What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Glycolic Acid
Buffering
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Hydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingAmmonium Hydroxide
BufferingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningAloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
Emollient
Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract
Emollient
Arginine
Masking
Disodium EDTA
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Retinyl Palmitate
Skin Conditioning
Ascorbyl Palmitate
Antioxidant
Lecithin
Emollient
Sucrose
Humectant
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Cyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
BHT
Antioxidant
Cyclohexasiloxane
Emollient
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingAscorbic Acid
Antioxidant
Water, Glycerin, Glycolic Acid, Polysorbate 20, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Ammonium Hydroxide, Phenoxyethanol, Propylene Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract, Arginine, Disodium EDTA, Tocopheryl Acetate, Retinyl Palmitate, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Lecithin, Sucrose, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cyclopentasiloxane, BHT, Cyclohexasiloxane, Xanthan Gum, Ascorbic Acid
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Citrullus Lanatus Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Laminaria Digitata Extract
Skin Protecting
Rubus Chamaemorus Fruit Extract
Antioxidant
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Squalane
Emollient
Dextran
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Punica Granatum Fruit Extract
Antioxidant
Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
Bleaching
Beta Vulgaris Root Extract
Skin ConditioningBetaine
Humectant
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCitrullus Lanatus Seed Oil
Emollient
Water, Glycerin, Citrullus Lanatus Fruit Extract, Laminaria Digitata Extract, Rubus Chamaemorus Fruit Extract, Hyaluronic Acid, Squalane, Dextran, Tocopheryl Acetate, Lactic Acid, Punica Granatum Fruit Extract, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Beta Vulgaris Root Extract, Betaine, Xanthan Gum, Citrullus Lanatus Seed Oil
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 GlycerinTocopheryl Acetate is a stable, shelf-friendly form of vitamin E.
Formulators love it because plain vitamin E oxidizes quickly once it hits air. This acetate version stays stable and resists going off, helping to extend a product's shelf life.
It's actually inactive on its own and works like a slow-release "storage" form; the enzymes in your skin called esterases gradually convert it into active vitamin E over time.
One in vivo study showed 5% of the acetate in the living layer of the epidermis converted to vitamin E after 5 days of application. This study also found the skin gained protection against UV damage even though the conversion was slow and small.
Once converted, vitamin E acts as a skin's main fat-soluble antioxidant that fights free radicals to protect skin from damage.
Topical vitamin E generally boosts the skin's photoprotection, and it reduced UV-damage in animal models.
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.
Overall, it has a pretty solid safety profile and has been found to be non-irritating and non-comedogenic. Allergic reactions may happen but stay rare due to how widely the ingredient gets used.
The concentration will vary depending on the formula; industry data shows 0.1% in baby lotions, 3% in lipsticks, and 5% in foot powders. You can also find this ingredient at 100% in a pure vitamin E oil.
Most leave-on skincare keeps it at the lower end, often between 0.5-1%.
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 WaterXanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.
On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.
Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.
Learn more about Xanthan Gum
