What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningArgania Spinosa Kernel Oil
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantEmulsifying Wax Nf
Macrocystis Pyrifera Extract
Skin ConditioningPanthenol
Skin ConditioningOcimum Basilicum Oil
MaskingPersea Gratissima Oil
Skin ConditioningLonicera Caprifolium Flower Extract
PerfumingLonicera Japonica Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
AntioxidantHyssopus Officinalis Extract
MaskingSalvia Officinalis Leaf Extract
CleansingGlycine Soja Oil
EmollientDaucus Carota Sativa Seed Oil
EmollientWater, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Glycerin, Emulsifying Wax Nf, Macrocystis Pyrifera Extract, Panthenol, Ocimum Basilicum Oil, Persea Gratissima Oil, Lonicera Caprifolium Flower Extract, Lonicera Japonica Flower Extract, Tocopherol, Hyssopus Officinalis Extract, Salvia Officinalis Leaf Extract, Glycine Soja Oil, Daucus Carota Sativa Seed Oil
Water
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientHydrogenated Castor Oil/Sebacic Acid Copolymer
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantStearamidopropyl Dimethylamine
EmulsifyingLactic Acid
BufferingBetaine
HumectantDicaprylyl Ether
EmollientBehentrimonium Chloride
PreservativePhenoxyethanol
PreservativeMacadamia Integrifolia Seed Oil
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Vegetable Protein
Skin ConditioningMacadamia Seed Oil Polyglyceryl-6 Esters
EmollientHydroxypropyl Methylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingPropylene Glycol
HumectantDipropylene Glycol
HumectantParfum
MaskingSodium PCA
HumectantDecylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningArginine
MaskingSodium Lactate
BufferingSodium Chloride
MaskingCreatine
Skin ConditioningOrbignya Oleifera Seed Oil
EmollientPEG-8
HumectantSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantAspartic Acid
MaskingPCA
HumectantPanthenol
Skin ConditioningPhytic Acid
Glycine
BufferingAlanine
MaskingOlea Europaea Fruit Oil
MaskingArgania Spinosa Kernel Oil
EmollientSimmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
EmollientPentaclethra Macroloba Seed Oil
EmollientSodium Benzoate
MaskingSerine
MaskingValine
MaskingPEG-8/Smdi Copolymer
Proline
Skin ConditioningIsoleucine
Skin ConditioningThreonine
Sodium Polyacrylate
AbsorbentPalmitoyl Myristyl Serinate
Skin ConditioningPhenylalanine
MaskingHistidine
HumectantCitric Acid
BufferingTocopherol
AntioxidantWater, Cetearyl Alcohol, Hydrogenated Castor Oil/Sebacic Acid Copolymer, Glycerin, Stearamidopropyl Dimethylamine, Lactic Acid, Betaine, Dicaprylyl Ether, Behentrimonium Chloride, Phenoxyethanol, Macadamia Integrifolia Seed Oil, Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein, Macadamia Seed Oil Polyglyceryl-6 Esters, Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose, Propylene Glycol, Dipropylene Glycol, Parfum, Sodium PCA, Decylene Glycol, Arginine, Sodium Lactate, Sodium Chloride, Creatine, Orbignya Oleifera Seed Oil, PEG-8, Sodium Hyaluronate, Aspartic Acid, PCA, Panthenol, Phytic Acid, Glycine, Alanine, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Pentaclethra Macroloba Seed Oil, Sodium Benzoate, Serine, Valine, PEG-8/Smdi Copolymer, Proline, Isoleucine, Threonine, Sodium Polyacrylate, Palmitoyl Myristyl Serinate, Phenylalanine, Histidine, Citric Acid, Tocopherol
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
You may know this ingredient as argan oil. It has emollient and skin conditioning properties that help soften skin and reinforce the lipid barrier.
The fatty acid profile of argan oil is roughly 45-55% oleic acid, 28-36% linoleic acid, 10-15% palmitic acid, and 5-7% stearic acid. It also contains vitamin E, sterols, squalene, and polyphenols like ferulic acid.
Two clinical studies in postmenopausal women found that applying argan oil for 60 days significantly improved skin elasticity and moisturization (reduced transepidermal water loss and increased epidermal water content).
Since it is high in oleic and linoleic acid, this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe. Both of these fall in the C11-C24 range that Malassezia yeast can metabolize.
Learn more about Argania Spinosa Kernel OilGlycerin (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 PanthenolTocopherol 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