What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningStearic Acid
Cleansing
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Glycerin
Humectant
Cystine
MaskingGlycine
Buffering
Sodium PCA
Humectant
Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate
Antioxidant
4-Ethylresorcinol
AntimicrobialSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate
UV Absorber
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane
UV Absorber
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide AP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide EOP
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
Humectant
Bifida Ferment Lysate
Skin Conditioning
Cholesterol
Emollient
Cetearyl Ethylhexanoate
Emollient
Titanium Dioxide
Cosmetic Colorant
Synthetic Fluorphlogopite
Potassium Hydroxide
BufferingCetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Dimethicone
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Parfum
Masking
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Methylparaben
Preservative
Propylparaben
Preservative
Hydroxystearic Acid
Cleansing
Isopropyl Myristate
Emollient
Disodium EDTA
Aluminum Hydroxide
EmollientAcrylates Copolymer
Tin Oxide
Abrasive
Palmitic Acid
Emollient
BHT
Antioxidant
Arachidic Acid
Cleansing
Sodium Sulfate
Sodium Chloride
MaskingSodium Lauroyl Lactylate
EmulsifyingPentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Phytosphingosine
Skin Conditioning
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Benzoate
Masking
Acetic Acid
BufferingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningLactic Acid
Buffering
CI 14700
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Stearic Acid, Niacinamide, Glycerin, Cystine, Glycine, Sodium PCA, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, 4-Ethylresorcinol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, Ceramide NP, Ceramide AP, Ceramide EOP, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Bifida Ferment Lysate, Cholesterol, Cetearyl Ethylhexanoate, Titanium Dioxide, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Potassium Hydroxide, Cetyl Alcohol, Dimethicone, Phenoxyethanol, Parfum, Tocopheryl Acetate, Allantoin, Methylparaben, Propylparaben, Hydroxystearic Acid, Isopropyl Myristate, Disodium EDTA, Aluminum Hydroxide, Acrylates Copolymer, Tin Oxide, Palmitic Acid, BHT, Arachidic Acid, Sodium Sulfate, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Pentylene Glycol, Phytosphingosine, Xanthan Gum, Carbomer, Sodium Benzoate, Acetic Acid, Ethylhexylglycerin, Lactic Acid, CI 14700
Water
Skin ConditioningDimethicone
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Hexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingPentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Disodium EDTA
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningAloe Barbadensis Extract
Skin Conditioning
4-T-Butylcyclohexanol
Masking
PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Trideceth-9
EmulsifyingCitric Acid
Buffering
Hydroxyphenyl Propamidobenzoic Acid
Skin ConditioningLavandula Angustifolia Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract
Masking
Bisabolol
Antioxidant
Water, Dimethicone, Glycerin, Panthenol, Hexylene Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Carbomer, Sodium Hydroxide, Pentylene Glycol, Disodium EDTA, Propylene Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Aloe Barbadensis Extract, 4-T-Butylcyclohexanol, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Trideceth-9, Citric Acid, Hydroxyphenyl Propamidobenzoic Acid, Lavandula Angustifolia Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract, Bisabolol
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Carbomer is a high-molecular weight polymer of acrylic acid. It is used to form gels and thicken formulas.
Due to its large molecular size, carbomer has minimal skin penetration and is considered an inert ingredient.
A high amount of carbomer can cause pilling or balling up of products. Don't worry, most products contain 1% or less of carbomer.
Learn more about CarbomerDimethicone is a type of synthetic silicone created from natural materials such as quartz. It is also known as polydimethylsiloxane.
What it does:
Dimethicone comes in different viscosities:
Depending on the viscosity, dimethicone has different properties.
Ingredients lists don't always show which type is used, so we recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about the viscosity.
This ingredient is unlikely to cause irritation because it does not get absorbed into skin. However, people with silicone allergies should be careful about using this ingredient.
Note: Dimethicone may contribute to pilling. This is because it is not oil or water soluble, so pilling may occur when layered with products. When mixed with heavy oils in a formula, the outcome is also quite greasy.
Learn more about DimethiconeDisodium 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 EDTAEthylhexylglycerin 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 EthylhexylglycerinGlycerin (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 GlycerinPentylene glycol is typically used within a product to thicken it. It also adds a smooth, soft, and moisturizing feel to the product. It is naturally found in plants such as sugar beets.
The hydrophilic trait of Pentylene Glycol makes it a humectant. As a humectant, Pentylene Glycol helps draw moisture from the air to your skin. This can help keep your skin hydrated.
This property also makes Pentylene Glycol a great texture enhancer. It can also help thicken or stabilize a product.
Pentylene Glycol also acts as a mild preservative and helps to keep a product microbe-free.
Some people may experience mild eye and skin irritation from Pentylene Glycol. We always recommend speaking with a professional about using this ingredient in your routine.
Pentylene Glycol has a low molecular weight and is part of the 1,2-glycol family.
Learn more about Pentylene GlycolPhenoxyethanol 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.
Water. 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
