What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningSqualane
Emollient
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Saccharomyces Ferment Filtrate
Humectant
Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate
Emulsifying
Coco-Caprylate/Caprate
Emollient
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Hippophae Rhamnoides Extract
MaskingLactobacillus Ferment
Skin Conditioning
Algae Extract
EmollientOlea Europaea Fruit Oil
Masking
Glycine Soja Oil
Emollient
Glycine Soja Seed Extract
Skin Conditioning
Hypnea Musciformis Extract
Skin ProtectingGanoderma Lucidum Extract
Skin Protecting
Caffeine
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Oryzanol
Skin ConditioningSodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingSodium PCA
Humectant
Potassium Gluconate
Skin ProtectingGlycyrrhetinic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingPolysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Palmitic Acid
Emollient
Hexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingCitric Acid
Buffering
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Behenyl Alcohol
Emollient
Zingiber Officinale Root Extract
Masking
Boswellia Carterii Oil
Masking
Pogostemon Cablin Leaf Oil
Masking
Lavandula Angustifolia Oil
Masking
Citrus Nobilis Peel Oil
Masking
Pelargonium Graveolens Flower Oil
Masking
Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Oil
Masking
Citronellol
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Geraniol
Perfuming
Citral
Perfuming
Limonene
Perfuming
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Water, Squalane, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Saccharomyces Ferment Filtrate, Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hippophae Rhamnoides Extract, Lactobacillus Ferment, Algae Extract, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Glycine Soja Oil, Glycine Soja Seed Extract, Hypnea Musciformis Extract, Ganoderma Lucidum Extract, Caffeine, Ceramide NP, Tocopherol, Caprylyl Glycol, Oryzanol, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Sodium PCA, Potassium Gluconate, Glycyrrhetinic Acid, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Polysorbate 20, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Palmitic Acid, Hexylene Glycol, Sodium Hydroxide, Citric Acid, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Behenyl Alcohol, Zingiber Officinale Root Extract, Boswellia Carterii Oil, Pogostemon Cablin Leaf Oil, Lavandula Angustifolia Oil, Citrus Nobilis Peel Oil, Pelargonium Graveolens Flower Oil, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Oil, Citronellol, Linalool, Geraniol, Citral, Limonene, Phenoxyethanol, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate
Water
Skin ConditioningButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Dicaprylyl Ether
Emollient
Propylheptyl Caprylate
EmollientGlyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Dimethicone
Emollient
Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin Conditioning
Maris Aqua
HumectantPEG-75 Stearate
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Cera Alba
Emollient
Sodium Polyacrylate
Absorbent
Ceteth-20
CleansingSteareth-20
CleansingParfum
Masking
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Disodium EDTA
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingLactic Acid
Buffering
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Guaiazulene
Antimicrobial
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
CI 15985
Cosmetic ColorantCI 17200
Cosmetic ColorantPotassium Sorbate
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Water, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Glycerin, Cetyl Alcohol, Dicaprylyl Ether, Propylheptyl Caprylate, Glyceryl Stearate, Dimethicone, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Maris Aqua, PEG-75 Stearate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Niacinamide, Cera Alba, Sodium Polyacrylate, Ceteth-20, Steareth-20, Parfum, Tocopheryl Acetate, Allantoin, Disodium EDTA, Xanthan Gum, Lactic Acid, Propylene Glycol, Guaiazulene, Tocopherol, CI 15985, CI 17200, Potassium Sorbate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenoxyethanol
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Glycerin (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.
Potassium Sorbate is a preservative used to prevent yeast and mold in products. It is commonly found in both cosmetic and food products.
This ingredient comes from potassium salt derived from sorbic acid. Sorbic acid is a natural antibiotic and effective against fungus.
Both potassium sorbate and sorbic acid can be found in baked goods, cheeses, dried meats, dried fruit, ice cream, pickles, wine, yogurt, and more.
You'll often find this ingredient used with other preservatives.
Learn more about Potassium SorbateSodium Hyaluronate is the salt form of hyaluronic acid. It is a long sugar chain that is naturally found in your skin, joints, and connective tissue that maintains hydration and elasticity.
In skincare, it works as a humectant. It pulls water from the environment and deeper layers of skin and binds it to the surface.
Interestingly, the size of the molecule affects its behavior:
Some clinical evidence links low molecular weight versions to improved wrinkle depth, elasticity, anti-inflammatory effects, and barrier repair.
Many serums use a blend of both weights so you can get surface hydration plus longer-lasting and deeper effects.
You'll typically see concentrations between 0.1-2% for this ingredient.
Learn more about Sodium HyaluronateTocopherol 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
