What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycolic Acid
Buffering
Dimethyl Mea
BufferingIsopropyl Palmitate
Emollient
Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate
Antioxidant
Tyrosine
MaskingGlyceryl Stearate
Emollient
PEG-100 Stearate
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Zinc Gluconate
Skin Conditioning
Magnesium Aspartate
Skin ConditioningCopper Gluconate
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Disodium EDTA
Ceteareth-20
Cleansing
Dimethicone
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Parfum
Masking
Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone
Perfuming
Benzyl Benzoate
Antimicrobial
Benzyl Salicylate
Perfuming
Citronellol
Perfuming
Eugenol
Perfuming
Geraniol
Perfuming
Hexyl Cinnamal
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Water, Glycolic Acid, Dimethyl Mea, Isopropyl Palmitate, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Tyrosine, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Benzyl Alcohol, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Zinc Gluconate, Magnesium Aspartate, Copper Gluconate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Disodium EDTA, Ceteareth-20, Dimethicone, Phenoxyethanol, Parfum, Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone, Benzyl Benzoate, Benzyl Salicylate, Citronellol, Eugenol, Geraniol, Hexyl Cinnamal, Linalool
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Cyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Dimethicone
Emollient
Pentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningEthylhexyl Methoxycrylene
Skin Conditioning
Polyester-8
Skin Conditioning
Polyglyceryl-3 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone
Skin Conditioning
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingBenzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Aluminum Hydroxide
EmollientStearic Acid
Cleansing
Diethylhexyl Syringylidenemalonate
Skin ProtectingHydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Isohexadecane
EmollientBisabolol
Masking
Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate
Antioxidant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Polysilicone-11
Polysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingHydrogenated Phosphatidylcholine
EmulsifyingThioctic Acid
Antioxidant
Astaxanthin
Skin Conditioning
Water, Glycerin, Cyclopentasiloxane, Dimethicone, Pentylene Glycol, Ethylhexyl Methoxycrylene, Polyester-8, Polyglyceryl-3 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Benzyl Alcohol, Aluminum Hydroxide, Stearic Acid, Diethylhexyl Syringylidenemalonate, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Isohexadecane, Bisabolol, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Phenoxyethanol, Polysilicone-11, Polysorbate 60, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, Xanthan Gum, Hydrogenated Phosphatidylcholine, Thioctic Acid, Astaxanthin
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Benzyl Alcohol is most commonly used as a preservative. It also has a subtle, sweet smell. Small amounts of Benzyl Alcohol is not irritating and safe to use in skincare products. Most Benzyl Alcohol is derived from fruits such as apricots.
Benzyl Alcohol has both antibacterial and antioxidant properties. These properties help lengthen the shelf life of products. Benzyl Alcohol is a solvent and helps dissolve other ingredients. It can also improve the texture and spreadability.
Alcohol comes in many different forms. Different types of alcohol will have different effects on skin. This ingredient is an astringent alcohol.
Using high concentrations of these alcohols are drying on the skin. They may strip away your skin's natural oils and even damage your skin barrier. Astringent alcohols may also irritate skin.
Other types of astringent alcohols include:
According to the National Rosacea Society based in the US, you should be mindful of products with these alcohols in the top half of ingredients.
Any type of sanitizing product will have high amounts of alcohol to help kill bacteria and viruses.
Learn more about Benzyl AlcoholDimethicone is a type of synthetic silicone created from natural materials such as quartz.
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 DimethiconeHydrogenated Lecithin is created from the hydrogenation of lecithin (a group of phospholipids). Hydrogenation is a chemical reaction between hydrogen and another element.
This ingredient is an emollient and emulsifier. As an emollient, it helps soften skin by trapping moisture within. As an emulsifier, it prevents oil and water ingredients from separating.
Phenoxyethanol 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.
Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate (THD) is a stable and oil-soluble form of Vitamin C.
THD is special in that it has the ability to travel deeper into skin than traditional ascorbic acid while maintaining the same skin benefits (double win!).
Because it’s oil-soluble, THD dives deep into your skin’s fatty layers (think ceramides and cholesterol) to fight off the kind of free radicals that mess with your skin barrier. This makes it a great pair with water-based vitamin C (ascorbic acid) that mainly works on the surface.
Even at just 0.1%, THD is already showing great antioxidant activity. When used up to 2%, it helps keep your skin happy and calm, especially when it’s stressed from pollution or sun.
Want to fade dark spots or tackle hyperpigmentation? You’ll want 5% or more. Pairing it with brightening buddies like niacinamide or licorice root gives even better results. One study even used 30% THD with other brighteners and saw real results on stubborn discoloration, even in melasma-prone skin.
A note on THD: It’s has a slightly silky, oily texture and usually shows up colorless or pale yellow (though the exact shade can vary by supplier).
While you can sneak it into water-based formulas, it really shines when paired with silicones or oils, which help your skin soak it up better.
THD is pretty stable, but it’s still vulnerable to degradation like ascorbic acid. Too much light or heat (above 113°F / 45°C) can break it down over time. Go for dark and opaque packaging that keeps it safe and shady!
Read more about other types of Vitamin C:
Learn more about Tetrahexyldecyl AscorbateWater. 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. Stay hydrated!
Learn more about Water
