What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Ethylhexyl Palmitate
Emollient
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingIsoamyl Laurate
Emollient
Prunus Serotina Fruit Extract
MaskingAlmond/Borage/Linseed/Olive Acids/Glycerides
Antioxidant
Medicago Sativa Extract
TonicSesamum Indicum Seed
Abrasive
Hydrolyzed Eruca Sativa Leaf
Antioxidant
Sclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Algae Extract
Skin ConditioningPalmitoyl Hexapeptide-12
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Dipeptide-10
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Ceramide Ng
Skin Conditioning
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Cocoyl Proline
Skin Conditioning
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Trehalose
Humectant
Eclipta Prostrata Extract
Skin Conditioning
Potassium Azeloyl Diglycinate
Skin Conditioning
Opuntia Ficus-Indica Stem Extract
Skin Conditioning
Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningLeuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate
Antimicrobial
Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil
Emollient
Alaria Esculenta Extract
Skin ProtectingAdenosine Phosphate
Skin ConditioningPEG-10 Phytosterol
EmulsifyingTribehenin
Emollient
Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein
Skin ConditioningSorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Sodium Gluconate
Skin ConditioningZinc Gluconate
Skin Conditioning
Copper Gluconate
Skin Conditioning
Magnesium Aspartate
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Olivate
Isoamyl Cocoate
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Polyglyceryl-10 Caprylate/Caprate
EmulsifyingMicrocrystalline Cellulose
AbsorbentC12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Butylene Glycol Stearate
EmollientPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningWater, Glycerin, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Isoamyl Laurate, Prunus Serotina Fruit Extract, Almond/Borage/Linseed/Olive Acids/Glycerides, Medicago Sativa Extract, Sesamum Indicum Seed, Hydrolyzed Eruca Sativa Leaf, Sclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil, Hydrolyzed Algae Extract, Palmitoyl Hexapeptide-12, Palmitoyl Dipeptide-10, Sodium Hyaluronate, Ceramide Ng, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Cocoyl Proline, Tocopherol, Allantoin, Trehalose, Eclipta Prostrata Extract, Potassium Azeloyl Diglycinate, Opuntia Ficus-Indica Stem Extract, Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil, Alaria Esculenta Extract, Adenosine Phosphate, PEG-10 Phytosterol, Tribehenin, Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein, Sorbitan Olivate, Sodium Gluconate, Zinc Gluconate, Copper Gluconate, Magnesium Aspartate, Cetearyl Olivate, Isoamyl Cocoate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Polyglyceryl-10 Caprylate/Caprate, Microcrystalline Cellulose, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Xanthan Gum, Pentylene Glycol, Butylene Glycol Stearate, Phenoxyethanol, Potassium Sorbate, Ethylhexylglycerin
Water
Skin ConditioningEthylhexyl Stearate
Emollient
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Petrolatum
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Dipentaerythrityl Hexacaprylate/Hexacaprate
EmulsifyingTridecyl Trimellitate
EmollientPhenyl Trimethicone
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Cholesterol
Emollient
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Squalane
Emollient
Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate
Antioxidant
Dimethicone
Emollient
Polysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Hydrolyzed Jojoba Protein
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Wheat Protein
Skin ConditioningAvena Sativa Kernel Extract
Abrasive
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Whey Protein
Skin ConditioningTridecyl Stearate
Emollient
Neopentyl Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate
EmollientMyristyl Myristate
Emollient
Linoleic Acid
Cleansing
Linolenic Acid
Cleansing
Decarboxy Carnosine Hcl
Skin ConditioningHydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingCetearyl Glucoside
Emulsifying
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Polyglyceryl-3 Beeswax
Emulsifying
Aminomethyl Propanol
BufferingDisodium EDTA
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Benzoic Acid
Masking
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Sorbic Acid
Preservative
Water, Ethylhexyl Stearate, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Petrolatum, Cetearyl Alcohol, Dipentaerythrityl Hexacaprylate/Hexacaprate, Tridecyl Trimellitate, Phenyl Trimethicone, Sodium Hyaluronate, Ceramide NP, Cholesterol, Tocopherol, Squalane, Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Dimethicone, Polysorbate 60, Hydrolyzed Jojoba Protein, Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein, Avena Sativa Kernel Extract, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Whey Protein, Tridecyl Stearate, Neopentyl Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate, Myristyl Myristate, Linoleic Acid, Linolenic Acid, Decarboxy Carnosine Hcl, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Cetearyl Glucoside, Cetyl Alcohol, Polyglyceryl-3 Beeswax, Aminomethyl Propanol, Disodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol, Benzoic Acid, Chlorphenesin, Sorbic Acid
Reviews
Alternatives
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 GlycerinThis is a synthetic polymer. It helps improve the texture of products by adding thickness and gel-like feel.
It is also an emulsifer, meaning it prevents ingredients such as oil and water from separating. It also helps evenly disperse other ingredients.
Phenoxyethanol is one of the most widely used preservatives in skincare (and for good reason!).
It has a large spectrum of antimicrobial activity and especially effective bacteria, yeast, and mold while only having a weak effect on your skin's natural microbiome.
On a cellular level, it disrupts the cell membranes of microbes by poking holes that make the cell leak. This shuts down the chemical reactions the microbe needs to make energy so it can no longer survive.
Another perk of this ingredient is that it stays functional across a wide pH range (3-10).
You'll often see it paired with boosters like Ethylhexylglycerin; one study showed that a 1:9 ratio of Ethylhexylglycerin to Phenoxyethanol damages bacterial membranes as effectively as doubling the Phenoxyethanol concentration on its own.
Typical use concentrations range from 0.3-1% depending on the formula, and this ingredient is capped at 1% int the EU.
Safety-wise, the fear mongering does not hold up to the evidence. The EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety and FDA consider it safe as a preservative at up to 1%, including for children of all ages.
Adverse systemic effects only showed up in animal studies at exposures roughly 200x higher than what people get from cosmetics. And despite its very widespread use, this ingredient is a rare sensitizer and allergic reactions are uncommon.
Learn more about PhenoxyethanolSodium 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
