What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantIsononyl Isononanoate
EmollientBetaine
HumectantHydroxyethyl Urea
HumectantCetyl Alcohol
EmollientGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientPEG-100 Stearate
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingCera Alba
EmollientOlea Europaea Fruit Oil
MaskingButylene Glycol
HumectantDimethicone
EmollientAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin ConditioningTocotrienols
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
AntioxidantBeta-Carotene
Skin ConditioningPolysorbate 80
Emulsifying3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid
Skin ConditioningTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingHydroxyacetophenone
AntioxidantCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientDipropylene Glycol
HumectantDipotassium Glycyrrhizate
HumectantSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantTetrasodium EDTA
Triethanolamine
BufferingWater, Glycerin, Isononyl Isononanoate, Betaine, Hydroxyethyl Urea, Cetyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Cera Alba, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Butylene Glycol, Dimethicone, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Tocotrienols, Tocopherol, Beta-Carotene, Polysorbate 80, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Tocopheryl Acetate, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Hydroxyacetophenone, Caprylyl Glycol, Dipropylene Glycol, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Tetrasodium EDTA, Triethanolamine
Water
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingGlycerin
HumectantButylene Glycol
HumectantHeptyl Undecylenate
EmollientGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientPEG-100 Stearate
Glyceryl Stearate Citrate
EmollientHydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingPalmitic Acid
EmollientStearic Acid
CleansingHydroxyacetophenone
AntioxidantMicrocrystalline Cellulose
AbsorbentCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
AntioxidantHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
EmollientCaesalpinia Spinosa Gum
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantBisabolol
AntioxidantCellulose Gum
Emulsion StabilisingPolysorbate 60
EmulsifyingSorbitan Isostearate
EmulsifyingSodium Phytate
Arginine
MaskingAscorbyl Glucoside
AntioxidantWater, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Heptyl Undecylenate, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Palmitic Acid, Stearic Acid, Hydroxyacetophenone, Microcrystalline Cellulose, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Tocopherol, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Caesalpinia Spinosa Gum, Sodium Hyaluronate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Bisabolol, Cellulose Gum, Polysorbate 60, Sorbitan Isostearate, Sodium Phytate, Arginine, Ascorbyl Glucoside
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Butylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:
Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient that works well with other ingredients.
Though this ingredient works well with most skin types, some people with sensitive skin may experience a reaction such as allergic rashes, closed comedones, or itchiness.
Learn more about Butylene GlycolCaprylyl 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 GlycolGlycerin (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 GlycerinGlyceryl Stearate is made by reacting glycerin with stearic acid (typically sourced from plant oils like palm or coconut). It's an emulsifier, emollient, and mild occlusive.
Emulsifiers help ingredients like oil and water stay mixed so your formula stays nicely blended and uniform in texture.
This ingredient is typically used in concentrations between 1-10%. Studies have found it to be non-sensitizing, non-phototoxic, and non-photoallergenic.
A close cousin of this ingredient is Glyceryl Stearate SE ("self-emulsifying"). This just has a small amount of sodium or potassium stearate added so it can emulsify without a co-emulsifier.
Since this ingredient is an ester of a C18 fatty acid, it may not be fungal acne safe. The Malassezia yeast can potentially metabolize within the C11-C24 range.
Fun fact: The human body also creates Glyceryl Stearate naturally.
Learn more about Glyceryl StearateHydroxyacetophenone is antioxidant with skin conditioning and soothing properties. It also boosts the efficiency of preservatives.
Though naturally occuring in Norwegian spruce needles, this ingredient is usually synthetically created.
This ingredient is not irritating or sensitizing. Recent research also suggests it may have skin-brightening effects through tyrosinase inhibition.
Learn more about HydroxyacetophenoneThis is a synthetic polymer. It helps improve the texture of products by adding thickness and gel-like feel.
It is also an emulsifer, meaning it prevents ingredients such as oil and water from separating. It also helps evenly disperse other ingredients.
Peg-100 Stearate is an emollient and emulsifier. As an emollient, it helps keep skin soft by trapping moisture in. On the other hand, emulsifiers help prevent oil and water from separating in a product.
PEGS are a hydrophilic polyether compound . There are 100 ethylene oxide monomers in Peg-100 Stearate. Peg-100 Stearate is polyethylene glycol ester of stearic acid.
Sodium Hyaluronate is the salt form of hyaluronic acid. It is a long sugar chain that is naturally found in your skin, joints, and connective tissue that maintains hydration and elasticity.
In skincare, it works as a humectant. It pulls water from the environment and deeper layers of skin and binds it to the surface.
Interestingly, the size of the molecule affects its behavior:
Some clinical evidence links low molecular weight versions to improved wrinkle depth, elasticity, anti-inflammatory effects, and barrier repair.
Many serums use a blend of both weights so you can get surface hydration plus longer-lasting and deeper effects.
You'll typically see concentrations between 0.1-2% for this ingredient.
Learn more about Sodium HyaluronateTocopherol (also known as Vitamin E) is a common antioxidant used to help protect the skin from free-radicals and strengthen the skin barrier. It's also fat soluble - this means our skin is great at absorbing it.
Vitamin E also helps keep your natural skin lipids healthy. Your lipid skin barrier naturally consists of lipids, ceramides, and fatty acids. Vitamin E offers extra protection for your skin’s lipid barrier, keeping your skin healthy and nourished.
Another benefit is a bit of UV protection. Vitamin E helps reduce the damage caused by UVB rays. (It should not replace your sunscreen). Combining it with Vitamin C can decrease sunburned cells and hyperpigmentation after UV exposure.
You might have noticed Vitamin E + C often paired together. This is because it is great at stabilizing Vitamin C. Using the two together helps increase the effectiveness of both ingredients.
There are often claims that Vitamin E can reduce/prevent scarring, but these claims haven't been confirmed by scientific research.
Learn more about TocopherolTocopheryl Acetate is AKA Vitamin E. It is an antioxidant and protects your skin from free radicals. Free radicals damage the skin by breaking down collagen.
One study found using Tocopheryl Acetate with Vitamin C decreased the number of sunburned cells.
Tocopheryl Acetate is commonly found in both skincare and dietary supplements.
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 Water