What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningDimethicone
Emollient
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Silica
Abrasive
Squalane
Emollient
Undecane
EmollientGlycerin
Humectant
Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Tridecane
Perfuming
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate
Skin Conditioning
Polyglyceryl-4 Caprate
EmulsifyingHydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Propanediol
Solvent
Tridecapeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Skin Conditioning
Acetyl Hexapeptide-8
Humectant
Arginine/Lysine Polypeptide
Skin Conditioning
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Phytate
Sorbitan Oleate
Emulsifying
Diosmine
Antioxidant
Coleus Forskohlii Root Extract
EmollientCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingGlyceryl Caprylate
EmollientPseudoalteromonas Ferment Extract
Humectant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Water, Dimethicone, Pentylene Glycol, Silica, Squalane, Undecane, Glycerin, Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract, Tridecane, 1,2-Hexanediol, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Cetyl Alcohol, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Polyglyceryl-4 Caprate, Hydroxyacetophenone, Propanediol, Tridecapeptide-1, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Arginine/Lysine Polypeptide, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Sodium Phytate, Sorbitan Oleate, Diosmine, Coleus Forskohlii Root Extract, Caprylyl Glycol, Xanthan Gum, Glyceryl Caprylate, Pseudoalteromonas Ferment Extract, Tocopherol
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Hydrogenated Poly(C6-14 Olefin)
EmollientCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate
Emulsifying
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Niacinamide
Smoothing
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Dimethicone
Emollient
Phenyl Trimethicone
Skin Conditioning
Cetearyl Olivate
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Sorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingPolymethylsilsesquioxane
Tromethamine
BufferingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Adenosine
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingCoptis Japonica Extract
AntimicrobialPolyisobutene
Disodium EDTA
Caprylyl/Capryl Glucoside
CleansingCyanocobalamin
Skin ConditioningSorbitan Oleate
Emulsifying
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Saccharomyces/Rice Ferment Filtrate
Skin Conditioning
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Collagen Extract
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Phytate
Copper Tripeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Dna
Skin Conditioning
Water, Glycerin, Hydrogenated Poly(C6-14 Olefin), Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Niacinamide, 1,2-Hexanediol, Dimethicone, Phenyl Trimethicone, Cetearyl Olivate, Glyceryl Stearate, Sorbitan Olivate, Carbomer, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Tromethamine, Ethylhexylglycerin, Butylene Glycol, Adenosine, Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Coptis Japonica Extract, Polyisobutene, Disodium EDTA, Caprylyl/Capryl Glucoside, Cyanocobalamin, Sorbitan Oleate, Tocopherol, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Saccharomyces/Rice Ferment Filtrate, Pentylene Glycol, Collagen Extract, Sodium Phytate, Copper Tripeptide-1, Sodium Dna
Reviews
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
Dimethicone is a type of synthetic silicone created from natural materials such as quartz. It is also known as polydimethylsiloxane.
What it does:
Dimethicone comes in different viscosities:
Depending on the viscosity, dimethicone has different properties.
Ingredients lists don't always show which type is used, so we recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about the viscosity.
This ingredient is unlikely to cause irritation because it does not get absorbed into skin. However, people with silicone allergies should be careful about using this ingredient.
Note: Dimethicone may contribute to pilling. This is because it is not oil or water soluble, so pilling may occur when layered with products. When mixed with heavy oils in a formula, the outcome is also quite greasy.
Learn more about DimethiconeGlycerin (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 is typically used within a product to thicken it. It also adds a smooth, soft, and moisturizing feel to the product. It is naturally found in plants such as sugar beets.
The hydrophilic trait of Pentylene Glycol makes it a humectant. As a humectant, Pentylene Glycol helps draw moisture from the air to your skin. This can help keep your skin hydrated.
This property also makes Pentylene Glycol a great texture enhancer. It can also help thicken or stabilize a product.
Pentylene Glycol also acts as a mild preservative and helps to keep a product microbe-free.
Some people may experience mild eye and skin irritation from Pentylene Glycol. We always recommend speaking with a professional about using this ingredient in your routine.
Pentylene Glycol has a low molecular weight and is part of the 1,2-glycol family.
Learn more about Pentylene GlycolSodium Phytate is the synthetic salt form of phytic acid. Phytic acid is an antioxidant and can be found in plant seeds.
Sodium Phytate is a chelating agent. Chelating agents help prevent metals from binding to water. This helps stabilize the ingredients and the product.
Sorbitan Oleate is a PEG-free emulsifier made by esterifying sorbitol with oleic acid.
You'll likely see it paired with Polysorbate 80 to create the right emulsification balance.
Typical use levels in formulas range from 2-10%.
The CIR Expert Panel has concluded this ingredient to be safe as a cosmetic ingredient.
Since this ingredient is an ester of oleic acid, it may not be fungal acne safe. Oleic acid is a fatty acid that falls into the C11-24 range that Malassezia can metabolize.
Learn more about Sorbitan OleateTocopherol 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
