What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexyl Palmitate
Emollient
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Propanediol
Solvent
Betaine
Humectant
Sodium Polyacrylate Starch
AbsorbentPanthenol
Skin Conditioning
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Glyceryl Stearate Citrate
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Mica
Cosmetic ColorantHibbertia Scandens Leaf Extract
Antioxidant
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Pyridoxine Hcl
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Acacia Melanoxylon Leaf Extract
EmollientButylene Glycol
Humectant
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Caprylhydroxamic Acid
Disodium EDTA
Glycyrrhetinic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Honey Extract
Humectant
Pyridoxine Tris-Hexyldecanoate
HumectantSantalum Spicatum Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Glyceryl Caprylate
EmollientCitrus Aurantium Dulcis Oil
Masking
Ceteareth-25
CleansingHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Magnesium Aspartate
Skin ConditioningZinc Gluconate
Skin Conditioning
Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil
Masking
Citrus Grandis Peel Oil
Masking
Citrus Limon Peel Oil
Masking
Litsea Cubeba Fruit Oil
Masking
Tin Oxide
Abrasive
Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Leaf Oil
Astringent
Juniperus Mexicana Oil
Masking
Pelargonium Graveolens Oil
Masking
Citrus Aurantium Amara Flower Oil
Masking
Eugenia Caryophyllus Leaf Oil
Masking
Maltodextrin
Absorbent
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Citric Acid
Buffering
Behenic Acid
Cleansing
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Cholesterol
Emollient
Copper Gluconate
Skin Conditioning
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Ceramide Ns
Skin Conditioning
Glycine
Buffering
Serine
Masking
Glutamic Acid
Humectant
Ceramide AP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide EOP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide Eos
Skin Conditioning
Aspartic Acid
Masking
Leucine
Skin ConditioningSodium Citrate
BufferingCaprooyl Phytosphingosine
Skin Conditioning
Caprooyl Sphingosine
Skin ConditioningAlanine
Masking
Lysine
Skin ConditioningArginine
Masking
Tyrosine
MaskingPhenylalanine
Masking
Proline
Skin Conditioning
Threonine
Valine
MaskingIsoleucine
Skin ConditioningHistidine
Humectant
Cyanocobalamin
Skin ConditioningLimonene
Perfuming
Citral
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
CI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77491
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Glycerin, Pentylene Glycol, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Niacinamide, Propanediol, Betaine, Sodium Polyacrylate Starch, Panthenol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetyl Alcohol, Mica, Hibbertia Scandens Leaf Extract, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Pyridoxine Hcl, Sodium Hyaluronate, Acacia Melanoxylon Leaf Extract, Butylene Glycol, Allantoin, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, Disodium EDTA, Glycyrrhetinic Acid, Honey Extract, Pyridoxine Tris-Hexyldecanoate, Santalum Spicatum Seed Oil, Tocopherol, Glyceryl Caprylate, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Oil, Ceteareth-25, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Magnesium Aspartate, Zinc Gluconate, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil, Citrus Grandis Peel Oil, Citrus Limon Peel Oil, Litsea Cubeba Fruit Oil, Tin Oxide, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Leaf Oil, Juniperus Mexicana Oil, Pelargonium Graveolens Oil, Citrus Aurantium Amara Flower Oil, Eugenia Caryophyllus Leaf Oil, Maltodextrin, Sodium Benzoate, Citric Acid, Behenic Acid, Ceramide NP, Cholesterol, Copper Gluconate, Potassium Sorbate, Ceramide Ns, Glycine, Serine, Glutamic Acid, Ceramide AP, Ceramide EOP, Ceramide Eos, Aspartic Acid, Leucine, Sodium Citrate, Caprooyl Phytosphingosine, Caprooyl Sphingosine, Alanine, Lysine, Arginine, Tyrosine, Phenylalanine, Proline, Threonine, Valine, Isoleucine, Histidine, Cyanocobalamin, Limonene, Citral, Linalool, CI 77891, CI 77491
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Cyclohexasiloxane
Emollient
Squalane
Emollient
Bis-PEG-18 Methyl Ether Dimethyl Silane
EmollientSucrose Stearate
EmollientStearyl Alcohol
Emollient
PEG-8 Stearate
Emulsifying
Myristyl Myristate
Emollient
Pentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate
Emollient
Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil
Masking
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Persea Gratissima Oil
Skin Conditioning
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Oryza Sativa Bran Oil
Emollient
Olea Europaea Fruit Oil
Masking
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Palmitic Acid
Emollient
Disodium EDTA
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingPrunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin Conditioning
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningSodium Hydroxide
BufferingTocopherol
Antioxidant
Glycine Soja Oil
Emollient
Pseudoalteromonas Ferment Extract
Humectant
Myristic Acid
Cleansing
Hydroxypalmitoyl Sphinganine
Skin Conditioning
BHT
Antioxidant
Salicylic Acid
Masking
Citric Acid
Buffering
Water, Glycerin, Cyclohexasiloxane, Squalane, Bis-PEG-18 Methyl Ether Dimethyl Silane, Sucrose Stearate, Stearyl Alcohol, PEG-8 Stearate, Myristyl Myristate, Pentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate, Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil, Phenoxyethanol, Persea Gratissima Oil, Glyceryl Stearate, Cetyl Alcohol, Oryza Sativa Bran Oil, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Chlorphenesin, Stearic Acid, Palmitic Acid, Disodium EDTA, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Carbomer, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Xanthan Gum, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Hydroxide, Tocopherol, Glycine Soja Oil, Pseudoalteromonas Ferment Extract, Myristic Acid, Hydroxypalmitoyl Sphinganine, BHT, Salicylic Acid, Citric Acid
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Cetyl Alcohol is a fatty alcohol. Fatty Alcohols are most often used as an emollient or to thicken a product.
Its main roles are:
Though it has "alcohol" in the name, it is not related to denatured alcohol or ethyl alcohol.
The FDA allows products labeled "alcohol-free" to have fatty alcohols.
Learn more about Cetyl AlcoholCitric Acid is an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) naturally found in citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, and limes.
Like other AHAs, citric acid can exfoliate skin by breaking down the bonds that hold dead skin cells together. This helps reveal smoother and brighter skin underneath.
However, this exfoliating effect only happens at high concentrations (20%) which can be hard to find in cosmetic products.
Due to this, citric acid is usually included in small amounts as a pH adjuster. This helps keep products slightly more acidic and compatible with skin's natural pH.
In skincare formulas, citric acid can:
While it can provide some skin benefits, research shows lactic acid and glycolic acid are generally more effective and less irritating exfoliants.
Most citric acid used in skincare today is made by fermenting sugars (usually from molasses). This synthetic version is identical to the natural citrus form but easier to stabilize and use in formulations.
Read more about some other popular AHA's here:
Learn more about Citric AcidDisodium 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 EDTAGlycerin (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 GlycerinTocopherol 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 TocopherolWater. 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
