What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Sesamum Indicum Seed Oil
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Ceteareth-20
CleansingRosa Canina Fruit Oil
Emollient
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Terminalia Ferdinandiana Fruit Extract
Antioxidant
Pleiogynium Timoriense Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningPodocarpus Elatus Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningSantalum Acuminatum Fruit Extract
Antioxidant
Borago Officinalis Seed Oil
Emollient
Oenothera Biennis Oil
Emollient
Camellia Oleifera Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Citrus Tangerina Peel Oil
Masking
Citrus Nobilis Peel Oil
Masking
Lavandula Angustifolia Oil
Masking
Vanillin
Masking
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Limonene
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Water, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Sesamum Indicum Seed Oil, Glycerin, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetyl Alcohol, Ceteareth-20, Rosa Canina Fruit Oil, Tocopherol, Terminalia Ferdinandiana Fruit Extract, Pleiogynium Timoriense Fruit Extract, Podocarpus Elatus Fruit Extract, Santalum Acuminatum Fruit Extract, Borago Officinalis Seed Oil, Oenothera Biennis Oil, Camellia Oleifera Seed Oil, Citrus Tangerina Peel Oil, Citrus Nobilis Peel Oil, Lavandula Angustifolia Oil, Vanillin, Phenoxyethanol, Benzyl Alcohol, Limonene, Linalool
Water
Skin ConditioningGlyceryl Stearate Se
Emulsifying
Glycerin
Humectant
Isononyl Isononanoate
EmollientEthylhexyl Palmitate
Emollient
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Lauryl Laurate
Skin Conditioning
Ethyl Macadamiate
Skin Conditioning
Propylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate
EmollientCetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Sodium Polyacrylate
Absorbent
Potassium Cetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingSimmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Oryza Sativa Starch
AbsorbentParfum
Masking
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Laminaria Digitata Extract
Skin Protecting
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Sesamum Indicum Oil Unsaponifiables
Emollient
Triticum Vulgare Germ Oil Unsaponifiables
Emollient
Persea Gratissima Oil
Skin Conditioning
Phytosterols
Skin Conditioning
Glyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer
HumectantDisodium EDTA
Sodium Dehydroacetate
Preservative
Olea Europaea Fruit Oil
Masking
Padina Pavonica Thallus Extract
Skin ConditioningGlyceryl Polyacrylate
Citronellol
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Collagen Amino Acids
Moisturising
Lithothamnion Calcareum Extract
Skin ConditioningMimosa Tenuiflora Bark Extract
Skin ProtectingMannitol
Humectant
Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate
Antimicrobial
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Sorbitan Oleate
Emulsifying
Geraniol
Perfuming
Limonene
Perfuming
Hydroxycitronellal
Perfuming
Citric Acid
Buffering
Malic Acid
Buffering
Diatomaceous Earth
Abrasive
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Ascorbyl Palmitate
Antioxidant
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingZinc Sulfate
Antimicrobial
Hexapeptide-9
Skin Conditioning
Water, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Glycerin, Isononyl Isononanoate, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Lauryl Laurate, Ethyl Macadamiate, Propylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate, Cetyl Alcohol, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Polyacrylate, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Oryza Sativa Starch, Parfum, Butylene Glycol, Laminaria Digitata Extract, Chlorphenesin, Sesamum Indicum Oil Unsaponifiables, Triticum Vulgare Germ Oil Unsaponifiables, Persea Gratissima Oil, Phytosterols, Glyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Dehydroacetate, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Padina Pavonica Thallus Extract, Glyceryl Polyacrylate, Citronellol, Linalool, Collagen Amino Acids, Lithothamnion Calcareum Extract, Mimosa Tenuiflora Bark Extract, Mannitol, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Tocopherol, Sorbitan Oleate, Geraniol, Limonene, Hydroxycitronellal, Citric Acid, Malic Acid, Diatomaceous Earth, Tocopheryl Acetate, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Sodium Hydroxide, Zinc Sulfate, Hexapeptide-9
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Cetyl Alcohol is a fatty alcohol. Fatty Alcohols are most often used as an emollient or to thicken a product.
Its main roles are:
Though it has "alcohol" in the name, it is not related to denatured alcohol or ethyl alcohol.
The FDA allows products labeled "alcohol-free" to have fatty alcohols.
This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe. It is a primary fatty alcohol with a chain length above 12 carbons. A study from 2019 show Malassezia can feed on fatty alcohols in this range, so it may trigger fungal acne in those prone to it.
Learn more about Cetyl AlcoholGlycerin (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 GlycerinLimonene is a fragrance that adds scent and taste to a formulation.
It's found in the peel oil of citrus fruits and other plants such as lavender and eucalyptus. The scent of limonene is generally described as "sweet citrus".
Limonene acts as an antioxidant, meaning it helps neutralize free radicals.
When exposed to air, oxidized limonene may sensitize the skin. Because of this, limonene is often avoided by people with sensitive skin.
The term 'fragrance' is not regulated in many countries. In many cases, it is up to the brand to define this term. For instance, many brands choose to label themselves as "fragrance-free" because they are not using synthetic fragrances. However, their products may still contain ingredients such as essential oils that are considered a fragrance.
Learn more about LimoneneLinalool is a fragrance and helps add scent to products. It's derived from common plants such as cinnamon, mint, citrus, and lavender.
Like Limonene, this ingredient oxidizes when exposed to air. Oxidized linalool can cause allergies and skin sensitivity.
This ingredient has a scent that is floral, spicy tropical, and citrus-like.
Learn more about LinaloolPhenoxyethanol 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.
Tocopherol 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
