What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Dimethicone
Emollient
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialCetearyl Olivate
Sorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingTocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Oryza Sativa Bran Water
Masking
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Bacillus/Folic Acid Ferment Filtrate Extract
Antioxidant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide Complex
Squalane
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningSodium Gluconate
Skin ConditioningWater, Glycerin, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Dimethicone, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, Carbomer, Tocopheryl Acetate, Oryza Sativa Bran Water, Butylene Glycol, Bacillus/Folic Acid Ferment Filtrate Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Ceramide Complex, Squalane, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Gluconate
Water
Skin ConditioningPropylheptyl Caprylate
EmollientGlycerin
Humectant
Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-11
Emulsion StabilisingNiacinamide
Smoothing
Propanediol
Solvent
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
C15-19 Alkane
SolventDiheptyl Succinate
EmollientCapryloyl Glycerin/Sebacic Acid Copolymer
Skin ConditioningBifida Ferment Lysate
Skin Conditioning
Inulin
Skin Conditioning
Erythritol
Humectant
C12-15 Alkyl Lactate
EmollientGluconolactone
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Trehalose
Humectant
Betaine
Humectant
Acetyl Glucosamine
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide AP
Skin Conditioning
Glycosphingolipids
EmollientHydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Tetraacetylphytosphingosine
Skin ConditioningCholesterol
Emollient
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Phytosteryl/Octyldodecyl Lauroyl Glutamate
Skin ConditioningBeta-Glucan
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Avena Sativa Kernel Extract
Abrasive
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Sodium Gluconate
Skin ConditioningPolyacrylate Crosspolymer-6
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingWater, Propylheptyl Caprylate, Glycerin, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-11, Niacinamide, Propanediol, Pentylene Glycol, C15-19 Alkane, Diheptyl Succinate, Capryloyl Glycerin/Sebacic Acid Copolymer, Bifida Ferment Lysate, Inulin, Erythritol, C12-15 Alkyl Lactate, Gluconolactone, Sodium Benzoate, Trehalose, Betaine, Acetyl Glucosamine, Ceramide NP, Ceramide AP, Glycosphingolipids, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Tetraacetylphytosphingosine, Cholesterol, Stearic Acid, Xanthan Gum, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glyceryl Stearate, Cetearyl Alcohol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Phytosteryl/Octyldodecyl Lauroyl Glutamate, Beta-Glucan, Caprylyl Glycol, Avena Sativa Kernel Extract, Tocopheryl Acetate, Sodium Gluconate, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Sodium Hyaluronate, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Sodium Hydroxide
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
You might know this ingredient as Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, a more stable version of ascorbic acid.
Like other types of vitamin C, this ingredient has many benefits including reducing wrinkles, skin soothing, dark spot fading, and fighting against free radicals.
3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid interferes with the process of skin darkening, helping to reduce hyperpigmentation. It also encourages the skin to produce more collagen.
Once applied, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid is converted to Vitamin C deeper in the skin's layers. This process is slow but makes this ingredient more tolerable for skin.
The optimum pH range for this ingredient is 4 - 5.5
Learn more about 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic AcidCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride (aka MCT Oil) is a lightweight emollient, solvent, and texture enhancer. It is considered a skin-softener by helping to prevent moisture loss.
Though it behaves like an oil, it is not technically one due to its chemical composition. One perk of this ingredient is that it is very stable, resistant to oxidation, and unlikely to go rancid.
In practice, that translates to a long shelf life and a consistently elegant skin feel.
While there is an assumption Caprylic Triglyceride can clog pores due to it being derived from coconut oil, there is no research supporting this. Just patch test if you have concerns.
Fractionated coconut oil and MCT Oil are both listed as Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride according to INCI. This is because INCI names are based on the ingredient’s final chemical composition and not its marketing name or source.
This ingredient is treated as the gold standard fungal acne safe oil. Even though it is coconut derived, the problematic lauric acid is stripped out.
This leaves just caprylic (C8) and capric (C10) acid. These chain lengths actually trend antifungal; a 2020 study found caprylic acid was enough to disrupt Malassezia furfur cell membrane, with a caprylic acid derivative damaging membrane structures at concentrations as low as 0.2%.
Learn more about Caprylic/Capric TriglycerideGlycerin (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 GlycerinThis is the synthetic salt of gluconic acid, a form of PHA and mild exfoliant.
It is mainly used to stabilize oil and butter formulations from going bad. Sodium gluconate is a humectant, pH regulator, and chelating agent.
Chelating agents help neutralize unwanted metals from affecting the formulation.
Sodium gluconate is water-soluble.
Learn more about Sodium GluconateSodium 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 HyaluronateTocopheryl 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
