What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningPanax Ginseng Root Extract
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Polysilicone-11
Lauryl PEG-9 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone
Skin Conditioning
Chondrus Crispus Extract
Skin Conditioning
Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate
Antioxidant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Resveratrol
Antioxidant
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Acetyl Hexapeptide-49
Skin Conditioning
Ubiquinone
Antioxidant
Epigallocatechin Gallate
Antioxidant
Bisabolol
Antioxidant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPhospholipids
Skin Conditioning
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingRetinyl Palmitate
Skin Conditioning
Retinal
Skin Conditioning
Retinol
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingDisodium EDTA
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningWater, Panax Ginseng Root Extract, Glycerin, Polysorbate 20, Polysilicone-11, Lauryl PEG-9 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone, Chondrus Crispus Extract, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Resveratrol, Allantoin, Tocopherol, Acetyl Hexapeptide-49, Ubiquinone, Epigallocatechin Gallate, Bisabolol, Phenoxyethanol, Xanthan Gum, Phospholipids, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Retinyl Palmitate, Retinal, Retinol, Sodium Hydroxide, Disodium EDTA, Ethylhexylglycerin
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Glucose
Humectant
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Ascorbyl Glucoside
Antioxidant
Palmitoyl Oligopeptide
Cleansing
Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Skin Conditioning
Acetyl Glucosamine
Skin Conditioning
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Saccharomyces/Xylinum/Black Tea Ferment
Skin Conditioning
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingYeast Extract
Skin ConditioningDipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Humectant
Lithothamnion Calcareum Powder
Abrasive
Mica
Cosmetic ColorantThioctic Acid
Antioxidant
Retinyl Palmitate
Skin Conditioning
Ascorbic Acid
Antioxidant
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Beta-Carotene
Skin ConditioningHydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingPEG-14m
Emulsion StabilisingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingPolysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Sodium Borate
BufferingButylene Glycol
Humectant
Titanium Dioxide
Cosmetic Colorant
Disodium EDTA
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Methylisothiazolinone
Preservative
Water, Glycerin, Niacinamide, Glucose, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Palmitoyl Oligopeptide, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Acetyl Glucosamine, Panthenol, Saccharomyces/Xylinum/Black Tea Ferment, Xanthan Gum, Yeast Extract, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Lithothamnion Calcareum Powder, Mica, Thioctic Acid, Retinyl Palmitate, Ascorbic Acid, Tocopheryl Acetate, Beta-Carotene, Hydroxyethylcellulose, PEG-14m, Carbomer, Polysorbate 20, Sodium Borate, Butylene Glycol, Titanium Dioxide, Disodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol, Methylisothiazolinone
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Disodium EDTA is a chelating agent. It grabs onto and deactivates metal ions that sneak into your products from water, packaging, or air.
This ingredient mainly works behind the scenes and helps with:
On top of that, this ingredient can counteract the effects of hard water by binding to the minerals in it.
One thing worth knowing is that Disodium EDTA has been shown to be a mild penetration enhancer. It can help other ingredients absorb into skin more effectively which can be a double-edged sword (great for actives, but can also make the active too strong if you have sensitive skin).
Clinical patch testing showed no significant skin irritation at typical use concentrations and minimal dermal absorption.
You'll most likely see this ingredient near the end of an ingredient list. It's typically found in concentrations less than 1%.
Learn more about Disodium EDTAGlycerin (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.
Polysorbate 20 is a gentle, water-soluble emulsifier and mild surfactant. It stops oil and water from separating to keep your formulas blended and stable.
It also acts as a mild penetration enhancer by helping active ingredients absorb slightly better.
The common safety discussion around this ingredient involves a manufacturing byproduct called 1,4-dioxane.
Trace amounts can form during production but the EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety has concluded that levels at/below 10 ppm in finished products are safe (commercial products consistently fall within acceptable margins).
True allergic reactions are uncommon and the CIR Expert Panel has confirmed this ingredient to be safe as used in cosmetics.
Because it is derived from lauric acid, it may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Polysorbate 20Retinyl 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 PalmitateWater. 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
