What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningMethylpropanediol
SolventNiacinamide
SmoothingDimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantHdi/PPG/Polycaprolactone Crosspolymer
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningLecithin
EmollientChondrus Crispus Extract
Skin ConditioningSaccharum Officinarum Extract
MoisturisingTheobroma Cacao Seed Extract
AntioxidantGlycine Soja Oil
EmollientMelia Azadirachta Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningOcimum Sanctum Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningMelia Azadirachta Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningCurcuma Longa Root Extract
MaskingCorallina Officinalis Extract
Skin ConditioningPullulan
Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6
Emulsion StabilisingPanthenol
Skin ConditioningSilybin
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
AntioxidantAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientDextrin
AbsorbentTromethamine
BufferingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningAdenosine
Skin ConditioningSilica
AbrasiveSodium Phytate
Retinol
Skin ConditioningSodium Dilauramidoglutamide Lysine
HumectantIsoceteth-10
EmulsifyingIsoceteth-25
EmulsifyingCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingCholesterol
EmollientUbiquinone
AntioxidantZinc PCA
HumectantPhospholipids
Skin ConditioningCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningArginine
MaskingPhytosterols
Skin ConditioningBHT
AntioxidantPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeWater, Methylpropanediol, Niacinamide, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Glycerin, Hdi/PPG/Polycaprolactone Crosspolymer, 1,2-Hexanediol, Pentylene Glycol, Lecithin, Chondrus Crispus Extract, Saccharum Officinarum Extract, Theobroma Cacao Seed Extract, Glycine Soja Oil, Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract, Ocimum Sanctum Leaf Extract, Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract, Curcuma Longa Root Extract, Corallina Officinalis Extract, Pullulan, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Panthenol, Silybin, Tocopherol, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Caprylyl Glycol, Dextrin, Tromethamine, Ethylhexylglycerin, Adenosine, Silica, Sodium Phytate, Retinol, Sodium Dilauramidoglutamide Lysine, Isoceteth-10, Isoceteth-25, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cholesterol, Ubiquinone, Zinc PCA, Phospholipids, Ceramide NP, Arginine, Phytosterols, BHT, Phenoxyethanol
Water
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
SolventGlycerin
HumectantLimnanthes Alba Seed Oil
Skin ConditioningBetaine
HumectantBehenyl Alcohol
EmollientCeramide AP
Skin Conditioning1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingTromethamine
BufferingJojoba Esters
EmollientArachidyl Alcohol
EmollientGlyceryl Caprylate
EmollientButylene Glycol
HumectantEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
Arachidyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingMentha Arvensis Leaf Extract
MaskingParfum
MaskingHydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
HumectantMalachite Extract
AntioxidantAureobasidium Pullulans Ferment
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
AntioxidantUndaria Pinnatifida Extract
Skin ConditioningWater, Propanediol, Glycerin, Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil, Betaine, Behenyl Alcohol, Ceramide AP, 1,2-Hexanediol, Carbomer, Tromethamine, Jojoba Esters, Arachidyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Caprylate, Butylene Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Disodium EDTA, Arachidyl Glucoside, Mentha Arvensis Leaf Extract, Parfum, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Malachite Extract, Aureobasidium Pullulans Ferment, Tocopherol, Undaria Pinnatifida Extract
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
1,2-Hexanediol is a synthetic liquid and another multi-functional powerhouse.
It is a:
- Humectant, drawing moisture into the skin
- Emollient, helping to soften skin
- Solvent, dispersing and stabilizing formulas
- Preservative booster, enhancing the antimicrobial activity of other preservatives
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 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 TocopherolTromethamine (aka THAM) is a synthetic amino acid that shows up in skincare as a helper ingredient.
It functions as a pH adjuster to help neutralize acidic ingredients and set a formula's pH to the right spot.
This matters a lot because a lot of actives (like vitamin C) needs a specific pH to work well and feel comfortable on skin.
Concentration use ranges from 0.1-1.0% depending on the formula.
Learn more about TromethamineWater. 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