What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin Conditioning3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Propanediol
Solvent
Betaine
Humectant
Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Fruit Extract
MaskingCitrus Limon Fruit Extract
Masking
Centella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Epigallocatechin Gallatyl Glucoside
Antioxidant
Sodium PCA
Humectant
Ethoxydiglycol
HumectantTerminalia Ferdinandiana Fruit Extract
Antioxidant
Microcitrus Australasica Fruit Extract
Sophora Flavescens Root Extract
Antioxidant
Glycyrrhiza Inflata Root Extract
Skin Conditioning
Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract
Astringent
Gluconolactone
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Glutathione
Sodium Lactate
Buffering
Sodium Gluconate
Skin ConditioningAllantoin
Skin Conditioning
Hydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingPolysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Glycerin
Humectant
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningSodium Hydroxide
BufferingSalicylic Acid
Masking
Water, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Niacinamide, Butylene Glycol, Propanediol, Betaine, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Fruit Extract, Citrus Limon Fruit Extract, Centella Asiatica Extract, Epigallocatechin Gallatyl Glucoside, Sodium PCA, Ethoxydiglycol, Terminalia Ferdinandiana Fruit Extract, Microcitrus Australasica Fruit Extract, Sophora Flavescens Root Extract, Glycyrrhiza Inflata Root Extract, Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract, Gluconolactone, Sodium Hyaluronate, Glutathione, Sodium Lactate, Sodium Gluconate, Allantoin, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Polysorbate 20, Glycerin, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Hydroxide, Salicylic Acid
Water
Skin Conditioning3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Propanediol
Solvent
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Betaine
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Glyceryl Glucoside
Humectant
Glutathione
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Squalane
Emollient
Sodium Acrylates Copolymer
Lecithin
Emollient
Undecylenoyl Phenylalanine
Skin Conditioning
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningOctenidine Hcl
AntimicrobialDisodium EDTA
Triethanolamine
BufferingWater, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Propanediol, Propylene Glycol, Betaine, Glycerin, Glyceryl Glucoside, Glutathione, Phenoxyethanol, Squalane, Sodium Acrylates Copolymer, Lecithin, Undecylenoyl Phenylalanine, Allantoin, Tocopherol, Carbomer, Ethylhexylglycerin, Octenidine Hcl, Disodium EDTA, Triethanolamine
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
You might know this ingredient as Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, a more stable version of ascorbic acid.
Like other types of vitamin C, this ingredient has many benefits including reducing wrinkles, skin soothing, dark spot fading, and fighting against free radicals.
3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid interferes with the process of skin darkening, helping to reduce hyperpigmentation. It also encourages the skin to produce more collagen.
Once applied, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid is converted to Vitamin C deeper in the skin's layers. This process is slow but makes this ingredient more tolerable for skin.
The optimum pH range for this ingredient is 4 - 5.5
Learn more about 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic AcidAllantoin is a soothing ingredient known for its protective and moisturizing properties; it's basically a quiet workhorse ingredient you can find in a huge range of cosmetics.
Though it can be derived from the comfrey plant, allantoin is produced synthetically for cosmetic products to ensure purity.
Research shows it can encourage your skin cells to turn over and renew by stimulating keratinocyte and fibroblast proliferation.
It also has mild keratolytic properties to help loosen and shed dead skin cells without being harsh.
Studies also suggest allantoin can help calm inflammation by dialing down some of the chemical signals your skin sends out when it is irritated.
This ingredient is typically used in the 0.1-0.5% range, and the FDA recognizes it as a skin protectant in OTC products up to 2%.
Overall, allantoin is a wonderful addition to most routines; it is stable across a wide pH range (~4-8), works well with other ingredients, and is considered non-sensitizing/non-irritating.
Fun fact: Allantoin is naturally occurring in comfrey root, beets, chamomile, and wheat sprouts. Our bodies even produce it as a byproduct of uric acid metabolism.
Learn more about AllantoinBetaine is a humectant. Like hyaluronic acid, it helps attract and retain moisture in the skin. It’s known for being gentle and for helping the skin maintain balanced hydration.
Betaine is mainly used to improve hydration and support calmer skin. It helps skin cells regulate water balance because it functions as an osmolyte.
Some studies suggest betaine may support making skin tone more even.
Fun fact: Betaine naturally exists in the skin and the body. In cosmetic products, it can be either plant-derived (most commonly from sugar beets) or synthetically produced for consistency and stability.
Betaine is also known as trimethylglycine.
Learn more about BetaineEthylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:
The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure.
Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.
Learn more about EthylhexylglycerinGlutathione is an antioxidant naturally found in our bodies. It is made up of three amino acids: glycine, cysteine, and glutamic acid.
As an antioxidant, it prevents oxidative damage to parts of our cell.
While glutathione is said to help with fading dark spots, the results from research are inconclusive. Further studies are needed. With that said, gluthatione has been shown to protect our skin from UV-B induced damage.
This ingredient is naturally occurring in plants, animals, fungi, and some bacteria.
Learn more about GlutathioneGlycerin (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.
Propanediol is an all-star ingredient. It softens, hydrates, and smooths the skin.Â
It’s often used to:
Propanediol is not likely to cause sensitivity and considered safe to use. It is derived from corn or petroleum with a clear color and no scent.
Learn more about PropanediolWater. 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
