What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Ethylhexanoate
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantLauryl Laurate
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientTapioca Starch
Ascorbyl Glucoside
AntioxidantHydroxyacetophenone
AntioxidantCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeCetearyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingCitrus Grandis Peel Oil
MaskingGlycogen
HumectantHippophae Rhamnoides Oil
EmollientCitrus Aurantium Dulcis Flower Oil
AstringentParfum
MaskingTocopherol
AntioxidantCitrus Nobilis Peel Oil
MaskingCitrus Tangerina Peel Oil
MaskingMagnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate
AntioxidantDiglucosyl Gallic Acid
Ammonium Bicarbonate
BufferingGlucose
HumectantHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
EmollientRosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialSodium Hydroxide
BufferingCitral
PerfumingLimonene
PerfumingLinalool
PerfumingWater, Cetearyl Ethylhexanoate, Glycerin, Lauryl Laurate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Tapioca Starch, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Hydroxyacetophenone, Carbomer, Phenoxyethanol, Cetearyl Glucoside, Citrus Grandis Peel Oil, Glycogen, Hippophae Rhamnoides Oil, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Flower Oil, Parfum, Tocopherol, Citrus Nobilis Peel Oil, Citrus Tangerina Peel Oil, Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Diglucosyl Gallic Acid, Ammonium Bicarbonate, Glucose, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Sodium Hydroxide, Citral, Limonene, Linalool
Cyclopentasiloxane
EmollientDimethicone
EmollientTetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate
AntioxidantPalmitoyl Tripeptide-5
Skin ConditioningCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningTocotrienols
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
AntioxidantUbiquinone
AntioxidantThioctic Acid
AntioxidantTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantMagnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate
AntioxidantFerulic Acid
AntimicrobialBeta-Glucan
Skin ConditioningSuperoxide Dismutase
AntioxidantEpigallocatechin Gallate
AntioxidantErgothioneine
AntioxidantGlutathione
Xanthophylls
Skin ConditioningGlycine Soja Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantArctostaphylos Uva Ursi Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningLupinus Albus Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningCurcuma Longa Root
Skin ConditioningElaeis Guineensis Oil
EmollientPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeCyclopentasiloxane, Dimethicone, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5, Ceramide NP, Tocotrienols, Tocopherol, Ubiquinone, Thioctic Acid, Tocopheryl Acetate, Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Ferulic Acid, Beta-Glucan, Superoxide Dismutase, Epigallocatechin Gallate, Ergothioneine, Glutathione, Xanthophylls, Glycine Soja Seed Extract, Glycerin, Arctostaphylos Uva Ursi Leaf Extract, Lupinus Albus Seed Extract, Curcuma Longa Root, Elaeis Guineensis Oil, Phenoxyethanol
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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 GlycerinMagnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate (MAP) is a water-soluble form of Vitamin C. It is used in skincare because it tends to be more formulation friendly than pure vitamin C (ascorbic acid).
According to research, MAP has three major benefits:
While MAP is gentler on the skin than ascorbic acid, it is thought to be less easily absorbed into the skin.
In a well-known absorption study, pure vitamin C increased skin vitamin C levels when formulated correctly, but derivatives like MAP did not in that experiment. This suggests MAP may not always convert into active vitamin C in the skin.
Due to MAP's stability up to a pH level of 7, it is more stable to air and sunlight exposure than ascorbic acid. The best pH range for MAP is between 5 and 6.
Learn more about Magnesium Ascorbyl PhosphatePhenoxyethanol 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 Tocopherol