What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningDimethicone
Emollient
Isononyl Isononanoate
EmollientGlycerin
Humectant
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Squalane
Emollient
Isostearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glyceryl Linoleate
Emollient
Butylene Glycol Cocoate
Emulsifying
Asiaticoside
Antioxidant
Pterocarpus Marsupium Bark Extract
Adenosine
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
Humectant
Tetrapeptide-16
Skin Conditioning
Arginine PCA
HumectantRosmarinic Acid
Antioxidant
Rutin
Antioxidant
Xymenynic Acid
EmollientOligopeptide-10
Antimicrobial
Glyceryl Linolenate
Emollient
Caprooyl Phytosphingosine
Skin Conditioning
Methyl Carboxymethylphenyl Aminocarboxypropylphosphonate
Antioxidant
Honey Extract
Humectant
Boswellia Serrata Extract
Skin Conditioning
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Pullulan
Ethylhexyl Cyclohexyl Urea
Skin ConditioningHydroxyapatite
Abrasive
Oryza Sativa Bran Extract
Skin Conditioning
Parfum
Masking
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
PEG-75 Stearate
Surfactant
Ceteth-20
CleansingSteareth-20
CleansingSclerotium Gum
Emulsion StabilisingLecithin
Emollient
Ethylcellulose
Silica
Abrasive
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingTocopherol
Antioxidant
Disodium EDTA
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Hexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingPentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Mica
Cosmetic ColorantTin Oxide
Abrasive
CI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77491
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Dimethicone, Isononyl Isononanoate, Glycerin, Niacinamide, Squalane, Isostearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Linoleate, Butylene Glycol Cocoate, Asiaticoside, Pterocarpus Marsupium Bark Extract, Adenosine, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Tetrapeptide-16, Arginine PCA, Rosmarinic Acid, Rutin, Xymenynic Acid, Oligopeptide-10, Glyceryl Linolenate, Caprooyl Phytosphingosine, Methyl Carboxymethylphenyl Aminocarboxypropylphosphonate, Honey Extract, Boswellia Serrata Extract, Panthenol, Pullulan, Ethylhexyl Cyclohexyl Urea, Hydroxyapatite, Oryza Sativa Bran Extract, Parfum, Cetyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-75 Stearate, Ceteth-20, Steareth-20, Sclerotium Gum, Lecithin, Ethylcellulose, Silica, Xanthan Gum, Tocopherol, Disodium EDTA, Caprylyl Glycol, Butylene Glycol, Hexylene Glycol, Pentylene Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Mica, Tin Oxide, CI 77891, CI 77491
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Propanediol
Solvent
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
Humectant
Phospholipids
Skin Conditioning
Sphingolipids
Emollient
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Ahnfeltiopsis Concinna Extract
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Citric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Citrate
BufferingP-Anisic Acid
Masking
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Ethoxydiglycol
HumectantEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningHexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Water, Sodium Hyaluronate, Propanediol, Pentylene Glycol, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Phospholipids, Sphingolipids, Panthenol, Ahnfeltiopsis Concinna Extract, Glycerin, Polysorbate 20, Citric Acid, Sodium Citrate, P-Anisic Acid, Tocopherol, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethoxydiglycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Hexylene Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Chlorphenesin
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Caprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.
Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.
Because it is not a free-fatty acid or alcohol, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolGlycerin (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 GlycerinHexylene Glycol is a multitasker ingredient that works as a solvent, humectant, emulsifier, viscosity reducer, and preservative booster.
It is able to dissolve both water and oil-soluble ingredients to stabilize tricky actives and make products spread more easily.
As a humectant, it pulls water into the skin. But it's a pretty minor moisturizing ingredient compared to other humectants, like glycerin.
Interestingly, it can act as a mild penetration enhancer. One in vitro study on human skin found a 12% concentration upped the absorption of mometasone furoate (a medicinal ingredient used to treat inflammatory skin conditions) up to 7%.
This ingredient is typically used at levels of 0.1-10% depending on the role it's playing.
A patch test study on eczema patients didn't find a significant increase in irritation versus the control group, but the potential for irritation rises at higher concentrations.
Learn more about Hexylene GlycolPanthenol 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 PanthenolPentylene 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 GlycolPhenoxyethanol 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
