What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
Solvent
Ascorbic Acid
Antioxidant
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Dimethyl Isosorbide
SolventPentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Acetyl Zingerone
Antioxidant
Glycerin
Humectant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Epigallocatechin Gallate
Antioxidant
Ferulic Acid
Antimicrobial
Resveratrol
Antioxidant
Genistein
Skin ConditioningQuercetin
Antioxidant
Silybin
Skin ConditioningHesperidin Methyl Chalcone
Antioxidant
Dimethylmethoxy Chromanol
Antioxidant
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingLecithin
Emollient
Sclerotium Gum
Emulsion StabilisingPullulan
Disodium EDTA
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Citric Acid
Buffering
Water, Propanediol, Ascorbic Acid, Propylene Glycol, Dimethyl Isosorbide, Pentylene Glycol, Acetyl Zingerone, Glycerin, Tocopherol, Epigallocatechin Gallate, Ferulic Acid, Resveratrol, Genistein, Quercetin, Silybin, Hesperidin Methyl Chalcone, Dimethylmethoxy Chromanol, Xanthan Gum, Lecithin, Sclerotium Gum, Pullulan, Disodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Caprylyl Glycol, Citric Acid
Triethylhexanoin
MaskingOctyldodecanol
Emollient
Silica
Abrasive
Mica
Cosmetic ColorantDimethicone
Emollient
Dibutyl Lauroyl Glutamide
Skin ConditioningOctyldodecyl Neopentanoate
EmollientDisteardimonium Hectorite
StabilisingIsostearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Oleyl Alcohol
Emollient
Polymethyl Methacrylate
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
Skin Conditioning
Polysilicone-11
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil
Masking
Hexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingTocopherol
Antioxidant
Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Ascorbic Acid
Antioxidant
Decyl Glucoside
Cleansing
Glycerin
Humectant
Sodium PCA
Humectant
Sodium Lactate
Buffering
Arginine
Masking
Aspartic Acid
Masking
PCA
Humectant
Saccharomyces/Magnesium Ferment
Glycine
Buffering
Alanine
Masking
Serine
Masking
Valine
MaskingPotassium Sorbate
Preservative
Saccharomyces/Copper Ferment
Skin Conditioning
Isoleucine
Skin ConditioningProline
Skin Conditioning
Saccharomyces/Silicon Ferment
Skin Conditioning
Threonine
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Saccharomyces/Zinc Ferment
Skin Conditioning
Saccharomyces/Iron Ferment
Skin Conditioning
Silanetriol
Citric Acid
Buffering
Sorbic Acid
Preservative
Histidine
Humectant
Phenylalanine
Masking
Titanium Dioxide
Cosmetic Colorant
CI 15850
Cosmetic ColorantIron Oxides
CI 19140
Cosmetic ColorantCI 45410
Cosmetic ColorantCI 15985
Cosmetic ColorantCI 42090
Cosmetic ColorantCI 17200
Cosmetic ColorantTriethylhexanoin, Octyldodecanol, Silica, Mica, Dimethicone, Dibutyl Lauroyl Glutamide, Octyldodecyl Neopentanoate, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Isostearyl Alcohol, Oleyl Alcohol, Polymethyl Methacrylate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Polysilicone-11, Water, Butylene Glycol, Caprylyl Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil, Hexylene Glycol, Tocopherol, Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract, Ascorbic Acid, Decyl Glucoside, Glycerin, Sodium PCA, Sodium Lactate, Arginine, Aspartic Acid, PCA, Saccharomyces/Magnesium Ferment, Glycine, Alanine, Serine, Valine, Potassium Sorbate, Saccharomyces/Copper Ferment, Isoleucine, Proline, Saccharomyces/Silicon Ferment, Threonine, Hyaluronic Acid, Saccharomyces/Zinc Ferment, Saccharomyces/Iron Ferment, Silanetriol, Citric Acid, Sorbic Acid, Histidine, Phenylalanine, Titanium Dioxide, CI 15850, Iron Oxides, CI 19140, CI 45410, CI 15985, CI 42090, CI 17200
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Ascorbic Acid is is pure Vitamin C and is the biologically active form used directly by skin.
Not only is vitamin C great for your overall health and immune system, but it also has plenty of benefits for your skin. It is best supported by academic literature for:
Topical vitamin C has been shown to help neutralize oxidative stress from UV and pollution, helping to improve photoaging and hyperpigmentation when used consistently.
One clinical study found that using 5% topical vitamin C for six months improved signs of photodamaged skin, both on the surface and in the deeper structural layers of the skin.
While vitamin C doesn’t replace sunscreen, studies show it can boost photoprotection when combined with Vitamin E and ferulic acid. These two ingredients help improve stability and protective effects.
The big downside of this ingredient is formulation difficulty. Vitamin C is prone to oxidation and doesn't penetrate the skin unless formulated correctly. Research found that vitamin C absorbs into the skin best at a low pH (< 3.5) with about 20% being the upper limit for effective absorption.
Skin levels can saturate after repeated application; this means your skin won’t keep absorbing more once it’s full of vitamin C. This is why more isn’t always better with vitamin C and why very high concentrations don’t necessarily give extra benefits.
Ascorbic acid generally works well with many skincare ingredients but can be irritating when combined with other active ingredients. Strong oxidizing acne treatments like benzoyl peroxide can reduce the effectiveness of vitamin C if they are used at the same time; they are often recommended for use at different times of day.
Read more about other types of Vitamin C:
Foods rich with vitamin C include oranges, strawberries, broccoli, bell peppers, and more. When consuming Vitamin C, your skin receives a portion of the nutrients.
Learn more about Ascorbic AcidCaprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.
Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.
Because it is not a free-fatty acid or alcohol, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolCitric 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 AcidGlycerin (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 GlycerinPhenoxyethanol 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.
Tocopherol 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
