What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningZea Mays Cob Powder
AbrasiveGlycerin
HumectantCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientLactic Acid
BufferingGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
EmollientCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingGlycolic Acid
BufferingHippophae Rhamnoides Fruit Oil
Skin ProtectingSimmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
EmollientVitis Vinifera Seed Oil
EmollientCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingCoco-Glucoside
CleansingSodium Gluconate
Skin ConditioningPotassium Sorbate
PreservativeSodium Benzoate
MaskingParfum
MaskingCoconut Alcohol
EmollientSodium Hydroxide
BufferingBenzyl Cinnamate
PerfumingCoumarin
PerfumingWater, Zea Mays Cob Powder, Glycerin, Cetearyl Alcohol, Lactic Acid, Glyceryl Stearate, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glycolic Acid, Hippophae Rhamnoides Fruit Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil, Carbomer, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Coco-Glucoside, Sodium Gluconate, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Parfum, Coconut Alcohol, Sodium Hydroxide, Benzyl Cinnamate, Coumarin
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate
CleansingCocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine
CleansingGlycerin
HumectantNiacinamide
SmoothingGluconolactone
Skin ConditioningSodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate
CleansingPEG-150 Pentaerythrityl Tetrastearate
EmulsifyingCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningCeramide AP
Skin ConditioningCeramide EOP
Skin ConditioningCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingCalcium Gluconate
HumectantSalicylic Acid
MaskingSodium Benzoate
MaskingSodium Lauroyl Lactylate
EmulsifyingCholesterol
EmollientPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeDisodium EDTA
Tetrasodium EDTA
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
HumectantPhytosphingosine
Skin ConditioningXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningWater, Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate, Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine, Glycerin, Niacinamide, Gluconolactone, Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate, PEG-150 Pentaerythrityl Tetrastearate, Ceramide NP, Ceramide AP, Ceramide EOP, Carbomer, Calcium Gluconate, Salicylic Acid, Sodium Benzoate, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Cholesterol, Phenoxyethanol, Disodium EDTA, Tetrasodium EDTA, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Phytosphingosine, Xanthan Gum, Ethylhexylglycerin
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 CarbomerGlycerin (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 GlycerinSodium Benzoate is a preservative. It's used in both cosmetic and food products to inhibit the growth of mold and bacteria. It is typically produced synthetically.
Both the US FDA and EU Health Committee have approved the use of sodium benzoate. In the US, levels of 0.1% (of the total product) are allowed.
Sodium benzoate works as a preservative by inhibiting the growth of bacteria inside of cells. It prevents the cell from fermenting a type of sugar using an enzyme called phosphofructokinase.
It is the salt of benzoic acid. Foods containing sodium benzoate include soda, salad dressings, condiments, fruit juices, wines, and snack foods.
Studies for using ascorbic acid and sodium benzoate in cosmetics are lacking, especially in skincare routines with multiple steps.
We always recommend speaking with a professional, such as a dermatologist, if you have any concerns.
Learn more about Sodium BenzoateWater. 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