What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningEthylhexyl Methoxycinnamate
UV Absorber
Ethylhexyl Salicylate
UV Absorber
Homosalate
Skin Conditioning
Benzophenone-3
UV Absorber
Alcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Melanin
Skin ProtectingGlycerin
Humectant
Sorbitan Stearate
Emulsifying
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane
UV Absorber
Polysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Butylparaben
Masking
Ethylparaben
Preservative
Propylparaben
Preservative
Methylal
SolventCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingWater
Skin ConditioningC12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialArginine
Masking
Phenylbenzimidazole Sulfonic Acid
UV Absorber
Disodium Phenyl Dibenzimidazole Tetrasulfonate
UV Absorber
Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine
Skin Conditioning
Titanium Dioxide
Cosmetic Colorant
Hexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingC14-22 Alcohols
Emulsion Stabilising
C12-20 Alkyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingDiethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate
UV Filter
Nylon-12
Myristyl Alcohol
Emollient
Dipropylene Glycol Dibenzoate
EmollientDiethylhexyl Butamido Triazone
UV Absorber
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Polypodium Leucotomos Leaf Extract
Skin Protecting
Ethylhexyl Ferulate
Antioxidant
Ferulic Acid
Antimicrobial
Caffeic Acid
Antioxidant
Physalis Angulata Extract
Skin ProtectingCeteareth-25
CleansingCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Melanin
Skin ProtectingMyristyl Glucoside
CleansingEthylhexyl Triazone
UV Absorber
Caprylyl Methicone
Skin Conditioning
Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein/Pvp Crosspolymer
Glycerin
Humectant
3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Alumina
Abrasive
PPG-15 Stearyl Ether Benzoate
EmollientDisodium Ethylene Dicocamide PEG-15 Disulfate
Cleansing
Camellia Sinensis Extract
Antioxidant
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningTocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPhytosphingosine Hcl
Skin ConditioningArabidopsis Thaliana Extract
Antioxidant
Ethyl Lauroyl Arginate Hcl
Skin ConditioningPanthenyl Triacetate
Parfum
Masking
Simethicone
Emollient
Oxothiazolidine
Skin ProtectingDisodium EDTA
Silica
Abrasive
Ethyl Linoleate
Emollient
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Oleyl Alcohol
Emollient
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Lecithin
Emollient
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Linalool
Perfuming
Limonene
Perfuming
Water, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Arginine, Phenylbenzimidazole Sulfonic Acid, Disodium Phenyl Dibenzimidazole Tetrasulfonate, Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine, Titanium Dioxide, Hexylene Glycol, C14-22 Alcohols, C12-20 Alkyl Glucoside, Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate, Nylon-12, Myristyl Alcohol, Dipropylene Glycol Dibenzoate, Diethylhexyl Butamido Triazone, Phenoxyethanol, Polypodium Leucotomos Leaf Extract, Ethylhexyl Ferulate, Ferulic Acid, Caffeic Acid, Physalis Angulata Extract, Ceteareth-25, Caprylyl Glycol, Melanin, Myristyl Glucoside, Ethylhexyl Triazone, Caprylyl Methicone, Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein/Pvp Crosspolymer, Glycerin, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Alumina, PPG-15 Stearyl Ether Benzoate, Disodium Ethylene Dicocamide PEG-15 Disulfate, Camellia Sinensis Extract, Ethylhexylglycerin, Tocopheryl Acetate, Xanthan Gum, Phytosphingosine Hcl, Arabidopsis Thaliana Extract, Ethyl Lauroyl Arginate Hcl, Panthenyl Triacetate, Parfum, Simethicone, Oxothiazolidine, Disodium EDTA, Silica, Ethyl Linoleate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Oleyl Alcohol, Butylene Glycol, Lecithin, Sodium Benzoate, Tocopherol, Linalool, Limonene
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Glycerin (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 GlycerinWe don't have a description for Melanin yet.
Phenoxyethanol 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
