What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Ceteareth-20
CleansingCeteareth-12
EmulsifyingPEG-100 Stearate
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Isohexadecane
EmollientBetaine
Humectant
Inulin
Skin Conditioning
Alpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide
Cleansing
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Retinal
Skin Conditioning
Cetyl Palmitate
Emollient
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Ubiquinone
Antioxidant
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Bisabolol
Antioxidant
Disodium EDTA
BHT
Antioxidant
Water, Glycerin, Cetearyl Alcohol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glyceryl Stearate, Niacinamide, Ceteareth-20, Ceteareth-12, PEG-100 Stearate, Panthenol, Isohexadecane, Betaine, Inulin, Alpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide, Allantoin, Retinal, Cetyl Palmitate, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Phenoxyethanol, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Ubiquinone, Tocopheryl Acetate, Bisabolol, Disodium EDTA, BHT
Water
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Elastin
EmollientPanthenol
Skin Conditioning
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Phospholipids
Skin Conditioning
Caprylic/Capric Glycerides
EmollientAscorbic Acid
Antioxidant
Retinal
Skin Conditioning
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Hydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingSodium PCA
Humectant
Wheat Amino Acids
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Hydroxyproline
Skin ConditioningEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPPG-1-PEG-9 Lauryl Glycol Ether
EmulsifyingDisodium EDTA
Citric Acid
Buffering
Water, Hydrolyzed Elastin, Panthenol, Propylene Glycol, Glycerin, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Phospholipids, Caprylic/Capric Glycerides, Ascorbic Acid, Retinal, Phenoxyethanol, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Sodium PCA, Wheat Amino Acids, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydroxyproline, Ethylhexylglycerin, PPG-1-PEG-9 Lauryl Glycol Ether, Disodium EDTA, Citric Acid
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Disodium EDTA is a chelating agent. It grabs onto and deactivates metal ions that sneak into your products from water, packaging, or air.
This ingredient mainly works behind the scenes and helps with:
On top of that, this ingredient can counteract the effects of hard water by binding to the minerals in it.
One thing worth knowing is that Disodium EDTA has been shown to be a mild penetration enhancer. It can help other ingredients absorb into skin more effectively which can be a double-edged sword (great for actives, but can also make the active too strong if you have sensitive skin).
Clinical patch testing showed no significant skin irritation at typical use concentrations and minimal dermal absorption.
You'll most likely see this ingredient near the end of an ingredient list. It's typically found in concentrations less than 1%.
Learn more about Disodium EDTAGlycerin (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 GlycerinPanthenol is a common ingredient that helps hydrate and soothe the skin. It is found naturally in our skin and hair.
There are two forms of panthenol: D and L.
D-panthenol is also known as dexpanthenol. Most cosmetics use dexpanthenol or a mixture of D and L-panthenol.
Panthenol is famous due to its ability to go deeper into the skin's layers. Using this ingredient has numerous pros (and no cons):
Like hyaluronic acid, panthenol is a humectant. Humectants are able to bind and hold large amounts of water to keep skin hydrated.
This ingredient works well for wound healing. It works by increasing tissue in the wound and helps close open wounds.
Once oxidized, panthenol converts to pantothenic acid. Panthothenic acid is found in all living cells.
This ingredient is also referred to as pro-vitamin B5.
Learn more about PanthenolPhenoxyethanol 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.
Retinal is a form of retinoid. Retinoids are the gold-standard class of anti-aging ingredients.
Retinal has many benefits as other retinoids: improve skin texture, reduce large pores, reduce the effects of aging, reduce the visibility of dark spots, heal scars, and fight acne.
Studies show retinal may work at a faster rate than retinol due to its structure.
All retinoids have to be converted into retinoic acid before starting to work. Some retinoids take several steps of conversion before binding. Retinal is only one step away, making it more potent.
Like other retinoids, retinal may be irritating. It is best to ease into using this ingredient frequently.
Using the 'ramp up' method, start by using retinol once a week. This gives your skin time to adjust and decrease irritation. Once you feel ready, you can slowly increase the frequency of retinol use.
Using retinoids will increase sun-sensitivity in the first few weeks of use. Though studies show retinoids increase your skin's natural SPF with continuous use, it is best to always wear sunscreen and sun-protection.
Learn more about RetinalWater. 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
