What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningDecyl Glucoside
Cleansing
Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate
EmulsifyingParfum
Masking
Glycerin
Humectant
Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride
Skin ConditioningPanthenol
Skin Conditioning
Hydrolyzed Rice Protein
Skin ConditioningButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Ricinus Communis Seed Oil
Masking
Mauritia Flexuosa Fruit Oil
Skin Conditioning
Niacin
SmoothingHydrolyzed Wheat Protein
Skin ConditioningMentha Piperita Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningAcetic Acid
BufferingYeast Extract
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Wheat Starch
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Keratin
Humectant
Glycine Soja Oil
Emollient
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Trifolium Pratense Flower Extract
AstringentCaramel
Cosmetic ColorantCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Caprylhydroxamic Acid
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Water, Decyl Glucoside, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Parfum, Glycerin, Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Panthenol, Hydrolyzed Rice Protein, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Ricinus Communis Seed Oil, Mauritia Flexuosa Fruit Oil, Niacin, Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein, Mentha Piperita Leaf Extract, Acetic Acid, Yeast Extract, Hydrolyzed Wheat Starch, Hydrolyzed Keratin, Glycine Soja Oil, Tocopherol, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Trifolium Pratense Flower Extract, Caramel, Caprylyl Glycol, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate
Cleansing
Cocamide Mea
Emulsifying
Glycerin
Humectant
Cocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Avena Sativa Bran Extract
Abrasive
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Polyquaternium-10
Glycol Distearate
Emollient
Coco-Glucoside
Cleansing
Glyceryl Oleate
Emollient
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Polyquaternium-7
Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride
Skin ConditioningPEG-150 Distearate
Emulsifying
Citric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate
Antimicrobial
Hydrogenated Palm Glycerides Citrate
Emollient
Magnesium Nitrate
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingMethylisothiazolinone
Preservative
Methylchloroisothiazolinone
Preservative
Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate
CleansingSodium Acetate
BufferingMagnesium Chloride
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Sodium Chloride
MaskingWater, Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate, Cocamide Mea, Glycerin, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Avena Sativa Bran Extract, Panthenol, Tocopherol, Polyquaternium-10, Glycol Distearate, Coco-Glucoside, Glyceryl Oleate, Butylene Glycol, Polyquaternium-7, Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, PEG-150 Distearate, Citric Acid, Sodium Benzoate, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Hydrogenated Palm Glycerides Citrate, Magnesium Nitrate, Sodium Hydroxide, Methylisothiazolinone, Methylchloroisothiazolinone, Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate, Sodium Acetate, Magnesium Chloride, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Chloride
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 GlycerinThis ingredient is derived from guar gum. It is a skin conditioning agent that creates a thin, breathable film to reduce water loss during cleansing.
This leaves the skin feeling soft rather than stripped and also contributes to a creamier lather.
Due to the large molecule size, this ingredient is unlikely to penetrate skin.
Learn more about Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium ChloridePanthenol 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 PanthenolSodium Benzoate is a preservative. It's used in both cosmetic and food products to inhibit the growth of mold and bacteria. It is typically produced synthetically.
Both the US FDA and EU Health Committee have approved the use of sodium benzoate. In the US, levels of 0.1% (of the total product) are allowed.
Sodium benzoate works as a preservative by inhibiting the growth of bacteria inside of cells. It prevents the cell from fermenting a type of sugar using an enzyme called phosphofructokinase.
It is the salt of benzoic acid. Foods containing sodium benzoate include soda, salad dressings, condiments, fruit juices, wines, and snack foods.
Studies for using ascorbic acid and sodium benzoate in cosmetics are lacking, especially in skincare routines with multiple steps.
We always recommend speaking with a professional, such as a dermatologist, if you have any concerns.
Learn more about Sodium BenzoateTocopherol 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
