What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
Solvent
Jojoba Oil/Macadamia Seed Oil Esters
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl Caprylate/Caprate
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-11
Emulsion StabilisingGlycine Soja Seed Extract
Skin Conditioning
Oryza Sativa Bran Extract
Skin Conditioning
Squalene
Emollient
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Phytosteryl Macadamiate
Skin Conditioning
Paeonia Albiflora Root Extract
Skin ConditioningGluconolactone
Skin Conditioning
Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Phytosterols
Skin Conditioning
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialHelianthus Annuus Extract
Emollient
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Chondrus Crispus Extract
Skin Conditioning
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPotassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Citric Acid
Buffering
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Water, Propanediol, Jojoba Oil/Macadamia Seed Oil Esters, Caprylyl Caprylate/Caprate, Glycerin, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-11, Glycine Soja Seed Extract, Oryza Sativa Bran Extract, Squalene, Sodium Hyaluronate, Tocopherol, Phytosteryl Macadamiate, Paeonia Albiflora Root Extract, Gluconolactone, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Phytosterols, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Helianthus Annuus Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Chondrus Crispus Extract, Xanthan Gum, Ethylhexylglycerin, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Citric Acid, Phenoxyethanol
Water
Skin ConditioningCetyl Ethylhexanoate
EmollientGlycerin
Humectant
Propanediol
Solvent
Cocos Nucifera Oil
Masking
Squalane
Emollient
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Camellia Japonica Seed Oil
Emollient
Methyl Trimethicone
Skin Conditioning
Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Cetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingOpuntia Ficus-Indica Seed Oil
Emollient
Dioscorea Japonica Root Extract
Skin Conditioning
Arginine
Masking
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Oryza Sativa Bran Extract
Skin Conditioning
Helianthus Annuus Extract
Emollient
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialTocopherol
Antioxidant
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Parfum
Masking
Sodium Polyacrylate
Absorbent
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSodium Phytate
Benzyl Salicylate
Perfuming
Hexyl Cinnamal
Perfuming
Limonene
Perfuming
Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone
Perfuming
Geraniol
Perfuming
Water, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Glycerin, Propanediol, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Squalane, Butylene Glycol, Camellia Japonica Seed Oil, Methyl Trimethicone, Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil, 1,2-Hexanediol, Cetyl Phosphate, Opuntia Ficus-Indica Seed Oil, Dioscorea Japonica Root Extract, Arginine, Sodium Hyaluronate, Oryza Sativa Bran Extract, Helianthus Annuus Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Tocopherol, Cetyl Alcohol, Caprylyl Glycol, Parfum, Sodium Polyacrylate, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Phytate, Benzyl Salicylate, Hexyl Cinnamal, Limonene, Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone, Geraniol
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 GlycerinHelianthus Annuus Extract comes from the common sunflower.
Sunflowers are rich in vitamin E. Studies show sunflowers contain antimicrobial and antioxidant properties.
The fatty acids found in sunflowers include (from highest amount to least): linoleic acid, myristic acid, palmitic acid, stearic acid, arachidic acid, oleic acid, and linolenic acid.
These fatty acids hydrate your skin. Emollients create a film on the skin to prevent moisture from escaping.
Learn more about Helianthus Annuus ExtractOryza Sativa Bran Extract comes from the outer layer of a rice kernel. It is a byproduct of milling rice, or the operation to produce a whole grain rice product.
This ingredient has moisturizing properties due to its components of polysaccharides and omega-3 fatty acids. It also contains calcium, selenium, phosphorus, iron, and zinc.
Oryza Sativa Bran Extract contains numerous antioxidants such as ferulic acid. Antioxidants help fight free-radical molecules. Free-radical molecules are capable of damaging our cells and other genetic material.
Learn more about Oryza Sativa Bran ExtractPropanediol 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 a botanical extract from the rosemary plant (the same one you cook with). In skincare, it mostly works as a skin conditioning agent.
Its activity comes from a handful of polyphenols, carnosic acid, carnosol, and rosmarinic acid. Almost 90% of the antioxidant activity of this ingredient can be attributed to canosol and carnosic acid.
These compounds protect your skin two ways:
1) They fight off free radicals, or the unstable molecules from things like sun and pollution that age and damage skin.
2) They help calm inflammation by switching off the chemical signals that tell skin to get red and irritated.
Lab studies also suggest that rosmarinic acid may help protect collagen and slow sugar-related damage to it.
The Cosmetic Ingredient Review has concluded rosemary-derived ingredients to be safe when formulated to be non-sensitizing.
Rosemary can occasionally cause allergic contact dermatitis (due to carnosol), so be sure to patch test if you have reactive or fragrance-sensitive skin.
Learn more about Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf ExtractSodium Hyaluronate is the salt form of hyaluronic acid. It is a long sugar chain that is naturally found in your skin, joints, and connective tissue that maintains hydration and elasticity.
In skincare, it works as a humectant. It pulls water from the environment and deeper layers of skin and binds it to the surface.
Interestingly, the size of the molecule affects its behavior:
Some clinical evidence links low molecular weight versions to improved wrinkle depth, elasticity, anti-inflammatory effects, and barrier repair.
Many serums use a blend of both weights so you can get surface hydration plus longer-lasting and deeper effects.
You'll typically see concentrations between 0.1-2% for this ingredient.
Learn more about Sodium HyaluronateTocopherol 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 WaterXanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.
On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.
Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.
Learn more about Xanthan Gum
