What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantChondrus Crispus Powder
AbrasiveTrehalose
HumectantHyaluronic Acid
HumectantCollagen
MoisturisingPunica Granatum Fruit Extract
AntioxidantRose Extract
Skin ConditioningBeta-Carotene
Skin ConditioningHoney Extract
HumectantLonicera Caprifolium Flower Extract
PerfumingMica
Cosmetic ColorantCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialArnica Montana Flower Extract
MaskingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeCocos Nucifera Oil
MaskingSclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil
HumectantJasminum Officinale Oil
MaskingWater, Glycerin, Chondrus Crispus Powder, Trehalose, Hyaluronic Acid, Collagen, Punica Granatum Fruit Extract, Rose Extract, Beta-Carotene, Honey Extract, Lonicera Caprifolium Flower Extract, Mica, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Arnica Montana Flower Extract, Phenoxyethanol, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Sclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil, Jasminum Officinale Oil
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantBetaine
HumectantNiacinamide
SmoothingPanthenol
Skin ConditioningTremella Fuciformis Extract
HumectantAllantoin
Skin ConditioningAscorbic Acid
AntioxidantCucumis Sativus Fruit Extract
EmollientChamomilla Recutita Extract
Skin ConditioningAloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
EmollientPhellinus Linteus Extract
Skin ConditioningChamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
MaskingArctium Lappa Root Extract
Skin ConditioningMadecassoside
AntioxidantCeramide NP
Skin Conditioning1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningDipotassium Glycyrrhizate
HumectantOctyldodecanol
EmollientTrehalose
HumectantHydrogenated Lecithin
EmulsifyingEthyl Hexanediol
SolventHydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeWater, Glycerin, Betaine, Niacinamide, Panthenol, Tremella Fuciformis Extract, Allantoin, Ascorbic Acid, Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract, Chamomilla Recutita Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Phellinus Linteus Extract, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Arctium Lappa Root Extract, Madecassoside, Ceramide NP, 1,2-Hexanediol, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Octyldodecanol, Trehalose, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Ethyl Hexanediol, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Caprylyl Glycol, Phenoxyethanol
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 GlycerinPhenoxyethanol 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 PhenoxyethanolTrehalose is a disaccharide made of two glucose molecules (glucose is sugar!). Trehalose is used to help moisturize skin. It also has antioxidant properties.
As a humectant, trehalose helps draw moisture from the air to your skin. This helps keep your skin hydrated.
Due to its antioxidant properties, trehalose may help with signs of aging. Antioxidants help fight free-radical molecules, unstable molecules that may damage your skin.
In medicine, trehalose and hyaluronic acid are used to help treat dry eyes.
Some animals, plants, and bacteria create trehalose as a source of energy to survive freeze or lack of water.
Learn more about TrehaloseWater. 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