What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Polyurethane-35
Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil
Emollient
Polyglyceryl-2 Caprate
EmulsifyingMethylpropanediol
SolventGlycerin
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Tri-C12-13 Alkyl Citrate
EmollientPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Palmitic Acid
Emollient
Phenylpropanol
Masking
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningTetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Citric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingCI 17200
Cosmetic ColorantCI 16035
Cosmetic ColorantCI 15985
Cosmetic ColorantCI 19140
Cosmetic ColorantCI 45380
Cosmetic ColorantCI 45410
Cosmetic ColorantCI 42090
Cosmetic ColorantCI 42053
Cosmetic ColorantCI 61570
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Polyurethane-35, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Polyglyceryl-2 Caprate, Methylpropanediol, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Tri-C12-13 Alkyl Citrate, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol, Panthenol, Stearic Acid, Palmitic Acid, Phenylpropanol, Tocopherol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Citric Acid, Sodium Hydroxide, CI 17200, CI 16035, CI 15985, CI 19140, CI 45380, CI 45410, CI 42090, CI 42053, CI 61570
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Ci 16035 is a synthetic dark-red dye. This dye is created from an acid called Allura red AC, an azo dye.
Azo dyes need to be purified thoroughly before use. This makes them more stable and longer lasting.
This dye is commonly used in foods, approved by both the FDA and EFSA.
Learn more about CI 16035CI 19140 is also known as Tartrazine. Tartrazine is a synthetic dye used in cosmetics, foods, and medicine to add a yellow color.
Tartrazine is created from petroleum and is water-soluble.
Some people may experience allergies from this dye, especially asthmatics and those with an aspirin intolerance.
Learn more about CI 19140Ci 42090 is a synthetic dye created from petroleum. It is used to give a bright blue color to cosmetics, medicine, and food.
CI 45410 is a synthetic red-pigment and dye.
It often goes by both Red 28 or Red 27; manufacturers label both ingredients as CI 45410.
This dye is commonly found in makeup because it imparts a vivid color. Some types of this dye change color based on pH level and interaction with moisture:
Your skin has a natural pH of around 4.5 - 5.5.
According to the FDA, CI 45410 is not permitted for use in eye products.
Red 27 is a flourescein dye and commonly used as a fluorescent tracer in medicine.
Learn more about CI 45410Glycerin (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 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.
Tocopherol 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 TocopherolWater. 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
