What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycolic Acid
BufferingSodium Glycolate
BufferingCetearyl Olivate
Pentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningCyclopentasiloxane
EmollientIsohexadecane
EmollientSorbitan Olivate
EmulsifyingTetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate
AntioxidantGlycerin
HumectantCeresin
Emulsion StabilisingGlycol Palmitate
EmulsifyingButylene Glycol
HumectantNiacinamide
SmoothingSqualane
EmollientMethyl Gluceth-20
HumectantEthyl Lactyl Retinoate
AbrasivePalmitoyl Tripeptide-1
Skin ConditioningPalmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Skin ConditioningCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningHyaluronic Acid
HumectantUbiquinone
AntioxidantTocopherol
AntioxidantBisabolol
AntioxidantTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantSuperoxide Dismutase
AntioxidantButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningAllantoin Glycyrrhetinic Acid
Skin ProtectingSodium PCA
HumectantPanthenol
Skin ConditioningCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialPortulaca Oleracea Extract
Skin ConditioningLinoleic Acid
CleansingCholesterol
EmollientLinolenic Acid
CleansingMagnesium Aluminum Silicate
AbsorbentDimethyl Isosorbide
SolventDimethicone
EmollientGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientPEG-100 Stearate
SurfactantSteareth-2
EmulsifyingHydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingAcacia Senegal Gum
MaskingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingHydrated Silica
AbrasiveCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingPolysorbate 20
EmulsifyingTromethamine
BufferingDisodium EDTA
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeCI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Glycolic Acid, Sodium Glycolate, Cetearyl Olivate, Pentylene Glycol, Cyclopentasiloxane, Isohexadecane, Sorbitan Olivate, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Glycerin, Ceresin, Glycol Palmitate, Butylene Glycol, Niacinamide, Squalane, Methyl Gluceth-20, Ethyl Lactyl Retinoate, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Ceramide NP, Hyaluronic Acid, Ubiquinone, Tocopherol, Bisabolol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Superoxide Dismutase, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Allantoin Glycyrrhetinic Acid, Sodium PCA, Panthenol, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Portulaca Oleracea Extract, Linoleic Acid, Cholesterol, Linolenic Acid, Magnesium Aluminum Silicate, Dimethyl Isosorbide, Dimethicone, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Steareth-2, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Acacia Senegal Gum, Xanthan Gum, Hydrated Silica, Carbomer, Polysorbate 20, Tromethamine, Disodium EDTA, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenoxyethanol, CI 77891
Isononyl Isononanoate
EmollientCamelina Sativa Seed Oil
Skin ConditioningC12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialMethyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer
Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin ConditioningWater
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
SolventDi-C20-40 Alkyl Dimer Dilinoleate
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantParfum
MaskingSorbitan Stearate
EmulsifyingChlorphenesin
AntimicrobialSimmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
EmollientCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingHydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
HumectantChlorella Vulgaris Extract
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
AntioxidantAnogeissus Leiocarpa Bark Extract
Skin ConditioningSodium Dehydroacetate
PreservativeHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
EmollientHydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin
MaskingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeLinalool
PerfumingCitronellol
PerfumingButylphenyl Methylpropional
PerfumingCananga Odorata Flower Oil
MaskingEugenia Caryophyllus Bud Oil
MaskingPhytosterols
Skin ConditioningLimonene
PerfumingGelidium Cartilagineum Extract
Skin ProtectingHydroxycitronellal
PerfumingPadina Pavonica Thallus Extract
Skin ConditioningGeraniol
PerfumingBenzyl Alcohol
PerfumingEugenol
PerfumingPalmitoyl Tripeptide-38
Skin ConditioningIsononyl Isononanoate, Camelina Sativa Seed Oil, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Methyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Water, Propanediol, Di-C20-40 Alkyl Dimer Dilinoleate, Glycerin, Parfum, Sorbitan Stearate, Chlorphenesin, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Chlorella Vulgaris Extract, Tocopherol, Anogeissus Leiocarpa Bark Extract, Sodium Dehydroacetate, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin, Phenoxyethanol, Linalool, Citronellol, Butylphenyl Methylpropional, Cananga Odorata Flower Oil, Eugenia Caryophyllus Bud Oil, Phytosterols, Limonene, Gelidium Cartilagineum Extract, Hydroxycitronellal, Padina Pavonica Thallus Extract, Geraniol, Benzyl Alcohol, Eugenol, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-38
Reviews
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 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