What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Glycerin
Humectant
Propanediol
Solvent
Coco-Caprylate/Caprate
Emollient
Squalane
Emollient
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingCrambe Abyssinica Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Arginine
Masking
Glycine Soja Oil
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Sodium Dehydroacetate
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningInulin
Skin Conditioning
Vaccinium Vitis-Idaea Seed Oil
Antioxidant
Sclerotium Gum
Emulsion StabilisingTocopherol
Antioxidant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Albatrellus Confluens Extract
Humectant
Alpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide
Cleansing
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSodium Carboxymethyl Betaglucan
Biosaccharide Gum-4
Skin Conditioning
Laminaria Ochroleuca Extract
Skin Conditioning
Citrus Aurantium Amara Flower Extract
RefreshingBeta-Carotene
Skin ConditioningXanthophylls
Skin ConditioningHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialCitric Acid
Buffering
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingGeraniol
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Water, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glycerin, Propanediol, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Squalane, Cetyl Alcohol, Cetyl Phosphate, Crambe Abyssinica Seed Oil, Arginine, Glycine Soja Oil, Glyceryl Stearate, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Dehydroacetate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Inulin, Vaccinium Vitis-Idaea Seed Oil, Sclerotium Gum, Tocopherol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Albatrellus Confluens Extract, Alpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Carboxymethyl Betaglucan, Biosaccharide Gum-4, Laminaria Ochroleuca Extract, Citrus Aurantium Amara Flower Extract, Beta-Carotene, Xanthophylls, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Citric Acid, Lactic Acid, Sodium Hydroxide, Geraniol, Linalool
Water
Skin ConditioningNiacinamide
Smoothing
Glycerin
Humectant
Phenyl Trimethicone
Skin Conditioning
Dimethyl Isosorbide
SolventOctyldodecanol
Emollient
Resveratrol
Antioxidant
Diglucosyl Gallic Acid
Asiaticoside
Antioxidant
Madecassoside
Antioxidant
Epigallocatechin Gallatyl Glucoside
Antioxidant
Boswellia Serrata Resin Extract
SmoothingCurcuma Longa Root Extract
Masking
Ocimum Basilicum Flower/Leaf Extract
TonicOcimum Sanctum Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningAloe Barbadensis Flower Extract
EmollientSolanum Melongena Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningCoccinia Indica Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningBetaine
Humectant
Corallina Officinalis Extract
Skin Conditioning
Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningMelia Azadirachta Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningBenzotriazolyl Dodecyl P-Cresol
UV AbsorberPEG-8
HumectantTetrahydrodiferuloylmethane
Antioxidant
Tetrahydrodemethoxydiferuloylmethane
Antioxidant
Tetrahydrobisdemethoxydiferuloylmethane
Antioxidant
Punica Granatum Fruit Extract
Antioxidant
Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil
Emollient
Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Extract
Emulsion Stabilising
Citrus Grandis Peel Extract
Astringent
Citrus Tangerina Peel Oil
Masking
Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract
Masking
Citrus Limon Peel Oil
Masking
Sodium Phytate
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingPolysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Sorbitan Isostearate
Emulsifying
Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
Antioxidant
Polyglyceryl-10 Stearate
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingDimethicone
Emollient
Trideceth-6
EmulsifyingPEG/PPG-18/18 Dimethicone
Emulsifying
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Triethyl Citrate
Masking
Water, Niacinamide, Glycerin, Phenyl Trimethicone, Dimethyl Isosorbide, Octyldodecanol, Resveratrol, Diglucosyl Gallic Acid, Asiaticoside, Madecassoside, Epigallocatechin Gallatyl Glucoside, Boswellia Serrata Resin Extract, Curcuma Longa Root Extract, Ocimum Basilicum Flower/Leaf Extract, Ocimum Sanctum Leaf Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Flower Extract, Solanum Melongena Fruit Extract, Coccinia Indica Fruit Extract, Betaine, Corallina Officinalis Extract, Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract, Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract, Benzotriazolyl Dodecyl P-Cresol, PEG-8, Tetrahydrodiferuloylmethane, Tetrahydrodemethoxydiferuloylmethane, Tetrahydrobisdemethoxydiferuloylmethane, Punica Granatum Fruit Extract, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Extract, Citrus Grandis Peel Extract, Citrus Tangerina Peel Oil, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract, Citrus Limon Peel Oil, Sodium Phytate, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Polysorbate 60, Sorbitan Isostearate, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Polyglyceryl-10 Stearate, Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Dimethicone, Trideceth-6, PEG/PPG-18/18 Dimethicone, Tocopherol, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol, Chlorphenesin, Triethyl Citrate
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Glycerin (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
