What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantPropylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate
EmollientSimmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
EmollientEthylhexyl Stearate
EmollientCoco-Glucoside
CleansingPolyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate
EmulsifyingMyristyl Alcohol
EmollientGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientKaolin
AbrasivePrunus Persica Fruit Extract
AbrasiveSqualane
EmollientLimnanthes Alba Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningSorbitan Stearate
EmulsifyingAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingPalmitic Acid
EmollientStearic Acid
CleansingHydroxyacetophenone
AntioxidantSodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingDisodium EDTA
Butylene Glycol
HumectantPhytosteryl Glucoside/Glucosylceramide
Skin ConditioningSodium Oleate
CleansingTocopherol
AntioxidantCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningCholesterol
EmollientCeramide AP
Skin ConditioningCeramide As
Skin ConditioningCeramide Ns
Skin ConditioningCeramide Ng
Skin ConditioningCeramide EOP
Skin ConditioningDipropylene Glycol
HumectantPolyglyceryl-5 Laurate
EmulsifyingHydrogenated Lecithin
EmulsifyingSodium Benzoate
MaskingWater, Glycerin, Propylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Ethylhexyl Stearate, Coco-Glucoside, Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate, Myristyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, Kaolin, Prunus Persica Fruit Extract, Squalane, Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil, 1,2-Hexanediol, Sorbitan Stearate, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Palmitic Acid, Stearic Acid, Hydroxyacetophenone, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Xanthan Gum, Disodium EDTA, Butylene Glycol, Phytosteryl Glucoside/Glucosylceramide, Sodium Oleate, Tocopherol, Ceramide NP, Cholesterol, Ceramide AP, Ceramide As, Ceramide Ns, Ceramide Ng, Ceramide EOP, Dipropylene Glycol, Polyglyceryl-5 Laurate, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Sodium Benzoate
Water
Skin ConditioningCocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine
CleansingGlycolic Acid
BufferingGlycerin
HumectantPEG-6 Cocamide
EmulsifyingPolyacrylate Crosspolymer-6
Emulsion StabilisingDisodium Cocoyl Glutamate
CleansingHydroxyacetophenone
AntioxidantSuccinoglycan
Skin ConditioningSimmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
EmollientCalendula Officinalis Flower Extract
MaskingCitrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil
MaskingCitrus Paradisi Peel Oil
MaskingLeuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate
AntimicrobialUrea
BufferingAllantoin
Skin ConditioningPolyquaternium-51
Skin ConditioningTrehalose
HumectantCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantTocopherol
AntioxidantHydrogenated Palm Glycerides Citrate
EmollientGlyceryl Oleate
EmollientCoconut Acid
Cleansing1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningT-Butyl Alcohol
PerfumingCoco-Glucoside
CleansingSodium PCA
HumectantSodium Chloride
MaskingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingCitric Acid
BufferingPotassium Sorbate
PreservativeSodium Benzoate
MaskingLimonene
PerfumingWater, Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine, Glycolic Acid, Glycerin, PEG-6 Cocamide, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Disodium Cocoyl Glutamate, Hydroxyacetophenone, Succinoglycan, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil, Citrus Paradisi Peel Oil, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Urea, Allantoin, Polyquaternium-51, Trehalose, Caprylyl Glycol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Tocopherol, Hydrogenated Palm Glycerides Citrate, Glyceryl Oleate, Coconut Acid, 1,2-Hexanediol, T-Butyl Alcohol, Coco-Glucoside, Sodium PCA, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Hydroxide, Citric Acid, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Limonene
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
1,2-Hexanediol is a synthetic liquid and another multi-functional powerhouse.
It is a:
- Humectant, drawing moisture into the skin
- Emollient, helping to soften skin
- Solvent, dispersing and stabilizing formulas
- Preservative booster, enhancing the antimicrobial activity of other preservatives
Coco-Glucoside is a surfactant, or a cleansing ingredient. It is made from glucose and coconut oil.
Surfactants help gather dirt, oil, and other pollutants from your skin to be rinsed away.
This ingredient is considered gentle and non-comedogenic. However, it may still be irritating for some.
Learn more about Coco-GlucosideGlycerin (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 GlycerinHydroxyacetophenone is antioxidant with skin conditioning and soothing properties. It also boosts the efficiency of preservatives.
Though naturally occuring in Norwegian spruce needles, this ingredient is usually synthetically created.
This ingredient is not irritating or sensitizing. Recent research also suggests it may have skin-brightening effects through tyrosinase inhibition.
Learn more about HydroxyacetophenoneJojoba oil is one of the most well-studied plant-derived ingredients in cosmetics. It is an emollient with a special structure.
Because it is made up of 97-98% wax esters, it closely mirrors the linear monoesters found in human sebum. This makes it skin compatible, non-greasy, and lightweight.
Unlike other plant oils, jojoba wax doesn't easily penetrate skin. It mostly works in the uppermost layers as an emollient. This just means it forms a light barrier on the skin to help retain moisture.
Formulations with jojoba esters up to 90% reduced transepidermal water loss (TEWL) and increased barrier recovery by 81% (outperforming bisabolol at 47%).
Besides barrier support, the science also suggests jojoba to have anti-inflammatory effects and potential applications for skin infections, aging, and wound healing.
Fun fact: Indigenous cultures have used jojoba as a moisturizer and to help treat burns for centuries.
Due to its fatty acid content, Jojoba oil may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Simmondsia Chinensis Seed OilSodium Benzoate is a preservative. It's used in both cosmetic and food products to inhibit the growth of mold and bacteria. It is typically produced synthetically.
Both the US FDA and EU Health Committee have approved the use of sodium benzoate. In the US, levels of 0.1% (of the total product) are allowed.
Sodium benzoate works as a preservative by inhibiting the growth of bacteria inside of cells. It prevents the cell from fermenting a type of sugar using an enzyme called phosphofructokinase.
It is the salt of benzoic acid. Foods containing sodium benzoate include soda, salad dressings, condiments, fruit juices, wines, and snack foods.
Studies for using ascorbic acid and sodium benzoate in cosmetics are lacking, especially in skincare routines with multiple steps.
We always recommend speaking with a professional, such as a dermatologist, if you have any concerns.
Learn more about Sodium BenzoateTocopherol 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