What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningDicaprylyl Carbonate
EmollientGlycerin
Humectant
Isopentyldiol
Humectant
Squalane
Emollient
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Methylpropanediol
SolventPentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate
Emulsion StabilisingCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Coco-Glucoside
Cleansing
Oryza Sativa Hull Extract
MoisturisingCitric Acid
Buffering
Ipomoea Batatas Root Extract
Skin ConditioningSodium Phytate
Lycium Barbarum Fruit Extract
Astringent
Sodium Dilauramidoglutamide Lysine
HumectantHydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Lactobacillus Ferment Lysate
Skin Conditioning
Pentapeptide-21
Skin Conditioning
S-Pea Oligopeptide-1 Sp
Skin Conditioning
Saccharomyces Lysate
Skin Conditioning
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Glucose
Humectant
Tridecapeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Water, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Glycerin, Isopentyldiol, Squalane, 1,2-Hexanediol, Methylpropanediol, Pentylene Glycol, Sodium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Coco-Glucoside, Oryza Sativa Hull Extract, Citric Acid, Ipomoea Batatas Root Extract, Sodium Phytate, Lycium Barbarum Fruit Extract, Sodium Dilauramidoglutamide Lysine, Hydroxyacetophenone, Sodium Benzoate, Caprylyl Glycol, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Lactobacillus Ferment Lysate, Pentapeptide-21, S-Pea Oligopeptide-1 Sp, Saccharomyces Lysate, Tocopherol, Glucose, Tridecapeptide-1
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Synechococcus Elongatus Lysate Filtrate
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Nymphaea Coerulea Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialOenothera Biennis Flower Extract
AstringentOryza Sativa Bran Extract
Skin Conditioning
Terminalia Ferdinandiana Fruit Extract
Antioxidant
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Copper Gluconate
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningGlyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer
HumectantHelianthus Annuus Extract
Emollient
Hexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingLecithin
Emollient
Magnesium Aspartate
Skin Conditioning1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Magnesium Chloride
Palmitoyl Dipeptide-5 Diaminobutyroyl Hydroxythreonine
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5
Skin Conditioning
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingSodium Metabisulfite
Antioxidant
Sucrose
Humectant
Tetradecyl Aminobutyroylvalylaminobutyric Urea Trifluoroacetate
Skin ConditioningTetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Zinc Gluconate
Skin Conditioning
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sorbic Acid
Preservative
Water, Glycerin, Pentylene Glycol, Polysorbate 20, Synechococcus Elongatus Lysate Filtrate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Nymphaea Coerulea Flower Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Oenothera Biennis Flower Extract, Oryza Sativa Bran Extract, Terminalia Ferdinandiana Fruit Extract, Caprylyl Glycol, Copper Gluconate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Glyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer, Helianthus Annuus Extract, Hexylene Glycol, Lecithin, Magnesium Aspartate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Magnesium Chloride, Palmitoyl Dipeptide-5 Diaminobutyroyl Hydroxythreonine, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5, Propylene Glycol, Sodium Hydroxide, Sodium Metabisulfite, Sucrose, Tetradecyl Aminobutyroylvalylaminobutyric Urea Trifluoroacetate, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Tocopherol, Zinc Gluconate, Phenoxyethanol, Potassium Sorbate, Sorbic Acid
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
Caprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.
Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.
Because it is not a free-fatty acid, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolGlycerin (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 GlycerinPentylene Glycol (1,2-pentanediol) is a multitasking little diol with three main roles in a formula:
Research on alkanediols (the family pentylene glycol belongs to) show they work by disrupting microbial cell membranes. This disruption helps the primary preservative system in a product work more effectively at lower doses.
On the safety side, the Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has concluded this ingredient to be safe as used in current cosmetic practices + concentrations.
Typical use levels in a formula run about 1-5%.
Learn more about Pentylene GlycolTocopherol 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
