What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingGlycerin
HumectantInulin
Skin ConditioningAlpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide
CleansingSolanum Lycopersicum Fruit Extract
AntioxidantSuperoxide Dismutase
AntioxidantDimethylmethoxy Chromanol
AntioxidantXanthophylls
Skin ConditioningAstaxanthin
Skin ConditioningPinus Pinaster Bark Extract
AntioxidantPolygonum Aviculare Extract
EmollientAlteromonas Ferment Extract
Skin ConditioningPadina Pavonica Thallus Extract
Skin ConditioningArginine
MaskingGlycine
BufferingAlanine
MaskingSerine
MaskingValine
MaskingProline
Skin ConditioningThreonine
Isoleucine
Skin ConditioningHistidine
HumectantPhenylalanine
MaskingAspartic Acid
MaskingPCA
HumectantSodium PCA
HumectantSodium Lactate
BufferingPiper Cubeba Fruit Extract
PerfumingHaematococcus Pluvialis Extract
AntioxidantSqualane
EmollientSimmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
EmollientMelanin
Skin ProtectingSucrose
HumectantLysolecithin
EmulsifyingTapioca Starch
Propanediol
SolventPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
HumectantPolyglyceryl-10 Oleate
Skin ConditioningPolyglyceryl-10 Stearate
Skin ConditioningAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingTrisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Tromethamine
BufferingTriethanolamine
BufferingEthoxydiglycol
HumectantTocopherol
AntioxidantPotassium Sorbate
PreservativeSodium Benzoate
Masking1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientWater, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glycerin, Inulin, Alpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide, Solanum Lycopersicum Fruit Extract, Superoxide Dismutase, Dimethylmethoxy Chromanol, Xanthophylls, Astaxanthin, Pinus Pinaster Bark Extract, Polygonum Aviculare Extract, Alteromonas Ferment Extract, Padina Pavonica Thallus Extract, Arginine, Glycine, Alanine, Serine, Valine, Proline, Threonine, Isoleucine, Histidine, Phenylalanine, Aspartic Acid, PCA, Sodium PCA, Sodium Lactate, Piper Cubeba Fruit Extract, Haematococcus Pluvialis Extract, Squalane, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Melanin, Sucrose, Lysolecithin, Tapioca Starch, Propanediol, Pentylene Glycol, Butylene Glycol, Polyglyceryl-10 Oleate, Polyglyceryl-10 Stearate, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Carbomer, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Tromethamine, Triethanolamine, Ethoxydiglycol, Tocopherol, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol
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 GlycerinThis ingredient is also known as Maritime pine or pycnogenol. It has antioxidant and skin soothing properties.
Research on this ingredient is the strongest in the oral context. Studies have linked supplementation to improvements in skin hydration, elasticity, and melasma.
Evidence for topical effects is more limited. Like other botanical extracts, tolerance can vary. Patch testing is recommended for sensitive skin.
Learn more about Pinus Pinaster Bark ExtractSqualane is the hydrogenated and shelf-stable form of squalene (a lipid that naturally occurs in human sebum).
It is an emollient and skin conditioning agent that is able to integrate seamlessly into the skin's lipid barrier without clogging pores.
This is due to how structurally similar it is to what your skin already produces.
Though it is mostly an emollient that helps soften and hydrate skin, it also has some humectant and occlusive action. Humectants help the skin retain moisture while occlusives seal it in, making squalane a triple-threat moisturizer.
Research shows it has antioxidant capabilities that help protect against stressors like UV exposure, specifically UVA induced oxidative stress. This study also found that it supports collagen biosynthesis in human dermal fibroblasts.
No clinical study has reported significant adverse effects and irritation reactions are very rare from this ingredient (even at 100% concentration).
Overall, it's a fantastic ingredient for hydration and is suitable for all skin types.
This depends on the source. Squalane can be derived from both plants and animals. Most squalane used in skincare comes from plants.
Please note: the source of squalane is only known if disclosed by the brand. We recommend reaching out to the brand if you have any questions about their squalane.
Read more about squalene with an "e".
Though squalane is often called an oil, it’s technically not one. It is a hydrocarbon, meaning it is only made of carbon and hydrogen. True oils are triglycerides and made of fatty acids and glycerol.
The term “oil-free” isn’t regulated so companies can define it however they want. Some exclude all oils, while others just avoid mineral oil or comedogenic oils.
Squalane has a comedogenic rating of 1 from the original 1972 study that tested raw ingredients under occlusion on rabbit ears. This system is not standardized or peer-reviewed, and using the raw ingredients is very different from how diluted cosmetic formulations are used on human skin.
A comedogenic rating of 1 means it is "unlikely to clog pores" according to the original rating system.
The overall formula of a product matters more than the individual ingredients on whether or not it will cause clogged pores.
Learn more about SqualaneWater. 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