What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningMethylpropanediol
Solvent3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid
Skin ConditioningC12-14 Alketh-12
Emulsifying1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningAcetyl Glycyl Beta-Alanine
Skin ConditioningGlycereth-26
HumectantFerulic Acid
AntimicrobialHexylresorcinol
AntimicrobialGlucosylrutin
AntioxidantXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingTromethamine
BufferingButylene Glycol
Humectant4-Butylresorcinol
AntioxidantDisodium EDTA
Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningOcimum Sanctum Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningMelia Azadirachta Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningCurcuma Longa Root Extract
MaskingCorallina Officinalis Extract
Skin ConditioningPolyquaternium-51
Skin ConditioningEthyl Hexanediol
SolventSolanum Lycopersicum Fruit Extract
AntioxidantResveratrol
AntioxidantTocopherol
AntioxidantPolyglyceryl-10 Laurate
Skin ConditioningGlutathione
Hydrogenated Lecithin
EmulsifyingSoluble Collagen
HumectantWater, Methylpropanediol, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, C12-14 Alketh-12, 1,2-Hexanediol, Pentylene Glycol, Acetyl Glycyl Beta-Alanine, Glycereth-26, Ferulic Acid, Hexylresorcinol, Glucosylrutin, Xanthan Gum, Tromethamine, Butylene Glycol, 4-Butylresorcinol, Disodium EDTA, Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract, Ocimum Sanctum Leaf Extract, Glycerin, Ethylhexylglycerin, Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract, Curcuma Longa Root Extract, Corallina Officinalis Extract, Polyquaternium-51, Ethyl Hexanediol, Solanum Lycopersicum Fruit Extract, Resveratrol, Tocopherol, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Glutathione, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Soluble Collagen
Water
Skin Conditioning3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid
Skin ConditioningBiosaccharide Gum-1
HumectantDipropylene Glycol
HumectantPropanediol
SolventPropylene Glycol
HumectantDimethicone
EmollientAloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
EmollientMethyl Gluceth-20
HumectantPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeAmmonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
C13-16 Isoparaffin
SolventChlorphenesin
AntimicrobialFerulic Acid
AntimicrobialAdenosine
Skin ConditioningAllantoin
Skin ConditioningXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingDisodium EDTA
Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantHydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin
MaskingGlycerin
HumectantPolydextrose
HumectantPotassium Sorbate
PreservativeSodium Benzoate
MaskingTrideceth-9
Emulsifying1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningParfum
MaskingPEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
EmulsifyingPolysorbate 20
EmulsifyingWater, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Biosaccharide Gum-1, Dipropylene Glycol, Propanediol, Propylene Glycol, Dimethicone, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Methyl Gluceth-20, Phenoxyethanol, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, C13-16 Isoparaffin, Chlorphenesin, Ferulic Acid, Adenosine, Allantoin, Xanthan Gum, Disodium EDTA, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin, Glycerin, Polydextrose, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Trideceth-9, 1,2-Hexanediol, Parfum, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Polysorbate 20
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
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 AcidDisodium 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 EDTAFerulic Acid is a plant based antioxidant that can be naturally found in the cell walls of grains like rice, oats, and corn. It has antioxidant and antimicrobial properties, and has the ability to boost the performance of other antioxidants as well.
A well-known study found that adding Ferulic Acid to a solution of Vitamins C and E doubled the photoprotection of skin. This is why you'll often see it paired with Vitamin C or Vitamin E serums rather than sold on its own.
A 2025 review of 18 human studies found that using Ferulic Acid (0.5-1%) daily for one to three months showed improvements in:
As far as allergies go, Ferulic acid is generally well-tolerated but can cause an allergic reaction in very rare cases. It's also worth noting that Ferulic acid is often extracted from plant sources like rice bran or wheat bran, so be sure to path test if you have known grain allergies.
Outside of skincare, researchers are also looking into Ferulic Acid for its potential benefits in areas like diabetes, Alzheimer's, and heart health.
Learn more about Ferulic AcidGlycerin (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 GlycerinWater. 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