What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCetyl Ethylhexanoate
EmollientGlycerin
Humectant
Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate
UV Absorber
Synthetic Fluorphlogopite
Mica
Cosmetic ColorantCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
PEG-100 Stearate
Sorbitan Stearate
Emulsifying
Sorbitan Sesquioleate
Emulsifying
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingHydrogenated Polydecene
EmollientDisodium EDTA
Polysorbate 80
Emulsifying
Tin Oxide
Abrasive
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Ascorbic Acid
Antioxidant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Retinyl Palmitate
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Titanium Dioxide
Cosmetic Colorant
Iron Oxides
Water, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Glycerin, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Mica, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Sorbitan Stearate, Sorbitan Sesquioleate, Phenoxyethanol, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Panthenol, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Hydrogenated Polydecene, Disodium EDTA, Polysorbate 80, Tin Oxide, Tocopheryl Acetate, Ascorbic Acid, 1,2-Hexanediol, Retinyl Palmitate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Tocopherol, Titanium Dioxide, Iron Oxides
Water
Skin ConditioningDimethicone
Emollient
Silica
Abrasive
Isododecane
EmollientLauroyl Lysine
Skin Conditioning
Mica
Cosmetic ColorantIsohexadecane
EmollientLauryl PEG-10 Tris(Trimethylsiloxy)Silylethyl Dimethicone
Emulsifying
Trisiloxane
Skin Conditioning
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Bis-Hydroxyethoxypropyl Dimethicone/Ipdi Copolymer Ethylcarbamate
Aluminum/Magnesium Hydroxide Stearate
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Chloride
MaskingSorbitan Caprylate
EmulsifyingSorbitan Isostearate
Emulsifying
Persea Gratissima Fruit Extract
EmollientNiacinamide
Smoothing
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Saccharomyces/Xylinum/Black Tea Ferment
Skin Conditioning
Hydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingTocopherol
Antioxidant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Sodium Citrate
BufferingCitric Acid
Buffering
Biotin
AntiseborrhoeicDimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Skin Conditioning
Di-C12-13 Alkyl Tartrate
EmollientAlcohol
Antimicrobial
Stearalkonium Bentonite
Gel FormingCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Sodium Dehydroacetate
Preservative
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Alcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Phytic Acid
CI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77491
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Dimethicone, Silica, Isododecane, Lauroyl Lysine, Mica, Isohexadecane, Lauryl PEG-10 Tris(Trimethylsiloxy)Silylethyl Dimethicone, Trisiloxane, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Bis-Hydroxyethoxypropyl Dimethicone/Ipdi Copolymer Ethylcarbamate, Aluminum/Magnesium Hydroxide Stearate, Sodium Chloride, Sorbitan Caprylate, Sorbitan Isostearate, Persea Gratissima Fruit Extract, Niacinamide, Sodium Hyaluronate, Saccharomyces/Xylinum/Black Tea Ferment, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Tocopherol, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Citrate, Citric Acid, Biotin, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Di-C12-13 Alkyl Tartrate, Alcohol, Stearalkonium Bentonite, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Sodium Dehydroacetate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Alcohol Denat., Phytic Acid, CI 77891, CI 77491
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Glycerin (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 GlycerinMica is a naturally occurring mineral used to add shimmer and color in cosmetics. It can also help improve the texture of a product or give it an opaque, white/silver color.
Serecite is the name for very fine but ragged grains of mica.
This ingredient is often coated with metal oxides like titanium dioxide. Trace amounts of heavy metals may be found in mica, but these metals are not harmful in our personal products.
Mica has been used since prehistoric times throughout the world. Ancient Egyptian, Indian, Greek, Roman, Aztec, and Chinese civilizations have used mica.
Learn more about MicaPhenoxyethanol 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.
Sodium Hyaluronate is the salt form of hyaluronic acid. It is a long sugar chain that is naturally found in your skin, joints, and connective tissue that maintains hydration and elasticity.
In skincare, it works as a humectant. It pulls water from the environment and deeper layers of skin and binds it to the surface.
Interestingly, the size of the molecule affects its behavior:
Some clinical evidence links low molecular weight versions to improved wrinkle depth, elasticity, anti-inflammatory effects, and barrier repair.
Many serums use a blend of both weights so you can get surface hydration plus longer-lasting and deeper effects.
You'll typically see concentrations between 0.1-2% for this ingredient.
Learn more about Sodium HyaluronateTocopherol 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 TocopherolTocopheryl Acetate is AKA Vitamin E. It is an antioxidant and protects your skin from free radicals. Free radicals damage the skin by breaking down collagen.
One study found using Tocopheryl Acetate with Vitamin C decreased the number of sunburned cells.
Tocopheryl Acetate is commonly found in both skincare and dietary supplements.
Learn more about Tocopheryl AcetateWater. 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
