What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantNiacinamide
SmoothingIsohexadecane
EmollientDimethicone
EmollientIsopropyl Isostearate
EmollientStearyl Alcohol
EmollientCetyl Alcohol
EmollientHydrogenated Shea Butter
Skin ConditioningPanthenol
Skin ConditioningPalmitoyl Pentapeptide-4
Skin ConditioningGlycolic Acid
Buffering3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid
Skin ConditioningTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantC13-14 Isoparaffin
EmollientDimethiconol
EmollientCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientLaureth-7
EmulsifyingCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientCetearyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingPalmitic Acid
EmollientStearic Acid
CleansingBehenyl Alcohol
EmollientDisodium EDTA
Polyacrylamide
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingPEG-100 Stearate
Surfactant1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeParfum
MaskingCI 17200
Cosmetic ColorantAvena Sativa Peptide
Skin ConditioningAscorbic Acid
AntioxidantTocopherol
AntioxidantWater, Glycerin, Niacinamide, Isohexadecane, Dimethicone, Isopropyl Isostearate, Stearyl Alcohol, Cetyl Alcohol, Hydrogenated Shea Butter, Panthenol, Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4, Glycolic Acid, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Tocopheryl Acetate, C13-14 Isoparaffin, Dimethiconol, Caprylyl Glycol, Laureth-7, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Glucoside, Palmitic Acid, Stearic Acid, Behenyl Alcohol, Disodium EDTA, Polyacrylamide, Sodium Hydroxide, PEG-100 Stearate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Phenoxyethanol, Parfum, CI 17200, Avena Sativa Peptide, Ascorbic Acid, Tocopherol
Water
Skin Conditioning1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningPanthenol
Skin ConditioningLimnanthes Alba Seed Oil
Skin ConditioningEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantDipropylene Glycol
HumectantSphingolipids
EmollientButylene Glycol
HumectantCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningPolyglutamic Acid
Skin ConditioningSaccharide Isomerate
HumectantGluconolactone
Skin ConditioningBeta-Glucan
Skin ConditioningPullulan
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingGlycerin
HumectantCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingTocopherol
AntioxidantCitric Acid
BufferingTromethamine
BufferingSodium Citrate
BufferingSymphytum Officinale Root Extract
Skin ConditioningSodium Phytate
Methyl Glucose Sesquistearate
EmollientHydrogenated Lecithin
EmulsifyingCetearyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingPolyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate
EmulsifyingCentella Asiatica Extract
CleansingWater, 1,2-Hexanediol, Panthenol, Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Hyaluronate, Dipropylene Glycol, Sphingolipids, Butylene Glycol, Ceramide NP, Polyglutamic Acid, Saccharide Isomerate, Gluconolactone, Beta-Glucan, Pullulan, Xanthan Gum, Glycerin, Carbomer, Tocopherol, Citric Acid, Tromethamine, Sodium Citrate, Symphytum Officinale Root Extract, Sodium Phytate, Methyl Glucose Sesquistearate, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Cetearyl Glucoside, Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate, Centella Asiatica 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
Cetearyl Glucoside is a sugar-based emulsifier. It is usually made by combining cetearyl alcohol and glucose.
Belonging to the aklyl polyglucoside (APG) family, Cetearyl Glucoside has a sugar "head" that loves water and a fatty "tail" that loves oil. This means it can shuffle oil and water into a stable and smooth emulsion.
Typical use levels are between 1-5% and this ingredient is considered to be non-irritating by the CIR Expert Panel Review.
Once applied, your skin's glucoside hydrolases breaks it down to the parent fatty alcohol and glucose. This is why this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Cetearyl GlucosideGlycerin (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 GlycerinPanthenol is a common ingredient that helps hydrate and soothe the skin. It is found naturally in our skin and hair.
There are two forms of panthenol: D and L.
D-panthenol is also known as dexpanthenol. Most cosmetics use dexpanthenol or a mixture of D and L-panthenol.
Panthenol is famous due to its ability to go deeper into the skin's layers. Using this ingredient has numerous pros (and no cons):
Like hyaluronic acid, panthenol is a humectant. Humectants are able to bind and hold large amounts of water to keep skin hydrated.
This ingredient works well for wound healing. It works by increasing tissue in the wound and helps close open wounds.
Once oxidized, panthenol converts to pantothenic acid. Panthothenic acid is found in all living cells.
This ingredient is also referred to as pro-vitamin B5.
Learn more about PanthenolTocopherol 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 Water