What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Lactobacillus/Punica Granatum Fruit Ferment Extract
Antioxidant
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Punica Granatum Seed Powder
Abrasive
Ricinus Communis Seed Oil
Masking
Glycerin
Humectant
Mauritia Flexuosa Fruit Oil
Skin Conditioning
Opuntia Ficus-Indica Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningOlus Oil
Emollient
Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingSucrose Stearate
EmollientNiacinamide
Smoothing
Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter
Emollient
Inulin
Skin Conditioning
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Stearyl Stearate
Emollient
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCoco-Glucoside
Cleansing
Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil
Emollient
Copernicia Cerifera Cera
Emollient
Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emollient
Coconut Alcohol
Emollient
Parfum
Masking
Rhus Verniciflua Peel Cera
EmollientEuphorbia Cerifera Cera
Astringent
Saccharide Isomerate
Humectant
Ascorbyl Glucoside
Antioxidant
Lactobacillus Ferment
Skin Conditioning
Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate
Antimicrobial
Fructose
Humectant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Citrus Nobilis Peel Oil
Masking
Sodium Phytate
Citrus Reticulata Peel Oil
Masking
Citrus Grandis Peel Oil
Masking
Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Oil
Masking
Glycine
Buffering
Glycine Soja Oil
Emollient
Citric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Citrate
BufferingGlucose
Humectant
Alcohol
Antimicrobial
Limonene
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Citral
Perfuming
Water, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Lactobacillus/Punica Granatum Fruit Ferment Extract, Glyceryl Stearate, Punica Granatum Seed Powder, Ricinus Communis Seed Oil, Glycerin, Mauritia Flexuosa Fruit Oil, Opuntia Ficus-Indica Fruit Extract, Olus Oil, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Sucrose Stearate, Niacinamide, Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter, Inulin, Phenoxyethanol, Stearyl Stearate, Caprylyl Glycol, Xanthan Gum, Coco-Glucoside, Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil, Copernicia Cerifera Cera, Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Coconut Alcohol, Parfum, Rhus Verniciflua Peel Cera, Euphorbia Cerifera Cera, Saccharide Isomerate, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Lactobacillus Ferment, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Fructose, Tocopherol, Citrus Nobilis Peel Oil, Sodium Phytate, Citrus Reticulata Peel Oil, Citrus Grandis Peel Oil, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Oil, Glycine, Glycine Soja Oil, Citric Acid, Sodium Citrate, Glucose, Alcohol, Limonene, Linalool, Citral
Water
Skin ConditioningCamellia Oleifera Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil
Emollient
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
Emollient
Citrus Nobilis Peel Oil
Masking
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Hippophae Rhamnoides Fruit Oil
Skin Protecting
Rosa Canina Fruit Oil
Emollient
Triticum Vulgare Germ Oil
Emollient
Daucus Carota Sativa Root Extract
Skin Conditioning
Vanillin
Masking
Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingRosa Damascena Flower Oil
Masking
Sodium Phytate
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Dehydroacetic Acid
Preservative
Linalool
Perfuming
Limonene
Perfuming
Water, Camellia Oleifera Seed Oil, Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil, Cetyl Alcohol, Glycerin, Glyceryl Stearate, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Citrus Nobilis Peel Oil, Tocopherol, Hippophae Rhamnoides Fruit Oil, Rosa Canina Fruit Oil, Triticum Vulgare Germ Oil, Daucus Carota Sativa Root Extract, Vanillin, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Rosa Damascena Flower Oil, Sodium Phytate, Benzyl Alcohol, Dehydroacetic Acid, Linalool, Limonene
Alternatives
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Mandarin peel oil is an essential oil made by distilling the peel of mandarin oranges. It is primarily used for fragrance but has some secondary skin conditioning effects.
This ingredient is rich in limonene and is generally considered milder than some other citrus oils (like lemon or bergamot). It is not strongly phototoxic because it contains little to no furocoumarins when properly produced.
Like other essential oils, this ingredient can be a fragrance allergen.
Learn more about Citrus Nobilis Peel OilGlycerin (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 StearateLimonene is a fragrance that adds scent and taste to a formulation.
It's found in the peel oil of citrus fruits and other plants such as lavender and eucalyptus. The scent of limonene is generally described as "sweet citrus".
Limonene acts as an antioxidant, meaning it helps neutralize free radicals.
When exposed to air, oxidized limonene may sensitize the skin. Because of this, limonene is often avoided by people with sensitive skin.
The term 'fragrance' is not regulated in many countries. In many cases, it is up to the brand to define this term. For instance, many brands choose to label themselves as "fragrance-free" because they are not using synthetic fragrances. However, their products may still contain ingredients such as essential oils that are considered a fragrance.
Learn more about LimoneneLinalool is a fragrance and helps add scent to products. It's derived from common plants such as cinnamon, mint, citrus, and lavender.
Like Limonene, this ingredient oxidizes when exposed to air. Oxidized linalool can cause allergies and skin sensitivity.
This ingredient has a scent that is floral, spicy tropical, and citrus-like.
Learn more about LinaloolSodium Phytate is the synthetic salt form of phytic acid. Phytic acid is an antioxidant and can be found in plant seeds.
Sodium Phytate is a chelating agent. Chelating agents help prevent metals from binding to water. This helps stabilize the ingredients and the product.
Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate is an amino-acid based emulsifier. It is made by combining stearic acid with L-glutamic acid and neutralizing it to a sodium salt.
As an emulsifier, it works mainly as an oil-in-water one and helps keep the oil and water in your formulas blended. It also contributes to a smooth, non-greasy skin feel.
This ingredient is biodegradable and commonly available in natural/COSMOS-certified grades.
Learn more about Sodium Stearoyl GlutamateTocopherol 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
