What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningHydrogenated Polyisobutene
EmollientGlycerin
Humectant
Cera Microcristallina
Emulsion StabilisingDimethicone
Emollient
Undecane
EmollientTridecane
Perfuming
PEG/PPG-18/18 Dimethicone
Emulsifying
Silica
Abrasive
Alcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Polymethylsilsesquioxane
Ethylhexyl Palmitate
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Lauryl PEG-9 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone
Skin Conditioning
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Magnesium Sulfate
Disteardimonium Hectorite
StabilisingGlucosamine Hcl
Tribehenin
Emollient
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Disodium EDTA
Hydroxyethyl Urea
Humectant
Sorbitan Isostearate
Emulsifying
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Yeast Extract
Skin ConditioningBiosaccharide Gum-1
Humectant
Palmitoyl Oligopeptide
Cleansing
Silybum Marianum Extract
Skin Conditioning
Water, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Glycerin, Cera Microcristallina, Dimethicone, Undecane, Tridecane, PEG/PPG-18/18 Dimethicone, Silica, Alcohol Denat., Tocopheryl Acetate, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Phenoxyethanol, Lauryl PEG-9 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone, Tocopherol, Magnesium Sulfate, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Glucosamine Hcl, Tribehenin, Caprylyl Glycol, Allantoin, Disodium EDTA, Hydroxyethyl Urea, Sorbitan Isostearate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Yeast Extract, Biosaccharide Gum-1, Palmitoyl Oligopeptide, Silybum Marianum Extract
Octyldodecanol
Emollient
C18-38 Alkyl Hydroxystearoyl Stearate
EmollientRicinus Communis Seed Oil
Masking
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Glycerin
Humectant
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-2
Emollient
Water
Skin ConditioningPolyglyceryl-3 Diisostearate
Emulsifying
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emollient
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate
Antioxidant
Bisabolol
Antioxidant
Beeswax
Emulsion Stabilising
C20-40 Alkyl Stearate
Skin ConditioningMagnesium Stearate
Cosmetic ColorantMagnesium Sulfate
Octyldodecanol, C18-38 Alkyl Hydroxystearoyl Stearate, Ricinus Communis Seed Oil, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glycerin, Panthenol, Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-2, Water, Polyglyceryl-3 Diisostearate, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Tocopherol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Bisabolol, Beeswax, C20-40 Alkyl Stearate, Magnesium Stearate, Magnesium Sulfate
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 GlycerinMagnesium Sulfate is a salt. More specifically, it is an epsom salt, or the bath salt used to help relieve muscle aches.
Despite having ‘sulfate’ in the name, it isn’t a surfactant or cleansing agent like sodium lauryl sulfate. Unlike those sulfates, magnesium sulfate doesn’t have the same cleansing or foaming properties (it's simply a type of salt).
In cosmetics, Magnesium Sulfate is used to thicken a product or help dilute other solids. It is a non-reactive and non-irritating ingredient.
One study shows magnesium deficiency may lead to inflammation of the skin. Applying magnesium topically may help reduce inflammation.
You can find this ingredient in sea water or mineral deposits.
Learn more about Magnesium SulfateTocopherol 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 TocopherolTocopheryl Acetate is AKA Vitamin E. It is an antioxidant and protects your skin from free radicals. Free radicals damage the skin by breaking down collagen.
One study found using Tocopheryl Acetate with Vitamin C decreased the number of sunburned cells.
Tocopheryl Acetate is commonly found in both skincare and dietary supplements.
Learn more about Tocopheryl AcetateWater. 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
