What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningSqualane
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Isononyl Isononanoate
EmollientPanthenol
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Polyacrylate
Absorbent
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingMaltodextrin
Absorbent
Cetyl Palmitate
Emollient
Lecithin
Emollient
Magnolia Officinalis Bark Extract
Antimicrobial
Chamomilla Recutita Flower Oil
Masking
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
Antioxidant
Disodium EDTA
Water, Squalane, Glycerin, Niacinamide, Isononyl Isononanoate, Panthenol, Sodium Polyacrylate, Butylene Glycol, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Maltodextrin, Cetyl Palmitate, Lecithin, Magnolia Officinalis Bark Extract, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Oil, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Tocopherol, Disodium EDTA
Water
Skin ConditioningMacadamia Integrifolia Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Potassium Cetyl Phosphate
Emulsifying3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin Conditioning
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingUndecane
EmollientTridecane
Perfuming
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPEG-8
HumectantTocopherol
Antioxidant
Ascorbyl Palmitate
Antioxidant
Ascorbic Acid
Antioxidant
Citric Acid
Buffering
Water, Macadamia Integrifolia Seed Oil, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glycerin, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Undecane, Tridecane, Ethylhexylglycerin, PEG-8, Tocopherol, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Ascorbic Acid, Citric Acid
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 GlycerinPhenoxyethanol 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.
Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate is an amino-acid based emulsifier. It is made by combining stearic acid with L-glutamic acid and neutralizing it to a sodium salt.
As an emulsifier, it works mainly as an oil-in-water one and helps keep the oil and water in your formulas blended. It also contributes to a smooth, non-greasy skin feel.
This ingredient is biodegradable and commonly available in natural/COSMOS-certified grades.
Learn more about Sodium Stearoyl GlutamateTocopherol (also known as Vitamin E) is a common antioxidant used to help protect the skin from free-radicals and strengthen the skin barrier. It's also fat soluble - this means our skin is great at absorbing it.
Vitamin E also helps keep your natural skin lipids healthy. Your lipid skin barrier naturally consists of lipids, ceramides, and fatty acids. Vitamin E offers extra protection for your skin’s lipid barrier, keeping your skin healthy and nourished.
Another benefit is a bit of UV protection. Vitamin E helps reduce the damage caused by UVB rays. (It should not replace your sunscreen). Combining it with Vitamin C can decrease sunburned cells and hyperpigmentation after UV exposure.
You might have noticed Vitamin E + C often paired together. This is because it is great at stabilizing Vitamin C. Using the two together helps increase the effectiveness of both ingredients.
There are often claims that Vitamin E can reduce/prevent scarring, but these claims haven't been confirmed by scientific research.
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
