What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Wheat Protein
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingBorago Officinalis Seed Oil
EmollientMica
Cosmetic ColorantTitanium Dioxide
Cosmetic ColorantLimnanthes Alba Seed Oil
Skin ConditioningKojic Acid
AntioxidantBisabolol
AntioxidantHydrolyzed Collagen
EmollientRetinyl Palmitate
Skin ConditioningHyaluronic Acid
HumectantPhospholipids
Skin ConditioningPrunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin ConditioningOlea Europaea Fruit Oil
MaskingAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder
Skin ConditioningAllantoin
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
AntioxidantLonicera Caprifolium Flower Extract
PerfumingWhey Protein
Skin ConditioningHamamelis Virginiana Water
AstringentSimmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
EmollientPropylene Glycol
HumectantEDTA
Dimethicone
EmollientTriethanolamine
BufferingCitric Acid
BufferingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeSorbic Acid
PreservativeCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientAcetyl Hexapeptide-8
HumectantWater, Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Borago Officinalis Seed Oil, Mica, Titanium Dioxide, Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil, Kojic Acid, Bisabolol, Hydrolyzed Collagen, Retinyl Palmitate, Hyaluronic Acid, Phospholipids, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder, Allantoin, Tocopherol, Lonicera Caprifolium Flower Extract, Whey Protein, Hamamelis Virginiana Water, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Propylene Glycol, EDTA, Dimethicone, Triethanolamine, Citric Acid, Phenoxyethanol, Sorbic Acid, Caprylyl Glycol, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8
Water
Skin ConditioningCyclopentasiloxane
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantIsononyl Isononanoate
EmollientHdi/Trimethylol Hexyllactone Crosspolymer
Butylene Glycol
HumectantStearoxymethicone/Dimethicone Copolymer
EmollientOctyldodecanol
EmollientDimethicone
EmollientPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeIsohexadecane
EmollientBoron Nitride
AbsorbentHydrolyzed Manihot Esculenta Tuber Extract
Skin ConditioningAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingCyclohexasiloxane
EmollientAmmonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate
Emulsion StabilisingPEG/PPG-18/18 Dimethicone
EmulsifyingAscorbyl Glucoside
AntioxidantCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientPotassium Hydroxide
BufferingTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantMethylparaben
PreservativeEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPolysorbate 80
EmulsifyingHydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
HumectantRetinyl Palmitate
Skin ConditioningSaccharomyces Cerevisiae Extract
Skin ConditioningEthylparaben
PreservativePolysorbate 20
EmulsifyingSilica
AbrasiveTetrasodium EDTA
Tetrapeptide-21
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
AntioxidantWater, Cyclopentasiloxane, Glycerin, Isononyl Isononanoate, Hdi/Trimethylol Hexyllactone Crosspolymer, Butylene Glycol, Stearoxymethicone/Dimethicone Copolymer, Octyldodecanol, Dimethicone, Phenoxyethanol, Isohexadecane, Boron Nitride, Hydrolyzed Manihot Esculenta Tuber Extract, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Cyclohexasiloxane, Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, PEG/PPG-18/18 Dimethicone, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Caprylyl Glycol, Potassium Hydroxide, Tocopheryl Acetate, Methylparaben, Ethylhexylglycerin, Polysorbate 80, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Retinyl Palmitate, Saccharomyces Cerevisiae Extract, Ethylparaben, Polysorbate 20, Silica, Tetrasodium EDTA, Tetrapeptide-21, Tocopherol
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Caprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.
Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.
Because it is not a free-fatty acid or alcohol, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolDimethicone 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 DimethiconeGlycerin (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.
Retinyl palmitate is a form of retinoid. Retinoids are the superstar class of anti-aging ingredients that include tretinoin and retinol.
This particular ingredient has had a bumpy year with its rise and fall in popularity.
First, Retinyl palmitate is created from palmitic acid and retinol. It is a retinol ester and considered one of the weaker forms of retinoid.
This is because all retinoids have to be converted to Tretinoin, AKA retinoic acid. Retinyl Palmitate is pretty far down the line and has to go through multiple conversions before its effects are seen.
Due to this long and ineffective conversion line, the benefits of Retinyl Palmitate are debated.
Studies show Retinyl Palmitate to help:
Dermatologists say this ingredient is ineffective because it isn't used in high enough concentrations in cosmetics.
This ingredient used to be found in sunscreens to boost the efficacy of sunscreen filters.
The downfall of Retinyl Palmitate was due to released reports about the ingredient being correlated to sun damage and skin tumors.
While there is a study showing this ingredient to cause DNA damage when exposed to UV-A, there is no concrete proof of it being linked to skin cancer. It is safe to use when used correctly.
All retinoids increase your skin's sensitivity to the sun in the first few months of usage. Be especially careful with reapplying sunscreen when using any form of retinoid.
Currently, this ingredient is still allowed in cosmetics all over the world. In Canada, cosmetics must have a warning label stating the product to contain Retinyl Palmitate
Fun fact: This ingredient is often added to low-fat milk to increase the levels of Vitamin A.
Learn more about Retinyl PalmitateTocopherol 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