a rose.
It's often used in formulations along with Caprylyl Glycol to preserve the shelf life of products.
Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6 is a texture enhancer and pH adjuster.
It is be used to thicken water-based products and create a gel-texture with a velvet feel.
One manufacturer claims this ingredient to have a pH range of 2-8 and to be biodegradable.
This ingredient is also known as Sepimax Zen.
Learn more about Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6Propylene 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
