What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningTetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate
Antioxidant
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Ethylhexyl Isononanoate
EmollientGlycerin
Humectant
Isononyl Isononanoate
EmollientSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Squalene
Emollient
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Propanediol
Solvent
Micrococcus Lysate
Skin ConditioningFerulic Acid
Antimicrobial
Plankton Extract
Skin ConditioningArabidopsis Thaliana Extract
Antioxidant
Hordeum Distichon Extract
Skin ProtectingPhellodendron Amurense Bark Extract
Skin ConditioningSantalum Album Extract
CleansingTocopherol
Antioxidant
Lecithin
Emollient
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingDisodium EDTA
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningSodium Hydroxide
BufferingWater, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Ethylhexyl Isononanoate, Glycerin, Isononyl Isononanoate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Squalene, Butylene Glycol, Propanediol, Micrococcus Lysate, Ferulic Acid, Plankton Extract, Arabidopsis Thaliana Extract, Hordeum Distichon Extract, Phellodendron Amurense Bark Extract, Santalum Album Extract, Tocopherol, Lecithin, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Disodium EDTA, Carbomer, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Hydroxide
Water
Skin ConditioningTetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate
Antioxidant
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Dimethyl Isosorbide
SolventHydrolyzed Eruca Sativa Leaf
Antioxidant
Glycerin
Humectant
Zea Mays Starch
Absorbent
Cetearyl Glucoside
Emulsifying
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Acetyl Zingerone
Antioxidant
Palmitoyl Glycine
CleansingCyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Glyceryl Caprylate
EmollientPlantago Lanceolata Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialDiglucosyl Gallic Acid
Squalane
Emollient
Sodium Carboxymethyl Beta-Glucan
CleansingEuterpe Oleracea Fruit Extract
Ergothioneine
Antioxidant
Punica Granatum Extract
AstringentTocopherol
Antioxidant
Ubiquinone
Antioxidant
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingTriethanolamine
BufferingTocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate
Antimicrobial
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Disodium EDTA
PPG-12/Smdi Copolymer
EmollientXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingWater, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Pentylene Glycol, Dimethyl Isosorbide, Hydrolyzed Eruca Sativa Leaf, Glycerin, Zea Mays Starch, Cetearyl Glucoside, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Acetyl Zingerone, Palmitoyl Glycine, Cyclopentasiloxane, Glyceryl Caprylate, Plantago Lanceolata Leaf Extract, Diglucosyl Gallic Acid, Squalane, Sodium Carboxymethyl Beta-Glucan, Euterpe Oleracea Fruit Extract, Ergothioneine, Punica Granatum Extract, Tocopherol, Ubiquinone, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Triethanolamine, Tocopheryl Acetate, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Phenoxyethanol, Disodium EDTA, PPG-12/Smdi Copolymer, Xanthan Gum
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer is a synthetic polymer. It is used to thicken, emulsify, and improve the texture of products.
As an emulsifier, it helps stabilize oil-in-water emulsions to give products an elegant feel when applied.
It can also form a thin protective film on skin. One study found that a formula using this polymer helped slow down how quickly other ingredients (like DEET) were absorbed through skin.
A 2024 study of over 1,300 patients confirmed that sensitization to this ingredient is rare. It is also non-mutagenic and has a clean track record.
Learn more about Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate CrosspolymerDisodium EDTA is a chelating agent. It grabs onto and deactivates metal ions that sneak into your products from water, packaging, or air.
This ingredient mainly works behind the scenes and helps with:
On top of that, this ingredient can counteract the effects of hard water by binding to the minerals in it.
One thing worth knowing is that Disodium EDTA has been shown to be a mild penetration enhancer. It can help other ingredients absorb into skin more effectively which can be a double-edged sword (great for actives, but can also make the active too strong if you have sensitive skin).
Clinical patch testing showed no significant skin irritation at typical use concentrations and minimal dermal absorption.
You'll most likely see this ingredient near the end of an ingredient list. It's typically found in concentrations less than 1%.
Learn more about Disodium EDTAGlycerin (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.
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 AscorbateTocopherol 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
