What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningEthyl Methoxycinnamate
UV AbsorberMethylene Bis-Benzotriazolyl Tetramethylbutylphenol
UV Filter
Cyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Ethylhexyl Triazone
UV Absorber
Polysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate
UV Filter
Betaine
Humectant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingHydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Triethanolamine
BufferingPanthenol
Skin Conditioning
Disodium EDTA
Methylparaben
Preservative
Propylparaben
Preservative
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Humectant
Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
Humectant
Arginine
Masking
Hydrolyzed Collagen
Emollient
Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate
Antioxidant
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Water, Ethyl Methoxycinnamate, Methylene Bis-Benzotriazolyl Tetramethylbutylphenol, Cyclopentasiloxane, Glycerin, Ethylhexyl Triazone, Polysorbate 60, Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate, Betaine, Phenoxyethanol, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Triethanolamine, Panthenol, Disodium EDTA, Methylparaben, Propylparaben, Sodium Hyaluronate, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Arginine, Hydrolyzed Collagen, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Tocopheryl Acetate
Water
Skin ConditioningEthylhexyl Methoxycinnamate
UV Absorber
Octocrylene
UV Absorber
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane
UV Absorber
Polymethyl Methacrylate
Dimethicone
Emollient
Ethylhexyl Triazone
UV Absorber
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Arachidyl Alcohol
Emollient
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantButylene Glycol
Humectant
Behenyl Alcohol
Emollient
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Arachidyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingParfum
Masking
Kaolin
Abrasive
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPropanediol
Solvent
Disodium EDTA
Lecithin
Emollient
BHT
Antioxidant
Trideceth-9
EmulsifyingCentella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Vitis Vinifera Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningPEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Haberlea Rhodopensis Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningArtemisia Capillaris Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPolysorbate 20
Emulsifying
CI 42090
Cosmetic ColorantCI 19140
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Octocrylene, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, Polymethyl Methacrylate, Dimethicone, Ethylhexyl Triazone, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Phenoxyethanol, Arachidyl Alcohol, Dipropylene Glycol, Butylene Glycol, Behenyl Alcohol, Chlorphenesin, Allantoin, Glycerin, Arachidyl Glucoside, Parfum, Kaolin, Xanthan Gum, Propanediol, Disodium EDTA, Lecithin, BHT, Trideceth-9, Centella Asiatica Extract, Vitis Vinifera Leaf Extract, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Haberlea Rhodopensis Leaf Extract, Artemisia Capillaris Flower Extract, Ethylhexylglycerin, Polysorbate 20, CI 42090, CI 19140
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer is a synthetically created polymer. It's used as a film-forming agent and used to thicken the consistency of products.
Think of it as a supportive ingredient that helps your gel-creams feel silky, "cloud cream-like", and spread evenly without being greasy.
The Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) Expert Panel evaluated it (along with 22 other acryloyldimethyltaurate polymers) and concluded it's:
Due to its large molecular size, it sits on the surface of skin rather than penetrating it.
Learn more about Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp CopolymerDisodium 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 EDTAEthylhexyl Triazone (aka Octyl Triazone) is an oil-soluble organic UVB filter. It has peak absorption around 314 nm, right in the middle of the UVB range.
This ingredient is described as one of the most effective UVB filters available and small concentrations are enough to deliver a high SPF thanks to its strong UV absorbing power.
Formulators love it for its stability; its ability to filter UV stays practically unchanged even under intense radiation and it can also help boost the photostability of less stable filters like avobenzone.
It's also a great pick for water resistant products because it's insoluble in water and has a good affinity for keratin.
Because it's a big, heavy molecule, the European Scientific Committee has found to to have very low dermal penetration and negative results for allergenicity.
In vitro testing also showed a low absorption rate and clean results on irritation.
Typical use levels are 1-5% with 5% being the maximum in the EU, Japan, and other markets that allow it. However, this ingredient is not approved yet in the US or Canada.
Learn more about Ethylhexyl TriazoneGlycerin (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 GlycerinPhenoxyethanol is one of the most widely used preservatives in skincare (and for good reason!).
It has a large spectrum of antimicrobial activity and especially effective bacteria, yeast, and mold while only having a weak effect on your skin's natural microbiome.
On a cellular level, it disrupts the cell membranes of microbes by poking holes that make the cell leak. This shuts down the chemical reactions the microbe needs to make energy so it can no longer survive.
Another perk of this ingredient is that it stays functional across a wide pH range (3-10).
You'll often see it paired with boosters like Ethylhexylglycerin; one study showed that a 1:9 ratio of Ethylhexylglycerin to Phenoxyethanol damages bacterial membranes as effectively as doubling the Phenoxyethanol concentration on its own.
Typical use concentrations range from 0.3-1% depending on the formula, and this ingredient is capped at 1% int the EU.
Safety-wise, the fear mongering does not hold up to the evidence. The EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety and FDA consider it safe as a preservative at up to 1%, including for children of all ages.
Adverse systemic effects only showed up in animal studies at exposures roughly 200x higher than what people get from cosmetics. And despite its very widespread use, this ingredient is a rare sensitizer and allergic reactions are uncommon.
Learn more about PhenoxyethanolWater. 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
