This oil-control day moisturizer is formulated around Salix Alba Bark Extract and Niacinamide to balance excess oil and refine the look of pores.
This brightening moisturizer is formulated around Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate and Beta-Glucan to brighten dull-looking skin and fade the look of dark spots.
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Water
MaskingPropanediol
Solvent
Salix Alba Bark Extract
Astringent
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Arginine
Masking
Centaurea Cyanus Flower Extract
Astringent
Hyacinthus Orientalis Extract
Skin ConditioningViola Tricolor Extract
EmollientCharcoal Extract
Skin ConditioningCucumis Sativus Fruit Extract
Emollient
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Betaine
Humectant
Fructooligosaccharides
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Glucose
Humectant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Ascorbic Acid
Antioxidant
Charcoal Powder
Abrasive
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingDiheptyl Succinate
EmollientPentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Capryloyl Glycerin/Sebacic Acid Copolymer
Skin ConditioningC14-22 Alcohols
Emulsion Stabilising
Arachidyl Alcohol
Emollient
Silica
Abrasive
Kaolin
Abrasive
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningBehenyl Alcohol
Emollient
C12-20 Alkyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingArachidyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingXylose
HumectantCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Water, Glycerin, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Water, Propanediol, Salix Alba Bark Extract, Niacinamide, Arginine, Centaurea Cyanus Flower Extract, Hyacinthus Orientalis Extract, Viola Tricolor Extract, Charcoal Extract, Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract, Allantoin, Betaine, Fructooligosaccharides, Sodium Hyaluronate, Ceramide NP, Glucose, Tocopherol, Ascorbic Acid, Charcoal Powder, Carbomer, Diheptyl Succinate, Pentylene Glycol, Cetearyl Alcohol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Capryloyl Glycerin/Sebacic Acid Copolymer, C14-22 Alcohols, Arachidyl Alcohol, Silica, Kaolin, Ethylhexylglycerin, Behenyl Alcohol, C12-20 Alkyl Glucoside, Arachidyl Glucoside, Xylose, Caprylyl Glycol, Phenoxyethanol
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Caprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.
Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.
Because it is not a free-fatty acid, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolEthylhexylglycerin 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 EthylhexylglycerinPhenoxyethanol 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 PhenoxyethanolWater. 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
