What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningNiacinamide
Smoothing
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Tranexamic Acid
Astringent
Inositol
Humectant
Arbutin
Antioxidant
Undecylenoyl Phenylalanine
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Yeast Ferment Extract
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
Antioxidant
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingHydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingTriethanolamine
BufferingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningWater
Skin ConditioningRetinyl Palmitate
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Arachis Hypogaea Oil
Skin Conditioning
Cyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Octyldodecanol
Emollient
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Coceth-7
EmulsifyingPPG-1-PEG-9 Lauryl Glycol Ether
EmulsifyingTriethanolamine
BufferingDimethiconol
Emollient
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingPEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingParfum
Masking
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Isohexadecane
EmollientDisodium EDTA
Polysorbate 80
Emulsifying
Sorbitan Oleate
Emulsifying
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Hydrolyzed Collagen
Emollient
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
T-Butyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Butylphenyl Methylpropional
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Benzyl Benzoate
Antimicrobial
Limonene
Perfuming
Hexyl Cinnamal
Perfuming
Water, Retinyl Palmitate, Glycerin, Arachis Hypogaea Oil, Cyclopentasiloxane, Butylene Glycol, Polysorbate 20, Octyldodecanol, Caprylyl Glycol, Hydroxyacetophenone, Pentylene Glycol, Coceth-7, PPG-1-PEG-9 Lauryl Glycol Ether, Triethanolamine, Dimethiconol, Carbomer, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Parfum, Tocopherol, Isohexadecane, Disodium EDTA, Polysorbate 80, Sorbitan Oleate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Hydrolyzed Collagen, 1,2-Hexanediol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Phenoxyethanol, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, T-Butyl Alcohol, Butylphenyl Methylpropional, Linalool, Benzyl Benzoate, Limonene, Hexyl Cinnamal
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
Butylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:
Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient that works well with other ingredients.
Though this ingredient works well with most skin types, some people with sensitive skin may experience a reaction such as allergic rashes, closed comedones, or itchiness.
Learn more about Butylene GlycolCarbomer is a high-molecular weight polymer of acrylic acid. It is used to form gels and thicken formulas.
Due to its large molecular size, carbomer has minimal skin penetration and is considered an inert ingredient.
A high amount of carbomer can cause pilling or balling up of products. Don't worry, most products contain 1% or less of carbomer.
Learn more about CarbomerGlycerin (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.
Sodium 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 TocopherolTriethanolamine (TEA) is an emulsifier and pH adjuster. It is created using ethylene oxide and ammonia. This gives Triethanolamine a nitrogen core and a similar scent to ammonia.
As an emulsifier, it prevents ingredients from separating and enhances texture by adding volume to a product.
PH adjusters are common in cosmetic products. The pH of a product can affect the effectiveness of other ingredients. A product with a high pH may also irritate the skin.
If you are looking for the tea leaf ingredient, click here.
Learn more about TriethanolamineWater. 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
