What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningEthylhexyl Palmitate
Emollient
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Sorbitan Stearate
Emulsifying
Ectoin
Skin Conditioning
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Dimethicone
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Arginine
Masking
PEG-100 Stearate
Steareth-20
CleansingHesperidin Methyl Chalcone
Antioxidant
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingBetaine
Humectant
Isostearyl Avocadate
EmollientPanthenol
Skin Conditioning
Olea Europaea Oil Unsaponifiables
Skin Conditioning
Persea Gratissima Oil
Skin Conditioning
Simmondsia Chinensis Butter
Skin Conditioning
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Ethyl Linolenate
Emollient
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
Antioxidant
Ethyl Oleate
Emollient
Ethyl Linoleate
Emollient
Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate
EmulsifyingGlycine Soja Oil
Emollient
Biosaccharide Gum-4
Skin Conditioning
N-Hydroxysuccinimide
Skin ConditioningDipeptide-2
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide AP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide EOP
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Skin Conditioning
Retinol
Skin Conditioning
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingCholesterol
Emollient
Phytosphingosine
Skin Conditioning
Chrysin
Skin ConditioningPalmitoyl Tripeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Acacia Senegal Gum
MaskingSodium Citrate
BufferingCitric Acid
Buffering
Biotin
AntiseborrhoeicPropylene Glycol Alginate
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Benzoic Acid
Masking
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningChlorhexidine Digluconate
Antimicrobial
Disodium EDTA
Tetrasodium EDTA
Water, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Butylene Glycol, Sorbitan Stearate, Ectoin, Cetyl Alcohol, Dimethicone, Glycerin, Glyceryl Stearate, Arginine, PEG-100 Stearate, Steareth-20, Hesperidin Methyl Chalcone, Xanthan Gum, Betaine, Isostearyl Avocadate, Panthenol, Olea Europaea Oil Unsaponifiables, Persea Gratissima Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis Butter, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Tocopheryl Acetate, Ethyl Linolenate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Ethyl Oleate, Ethyl Linoleate, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Glycine Soja Oil, Biosaccharide Gum-4, N-Hydroxysuccinimide, Dipeptide-2, Ceramide NP, Ceramide AP, Ceramide EOP, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Retinol, Carbomer, Cholesterol, Phytosphingosine, Chrysin, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Tocopherol, Acacia Senegal Gum, Sodium Citrate, Citric Acid, Biotin, Propylene Glycol Alginate, Phenoxyethanol, Chlorphenesin, Pentylene Glycol, Benzoic Acid, Potassium Sorbate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Chlorhexidine Digluconate, Disodium EDTA, Tetrasodium EDTA
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Prunus Domestica Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Squalane
Emollient
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Lauroyl Lysine
Skin Conditioning
Glyceryl Stearate Citrate
Emollient
Myristyl Alcohol
Emollient
Xylitylglucoside
Humectant
Ectoin
Skin Conditioning
Gelidium Sesquipedale Extract
Skin ProtectingAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder
Skin Conditioning
Anhydroxylitol
Humectant
Undaria Pinnatifida Extract
Skin ConditioningXylitol
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Bisabolol
Antioxidant
Corallina Officinalis Extract
Skin Conditioning
Alteromonas Ferment Extract
Skin Conditioning
Polyglyceryl-3 Stearate
Emulsifying
Linoleic Acid
Cleansing
Myristyl Glucoside
CleansingHydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Propanediol
Solvent
Glyceryl Caprylate
EmollientLysolecithin
EmulsifyingSclerotium Gum
Emulsion StabilisingPolyglyceryl-4 Caprate
EmulsifyingOleic Acid
Emollient
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Palmitic Acid
Emollient
Pullulan
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingStearic Acid
Cleansing
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingPhenethyl Alcohol
MaskingSilica
Abrasive
Linolenic Acid
Cleansing
Water, Glycerin, Prunus Domestica Seed Oil, Squalane, Pentylene Glycol, Lauroyl Lysine, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Myristyl Alcohol, Xylitylglucoside, Ectoin, Gelidium Sesquipedale Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder, Anhydroxylitol, Undaria Pinnatifida Extract, Xylitol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Bisabolol, Corallina Officinalis Extract, Alteromonas Ferment Extract, Polyglyceryl-3 Stearate, Linoleic Acid, Myristyl Glucoside, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Propanediol, Glyceryl Caprylate, Lysolecithin, Sclerotium Gum, Polyglyceryl-4 Caprate, Oleic Acid, Tocopherol, Palmitic Acid, Pullulan, Xanthan Gum, Stearic Acid, Sodium Hydroxide, Phenethyl Alcohol, Silica, Linolenic Acid
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Ectoin is a compound found naturally in some species of bacteria. It can be synthetically created for skincare use.
This ingredient is an osmolyte; Osmolytes help organisms survive osmotic shock (it protects them from extreme conditions). It does this by influencing the properties of biological fluids within cells.
When applied to the skin, ectoin helps bind water molecules to protect our skin. The water forms a sort of armor for the parts of our skin cells, enzymes, proteins, and more.
Besides this, ectoin has many uses in skincare:
A study from 2004 found ectoin to counteract the damage from UV-A exposure at different cell levels. It has also been shown to protect skin against both UV-A, UV-B rays, infrared light, and visible light.
Studies show ectoin to have dual-action pollution protection: first, it protects our skin from further pollution damage. Second, it helps repair damage from pollution.
In fact, ectoin has been shown to help with:
Fun fact: In the EU, ectoin is used in inhalation medication as an anti-pollution ingredient.
Ectoin is a highly stable ingredient. It has a wide pH range of 1-9. Light, oxygen, and temperature do not affect this ingredient.
The chemical name for this ingredient is Tetrahydromethylpyrimidine Carboxylic Acid.
Learn more about EctoinGlycerin (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 GlycerinPentylene glycol is typically used within a product to thicken it. It also adds a smooth, soft, and moisturizing feel to the product. It is naturally found in plants such as sugar beets.
The hydrophilic trait of Pentylene Glycol makes it a humectant. As a humectant, Pentylene Glycol helps draw moisture from the air to your skin. This can help keep your skin hydrated.
This property also makes Pentylene Glycol a great texture enhancer. It can also help thicken or stabilize a product.
Pentylene Glycol also acts as a mild preservative and helps to keep a product microbe-free.
Some people may experience mild eye and skin irritation from Pentylene Glycol. We always recommend speaking with a professional about using this ingredient in your routine.
Pentylene Glycol has a low molecular weight and is part of the 1,2-glycol family.
Learn more about Pentylene GlycolSodium 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 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 WaterXanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.
On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.
Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.
Learn more about Xanthan Gum
