What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
Solvent
Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate
UV Absorber
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane
UV Absorber
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Silica
Abrasive
Glycerin
Humectant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Octocrylene
UV Absorber
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Disodium EDTA
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Lecithin
Emollient
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Punica Granatum Fruit Extract
Antioxidant
Honey Extract
Humectant
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
Emollient
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Alcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
Masking
Tris(Tetramethylhydroxypiperidinol)Citrate
StabilisingSodium Benzoate
Masking
DMDM Hydantoin
Preservative
Methylparaben
Preservative
Citric Acid
Buffering
Ethylparaben
Preservative
Water, Propanediol, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, Niacinamide, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Silica, Glycerin, Phenoxyethanol, Butylene Glycol, Octocrylene, Allantoin, Disodium EDTA, Tocopheryl Acetate, Lecithin, Propylene Glycol, Punica Granatum Fruit Extract, Honey Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Alcohol Denat., Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Tris(Tetramethylhydroxypiperidinol)Citrate, Sodium Benzoate, DMDM Hydantoin, Methylparaben, Citric Acid, Ethylparaben
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Parfum
Masking
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Dimethicone
Emollient
Titanium Dioxide
Cosmetic Colorant
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
PEG-100 Stearate
Surfactant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Polysorbate 80
Emulsifying
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingTriethanolamine
BufferingChlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Silica
Abrasive
Ethylhexyl Salicylate
UV Absorber
Octocrylene
UV Absorber
Cetearyl Glucoside
Emulsifying
Zinc Oxide
Cosmetic Colorant
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Squalane
Emollient
Alpha-Arbutin
Antioxidant
Arctostaphylos Uva-Ursi Leaf Extract
Skin Conditioning
Ascorbic Acid
Antioxidant
Water, Glycerin, Parfum, Cetearyl Alcohol, Dimethicone, Titanium Dioxide, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Phenoxyethanol, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Polysorbate 80, Carbomer, Triethanolamine, Chlorphenesin, Silica, Ethylhexyl Salicylate, Octocrylene, Cetearyl Glucoside, Zinc Oxide, Ethylhexylglycerin, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Hyaluronate, Tocopherol, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Squalane, Alpha-Arbutin, Arctostaphylos Uva-Ursi Leaf Extract, Ascorbic Acid
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer is a synthetically created polymer. It's used as a film-forming agent and used to thicken the consistency of products.
Think of it as a supportive ingredient that helps your gel-creams feel silky, "cloud cream-like", and spread evenly without being greasy.
The Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) Expert Panel evaluated it (along with 22 other acryloyldimethyltaurate polymers) and concluded it's:
Due to its large molecular size, it sits on the surface of skin rather than penetrating it.
Learn more about Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp CopolymerDisodium EDTA is a chelating agent. It grabs onto and deactivates metal ions that sneak into your products from water, packaging, or air.
This ingredient mainly works behind the scenes and helps with:
On top of that, this ingredient can counteract the effects of hard water by binding to the minerals in it.
One thing worth knowing is that Disodium EDTA has been shown to be a mild penetration enhancer. It can help other ingredients absorb into skin more effectively which can be a double-edged sword (great for actives, but can also make the active too strong if you have sensitive skin).
Clinical patch testing showed no significant skin irritation at typical use concentrations and minimal dermal absorption.
You'll most likely see this ingredient near the end of an ingredient list. It's typically found in concentrations less than 1%.
Learn more about Disodium EDTAGlycerin (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 GlycerinOctocrylene is an oil-soluble organic UV filter that mainly absorbs UVB and short wave UVA II light.
Its real superpower is teamwork: octocrylene is remarkably photostable and is most famous for stabilizing avobenzone (the workhorse UVA filter).
This ingredient is commonly used to enhance both UVB and UVA protection due to its unique property in stabilizing avobenzone. It also pulls double duty by boosting water resistance and giving formulas a smooth, spreadable feel.
The EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (SCCS) has deemed octocrylene to be safe as a UV-filter at concentrations up to 10% (capped at 9% in propellant sprays). The US also permits it up to 10%.
Two things worth knowing:
You'll usually see this ingredient used in concentrations between 2-10% (higher amounts when used as a stabilizer for avobenzone).
Learn more about OctocrylenePhenoxyethanol is one of the most widely used preservatives in skincare (and for good reason!).
It has a large spectrum of antimicrobial activity and especially effective bacteria, yeast, and mold while only having a weak effect on your skin's natural microbiome.
On a cellular level, it disrupts the cell membranes of microbes by poking holes that make the cell leak. This shuts down the chemical reactions the microbe needs to make energy so it can no longer survive.
Another perk of this ingredient is that it stays functional across a wide pH range (3-10).
You'll often see it paired with boosters like Ethylhexylglycerin; one study showed that a 1:9 ratio of Ethylhexylglycerin to Phenoxyethanol damages bacterial membranes as effectively as doubling the Phenoxyethanol concentration on its own.
Typical use concentrations range from 0.3-1% depending on the formula, and this ingredient is capped at 1% int the EU.
Safety-wise, the fear mongering does not hold up to the evidence. The EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety and FDA consider it safe as a preservative at up to 1%, including for children of all ages.
Adverse systemic effects only showed up in animal studies at exposures roughly 200x higher than what people get from cosmetics. And despite its very widespread use, this ingredient is a rare sensitizer and allergic reactions are uncommon.
Learn more about PhenoxyethanolSilica, also known as silicon dioxide, is a naturally occurring mineral. It is used as a fine, spherical, and porous powder in cosmetics.
Though it has exfoliant properties, the function of silica varies depending on the product.
The unique structure of silica enhances the spreadability and adds smoothness, making it a great texture enhancer.
It is also used as an active carrier, emulsifier, and mattifier due to its ability to absorb excess oil.
In some products, tiny microneedles called spicules are made from silica or hydrolyzed sponge. When you rub them in, they lightly polish away dead skin layers and enhance the penetration of active ingredients.
Learn more about SilicaWater. 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
