What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningDipropylene Glycol
HumectantGlycerin
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Ascorbic Acid
Antioxidant
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Tromethamine
BufferingPolyglyceryl-10 Laurate
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPolyglyceryl-4 Laurate
Emulsifying
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingGlutathione
Glyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer
HumectantDisodium EDTA
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Corn Starch
HumectantPropylene Glycol
Humectant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Caramel
Cosmetic ColorantPvm/Ma Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingPanthenol
Skin Conditioning
Gluconolactone
Skin Conditioning
3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Salix Alba Bark Extract
Astringent
Hamamelis Virginiana Extract
Antiseborrhoeic
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Water, Dipropylene Glycol, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Ascorbic Acid, Niacinamide, Hydroxyacetophenone, Tromethamine, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Polyglyceryl-4 Laurate, Caprylyl Glycol, Xanthan Gum, Glutathione, Glyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Corn Starch, Propylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caramel, Pvm/Ma Copolymer, Panthenol, Gluconolactone, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Salix Alba Bark Extract, Hamamelis Virginiana Extract, Phenoxyethanol
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Hamamelis Virginiana Leaf Water
Astringent
Acacia Senegal Gum Extract
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSodium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate
Emulsion Stabilising3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Sodium Metabisulfite
Antioxidant
Sodium Diethylenetriamine Pentamethylene Phosphonate
Sodium Gluceptate
Ascorbyl Glucoside
Antioxidant
Caprylyl 2-Glyceryl Ascorbate
Antioxidant
Biosaccharide Gum-1
Humectant
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Disodium EDTA
Lactobacillus/Lemon Peel Ferment Extract
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Water, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Hamamelis Virginiana Leaf Water, Acacia Senegal Gum Extract, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Chlorphenesin, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Metabisulfite, Sodium Diethylenetriamine Pentamethylene Phosphonate, Sodium Gluceptate, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Caprylyl 2-Glyceryl Ascorbate, Biosaccharide Gum-1, Panthenol, Disodium EDTA, Lactobacillus/Lemon Peel Ferment Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
You might know this ingredient as Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, a more stable version of ascorbic acid.
Like other types of vitamin C, this ingredient has many benefits including reducing wrinkles, skin soothing, dark spot fading, and fighting against free radicals.
3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid interferes with the process of skin darkening, helping to reduce hyperpigmentation. It also encourages the skin to produce more collagen.
Once applied, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid is converted to Vitamin C deeper in the skin's layers. This process is slow but makes this ingredient more tolerable for skin.
The optimum pH range for this ingredient is 4 - 5.5
Learn more about 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic AcidButylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:
Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient that works well with other ingredients.
Though this ingredient works well with most skin types, some people with sensitive skin may experience a reaction such as allergic rashes, closed comedones, or itchiness.
Learn more about Butylene GlycolDisodium 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.
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 HyaluronateWater. 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
