What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
Solvent
3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
PEG-12 Dimethicone
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Ectoin
Skin Conditioning
Ascorbic Acid
Antioxidant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Carnosine
Skin Conditioning
PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Dimethicone
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Citric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Gluconate
Skin ConditioningSodium Metabisulfite
Antioxidant
Sphingomonas Ferment Extract
Skin Conditioning
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningSodium Chloride
MaskingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Lactate
Buffering
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Acetyl Hexapeptide-8
Humectant
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Skin Conditioning
Water, Propanediol, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Pentylene Glycol, PEG-12 Dimethicone, Glycerin, Ectoin, Ascorbic Acid, Tocopherol, Carnosine, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Dimethicone, Phenoxyethanol, Propylene Glycol, Butylene Glycol, Citric Acid, Sodium Gluconate, Sodium Metabisulfite, Sphingomonas Ferment Extract, Xanthan Gum, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Chloride, Carbomer, Sodium Lactate, Polysorbate 20, Sodium Benzoate, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Water
Skin ConditioningAzelaic Acid
Buffering
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Propanediol
Solvent
Octyldodecyl Neopentanoate
EmollientAlpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide
Cleansing
Ectoin
Skin Conditioning
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Bisabolol
Antioxidant
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Polymnia Sonchifolia Root Juice
Skin ConditioningDimethicone
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Polyglyceryl-2 Stearate
Emulsifying
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Stearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Sclerotium Gum
Emulsion StabilisingMaltodextrin
Absorbent
Sodium Gluconate
Skin ConditioningEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Lactobacillus
Skin ConditioningPantolactone
Humectant
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Heptapeptide-6
Skin Conditioning
Water, Azelaic Acid, Pentylene Glycol, Propanediol, Octyldodecyl Neopentanoate, Alpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide, Ectoin, Panthenol, Bisabolol, Allantoin, Tocopherol, Polymnia Sonchifolia Root Juice, Dimethicone, Phenoxyethanol, Polyglyceryl-2 Stearate, Glyceryl Stearate, Stearyl Alcohol, Sclerotium Gum, Maltodextrin, Sodium Gluconate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Glycerin, Lactobacillus, Pantolactone, Caprylyl Glycol, Heptapeptide-6
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Dimethicone is a type of synthetic silicone created from natural materials such as quartz. It is also known as polydimethylsiloxane.
What it does:
Dimethicone comes in different viscosities:
Depending on the viscosity, dimethicone has different properties.
Ingredients lists don't always show which type is used, so we recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about the viscosity.
This ingredient is unlikely to cause irritation because it does not get absorbed into skin. However, people with silicone allergies should be careful about using this ingredient.
Note: Dimethicone may contribute to pilling. This is because it is not oil or water soluble, so pilling may occur when layered with products. When mixed with heavy oils in a formula, the outcome is also quite greasy.
Learn more about DimethiconeEctoin is a compound found naturally in some species of bacteria. It can be synthetically created for skincare use.
This ingredient is an osmolyte; Osmolytes help organisms survive osmotic shock (it protects them from extreme conditions). It does this by influencing the properties of biological fluids within cells.
When applied to the skin, ectoin helps bind water molecules to protect our skin. The water forms a sort of armor for the parts of our skin cells, enzymes, proteins, and more.
Besides this, ectoin has many uses in skincare:
A study from 2004 found ectoin to counteract the damage from UV-A exposure at different cell levels. It has also been shown to protect skin against both UV-A, UV-B rays, infrared light, and visible light.
Studies show ectoin to have dual-action pollution protection: first, it protects our skin from further pollution damage. Second, it helps repair damage from pollution.
In fact, ectoin has been shown to help with:
Fun fact: In the EU, ectoin is used in inhalation medication as an anti-pollution ingredient.
Ectoin is a highly stable ingredient. It has a wide pH range of 1-9. Light, oxygen, and temperature do not affect this ingredient.
The chemical name for this ingredient is Tetrahydromethylpyrimidine Carboxylic Acid.
Learn more about EctoinEthylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:
The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure.
Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.
Learn more about EthylhexylglycerinGlycerin (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 GlycerinPentylene glycol is typically used within a product to thicken it. It also adds a smooth, soft, and moisturizing feel to the product. It is naturally found in plants such as sugar beets.
The hydrophilic trait of Pentylene Glycol makes it a humectant. As a humectant, Pentylene Glycol helps draw moisture from the air to your skin. This can help keep your skin hydrated.
This property also makes Pentylene Glycol a great texture enhancer. It can also help thicken or stabilize a product.
Pentylene Glycol also acts as a mild preservative and helps to keep a product microbe-free.
Some people may experience mild eye and skin irritation from Pentylene Glycol. We always recommend speaking with a professional about using this ingredient in your routine.
Pentylene Glycol has a low molecular weight and is part of the 1,2-glycol family.
Learn more about Pentylene GlycolPhenoxyethanol 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.
Propanediol is an all-star ingredient. It softens, hydrates, and smooths the skin.Â
It’s often used to:
Propanediol is not likely to cause sensitivity and considered safe to use. It is derived from corn or petroleum with a clear color and no scent.
Learn more about PropanediolThis is the synthetic salt of gluconic acid, a form of PHA and mild exfoliant.
It is mainly used to stabilize oil and butter formulations from going bad. Sodium gluconate is a humectant, pH regulator, and chelating agent.
Chelating agents help neutralize unwanted metals from affecting the formulation.
Sodium gluconate is water-soluble.
Learn more about Sodium GluconateTocopherol 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
