What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid
Skin ConditioningMacrocystis Pyrifera Extract
Skin ConditioningGelidiella Acerosa Extract
Skin ProtectingMonostroma Nitidum Thallus Extract
EmollientSpirulina Maxima Extract
SmoothingCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialSaccharomyces/Xylinum/Black Tea Ferment
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantMelia Azadirachta Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningMelia Azadirachta Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningAmino Esters-1
Skin ConditioningCoccinia Indica Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningSolanum Melongena Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningAloe Barbadensis Flower Extract
EmollientSimmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
EmollientLawsonia Inermis Flower/Fruit/Leaf Extract
MaskingOcimum Sanctum Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningOcimum Basilicum Flower/Leaf Extract
TonicCurcuma Longa Root Extract
MaskingCorallina Officinalis Extract
Skin ConditioningBrassica Campestris/Aleurites Fordi Oil Copolymer
Skin ConditioningSodium Citrate
BufferingHydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningParfum
MaskingWater, Glycerin, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Macrocystis Pyrifera Extract, Gelidiella Acerosa Extract, Monostroma Nitidum Thallus Extract, Spirulina Maxima Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Saccharomyces/Xylinum/Black Tea Ferment, Sodium Hyaluronate, Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract, Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract, Amino Esters-1, Coccinia Indica Fruit Extract, Solanum Melongena Fruit Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Flower Extract, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Lawsonia Inermis Flower/Fruit/Leaf Extract, Ocimum Sanctum Leaf Extract, Ocimum Basilicum Flower/Leaf Extract, Curcuma Longa Root Extract, Corallina Officinalis Extract, Brassica Campestris/Aleurites Fordi Oil Copolymer, Sodium Citrate, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Parfum
Water
Skin ConditioningAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin ConditioningSodium Ascorbyl Phosphate
AntioxidantDimethyl Sulfone
SolventCassia Angustifolia Seed Polysaccharide
Skin ConditioningHamamelis Virginiana Water
AstringentTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantGlycerin
HumectantArginine
MaskingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingCentella Asiatica Extract
CleansingEquisetum Arvense Extract
AstringentTaraxacum Officinale Extract
Skin ConditioningPelargonium Graveolens Extract
MaskingSimmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
EmollientPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningSodium Hydroxide
BufferingWater, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Dimethyl Sulfone, Cassia Angustifolia Seed Polysaccharide, Hamamelis Virginiana Water, Tocopheryl Acetate, Glycerin, Arginine, Carbomer, Centella Asiatica Extract, Equisetum Arvense Extract, Taraxacum Officinale Extract, Pelargonium Graveolens Extract, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Hydroxide
Reviews
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.
Jojoba oil is one of the most well-studied plant-derived ingredients in cosmetics. It is an emollient with a special structure.
Because it is made up of 97-98% wax esters, it closely mirrors the linear monoesters found in human sebum. This makes it skin compatible, non-greasy, and lightweight.
Unlike other plant oils, jojoba wax doesn't easily penetrate skin. It mostly works in the uppermost layers as an emollient. This just means it forms a light barrier on the skin to help retain moisture.
Formulations with jojoba esters up to 90% reduced transepidermal water loss (TEWL) and increased barrier recovery by 81% (outperforming bisabolol at 47%).
Besides barrier support, the science also suggests jojoba to have anti-inflammatory effects and potential applications for skin infections, aging, and wound healing.
Fun fact: Indigenous cultures have used jojoba as a moisturizer and to help treat burns for centuries.
Fungal acne: The Malassezia yeast is known to metabolize fatty acids in the C11-24 range and jojoba's dominant fatty acid components fall into this range. This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Simmondsia Chinensis Seed OilWater. 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