What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Squalane
Emollient
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Betaine
Humectant
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Dipentaerythrityl Hexa C5-9 Acid Esters
Skin ConditioningCamellia Japonica Flower Extract
EmollientSimmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Chondrus Crispus Extract
Skin Conditioning
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingChlorella Vulgaris Extract
Skin ConditioningGlucose
Humectant
Methylpropanediol
SolventSaccharum Officinarum Extract
MoisturisingTromethamine
BufferingHydrolyzed Collagen
Emollient
Fructooligosaccharides
Humectant
Fructose
Humectant
Inositol
Humectant
Theobroma Cacao Extract
Skin ConditioningBeta-Glucan
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Adenosine
Skin Conditioning
Hydroxypinacolone Retinoate
Skin Conditioning
Cyanocobalamin
Skin ConditioningQuercetin
Antioxidant
Soluble Collagen
Humectant
Arginine
Masking
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6
Emulsion StabilisingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSodium Dilauramidoglutamide Lysine
HumectantEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Diethylhexyl Syringylidenemalonate
Skin ProtectingSodium Phytate
Dimethyl Isosorbide
SolventDextrin
AbsorbentWater, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Squalane, 1,2-Hexanediol, Betaine, Niacinamide, Dipentaerythrityl Hexa C5-9 Acid Esters, Camellia Japonica Flower Extract, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Panthenol, Chondrus Crispus Extract, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Chlorella Vulgaris Extract, Glucose, Methylpropanediol, Saccharum Officinarum Extract, Tromethamine, Hydrolyzed Collagen, Fructooligosaccharides, Fructose, Inositol, Theobroma Cacao Extract, Beta-Glucan, Ceramide NP, Adenosine, Hydroxypinacolone Retinoate, Cyanocobalamin, Quercetin, Soluble Collagen, Arginine, Tocopherol, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Dilauramidoglutamide Lysine, Ethylhexylglycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Diethylhexyl Syringylidenemalonate, Sodium Phytate, Dimethyl Isosorbide, Dextrin
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
1,2-Hexanediol is a synthetic liquid and another multi-functional powerhouse.
It is a:
- Humectant, drawing moisture into the skin
- Emollient, helping to soften skin
- Solvent, dispersing and stabilizing formulas
- Preservative booster, enhancing the antimicrobial activity of other preservatives
Ethylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:
The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure.
Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.
Learn more about EthylhexylglycerinGlycerin (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 GlycerinTocopherol 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 TocopherolTromethamine helps balance the pH and improve the texture of a product. It is synthetically created.
As an emulsifier, Tromethamine prevents oil and water ingredients from separating. This helps stabilize the product and elongate a product's shelf life. Tromethamine also makes a product thicker.
Tromethamine helps balance the pH level of a product. Normal pH level of skin is slightly acidic (~4.75-5.5). The acidity of our skin is maintained by our glands and skin biome. Being slightly acidic allows our skin to create an "acid mantle". This acid mantle is a thin barrier that protects our skin from bacteria and contaminants.
Oral Tromethanmine is an anti-inflammatory drug but plays the role of masking, adding fragrance, and/or balancing pH in skincare.
1,3-Propanediol, 2-amino-2-(hydroxymethyl)-
Learn more about TromethamineWater. 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
