What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningEthylhexyl Methoxycinnamate
UV Absorber
Cyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Talc
Abrasive
Isododecane
EmollientAlcohol
Antimicrobial
Zinc Oxide
Cosmetic Colorant
Titanium Dioxide
Cosmetic Colorant
Ethylhexyl Salicylate
UV Absorber
Isononyl Isononanoate
EmollientGlycerin
Humectant
Lauryl PEG-10 Tris(Trimethylsiloxy)Silylethyl Dimethicone
Emulsifying
Polymethyl Methacrylate
Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate
UV Filter
Trimethylsiloxysilicate
Emollient
Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine
Skin Conditioning
CI 77163
Cosmetic Colorant
Ethylhexyl Hydroxystearate
Emollient
Triethoxycaprylylsilane
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Aluminum Hydroxide
EmollientDiisostearyl Malate
EmollientCI 77492
Cosmetic ColorantDimethicone
Emollient
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Polymethylsilsesquioxane
Methylparaben
Preservative
Disodium EDTA
Acrylates Crosspolymer
AbsorbentParfum
Masking
CI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantPEG/PPG-18/18 Dimethicone
Emulsifying
CI 77491
Cosmetic ColorantSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
CI 15850
Cosmetic ColorantPPG-3 Benzyl Ether Myristate
EmollientJuglans Regia Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningMagnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate
Antioxidant
Ectoin
Skin Conditioning
Laminaria Ochroleuca Extract
Skin Conditioning
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Sodium Metabisulfite
Antioxidant
Water, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Cyclopentasiloxane, Talc, Isododecane, Alcohol, Zinc Oxide, Titanium Dioxide, Ethylhexyl Salicylate, Isononyl Isononanoate, Glycerin, Lauryl PEG-10 Tris(Trimethylsiloxy)Silylethyl Dimethicone, Polymethyl Methacrylate, Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate, Trimethylsiloxysilicate, Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine, CI 77163, Ethylhexyl Hydroxystearate, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Stearic Acid, Aluminum Hydroxide, Diisostearyl Malate, CI 77492, Dimethicone, Tocopheryl Acetate, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Methylparaben, Disodium EDTA, Acrylates Crosspolymer, Parfum, CI 77891, PEG/PPG-18/18 Dimethicone, CI 77491, Sodium Hyaluronate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, CI 15850, PPG-3 Benzyl Ether Myristate, Juglans Regia Seed Extract, Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Ectoin, Laminaria Ochroleuca Extract, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Metabisulfite
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
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Cyclopentasiloxane (D5) is a lightweight silicone that mostly acts as an emollient and solvent in cosmetics. Its the reason your products feel silky, fast-spreading, and non-greasy.
Since D5 is volatile, it does its thing and then evaporates off the skin quickly.
The safety profile of this ingredient is reassuring; the US CIR Expert Panel concluded D5 is safe as used in cosmetics and Health Canada concluded that D5 is not harmful to human health or the environment as currently used in cosmetics
There's a study that people mention about D5 in a rat study showing tumors. This study is related to long-term inhalation of high D5 levels.
Regulatory bodies have judged this study to be not applicable in topical skincare since skin absorption of D5 is very low and we're not really inhaling huge amounts of D5.
The only restriction for this ingredient is environmental. The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) restricted D5 in wash-off cosmetics at or above 0.1% due to their persistence in water.
Learn more about CyclopentasiloxaneDiethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate (DHHB) is a chemical UV-A absorber. It is formulated for high UVA protection (320-400 nm).
DHHB is well-liked for:
DHHB has been approved by the EU, Japan, Taiwan, and South America for use up to 10%. Unfortunately, it has not been approved for use in the US or Canada due to slow regulatory processes.
This ingredient is soluble in oils, fats, and lipids.
Learn more about Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl BenzoateDisodium 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 GlycerinMethylparaben is a synthetic preservative and one of the most widely used in the world. It has a simple, but important job: prevent your products from going bad by stopping bacteria, yeast, and mold from growing.
Typical use levels are low, often 0.1-0.3%.
This is also one of the most heavily studied preservatives out there and major regulatory bodies have repeatedly given it the green light.
In 2023, the EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (SCCS) confirmed that this ingredient is safe up to 0.4% on its own, of up to 0.8% when mixed with other paraben esters.
Here's the science behind the noise behind parabens/hormones as well:
Methylparaben shows very weak estrogen-like activity in vitro tests (more than 1,000x weaker than your body's own estradiol). In vivo (live-organism) studies don't support a meaningful endocrine-disrupting effect either.
You get a stronger estrogenic effect from eating tofu, actually.
It's also a low sensitizer and allergic reactions are uncommon; they usually happen on damage or broken skin.
There is a caveat: France has proposed to formally re-examine its endocrine classification in 2025 so the regulatory conversation isn't fully closed as of yet.
But as it stands today, this ingredient is considered safe at permitted levels.
Learn more about MethylparabenPhenoxyethanol 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.
Sodium 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 HyaluronateTocopheryl Acetate is AKA Vitamin E. It is an antioxidant and protects your skin from free radicals. Free radicals damage the skin by breaking down collagen.
One study found using Tocopheryl Acetate with Vitamin C decreased the number of sunburned cells.
Tocopheryl Acetate is commonly found in both skincare and dietary supplements.
Learn more about Tocopheryl AcetateWater. 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
