What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Hydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingSaccharide Isomerate
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Ascophyllum Nodosum Extract
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
Antioxidant
Coco-Caprylate
Emollient
Cetearyl Olivate
Sorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingParfum
Masking
Citric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Citrate
BufferingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Limonene
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Cetearyl Olivate
Sorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Squalane
Emollient
Triisononanoin
Skin ConditioningXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingBisabolol
Antioxidant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Sodium PCA
Humectant
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingLonicera Japonica Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Cholesteryl Oleyl Carbonate
Skin ConditioningLonicera Caprifolium Flower Extract
Perfuming
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Cholesteryl Chloride
Skin ConditioningCholesteryl Nonanoate
EmollientSodium Hydroxide
BufferingSorbic Acid
Preservative
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Opuntia Ficus-Indica Stem Extract
Skin Conditioning
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder
Skin Conditioning
Phytic Acid
Spirulina Platensis Extract
Skin ProtectingAcetyl Tributyl Citrate
Masking
Phenyl T-Butylnitrone
Antioxidant
Citric Acid
Buffering
Water, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, Squalane, Triisononanoin, Xanthan Gum, Bisabolol, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium PCA, Carbomer, Lonicera Japonica Flower Extract, Caprylyl Glycol, Cholesteryl Oleyl Carbonate, Lonicera Caprifolium Flower Extract, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Cholesteryl Chloride, Cholesteryl Nonanoate, Sodium Hydroxide, Sorbic Acid, Potassium Sorbate, Tocopherol, Opuntia Ficus-Indica Stem Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder, Phytic Acid, Spirulina Platensis Extract, Acetyl Tributyl Citrate, Phenyl T-Butylnitrone, Citric Acid
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Cetearyl Olivate is a plant-derived emulsifier and texture enhancer. It helps keep the oil and water phases from separating so your formulas stay stable.
You'll likely see it combined with Sorbitan Olivate (together sold as the trade name Olivem 1000). This combination generates a liquid crystal structure that closely resemble the lipid organization of the stratum corneum.
These "skin-like" liquid crystals improve skin barrier integrity and promote the delivery of actives into the skin.
This ingredient is well-tolerated and has no significant sensitization data.
Because it is derived from the fatty acids in olive oil, this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Cetearyl OlivateCitric Acid is an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) naturally found in citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, and limes.
Like other AHAs, citric acid can exfoliate skin by breaking down the bonds that hold dead skin cells together. This helps reveal smoother and brighter skin underneath.
However, this exfoliating effect only happens at high concentrations (20%) which can be hard to find in cosmetic products.
Due to this, citric acid is usually included in small amounts as a pH adjuster. This helps keep products slightly more acidic and compatible with skin's natural pH.
In skincare formulas, citric acid can:
While it can provide some skin benefits, research shows lactic acid and glycolic acid are generally more effective and less irritating exfoliants.
Most citric acid used in skincare today is made by fermenting sugars (usually from molasses). This synthetic version is identical to the natural citrus form but easier to stabilize and use in formulations.
Read more about some other popular AHA's here:
Learn more about Citric 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 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.
Sorbitan Olivate is created from the fatty acids in olive oil and sorbitol.
This ingredient is an oil in water emulsifier. It helps stabilize a product by preventing oils and waters from separating. Sorbitan Olivate also helps hydrate the skin.
This ingredient is also known as part of Olivem 1000, with Cetearyl Olivate being the other part.
According to a manufacturer, this ingredient helps preserve the natural microbiome of skin. Having a healthy microbiome helps keep our skin healthy and protects against harmful bacteria.
Please note, having a healthy microbiome is different from fungal acne; a healthy microbiome includes small amounts of yeast that normally live on your skin without causing problems.
Fungal acne happens when one type of yeast (Malassezia) grows out of control. This is usually because it's feeding on certain oils or fatty acids. Due to the olive oil base, this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Sorbitan OlivateTocopherol 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 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
