What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Squalane
Emollient
Ascorbyl Tetraisopalmitate
Antioxidant
Lauroyl Lysine
Skin Conditioning
Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin Conditioning
Silica
Abrasive
Sodium Polyacrylate
Absorbent
PEG-7 Glyceryl Cocoate
Emulsifying
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Maltodextrin
Absorbent
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingParfum
Masking
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingCitric Acid
Buffering
Lactobacillus Ferment
Skin Conditioning
Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
Antioxidant
Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
Humectant
Dipeptide Diaminobutyroyl Benzylamide Diacetate
Skin Conditioning
Water, Glycerin, Squalane, Ascorbyl Tetraisopalmitate, Lauroyl Lysine, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Silica, Sodium Polyacrylate, PEG-7 Glyceryl Cocoate, Pentylene Glycol, Maltodextrin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Carbomer, Parfum, Sodium Hydroxide, Citric Acid, Lactobacillus Ferment, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Dipeptide Diaminobutyroyl Benzylamide Diacetate
Water
Skin ConditioningHydroxypropyl Tetrahydropyrantriol
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Hydroxyethylpiperazine Ethane Sulfonic Acid
BufferingPalmitic Acid
Emollient
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Oleyl Alcohol
Emollient
Arachidyl Alcohol
Emollient
Myristyl Myristate
Emollient
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Dimethicone
Emollient
Isononyl Isononanoate
EmollientBis-PEG/PPG-16/16 PEG/PPG-16/16 Dimethicone
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Candelilla Cera
Emollient
Behenyl Alcohol
Emollient
PEG-100 Stearate
Sodium Polyacrylate
Absorbent
Pentaerythrityl Tetraisostearate
Emollient
4-T-Butylcyclohexanol
Masking
Arachidyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingChlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Myristic Acid
Cleansing
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Glycyrrhetinic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Parfum
Masking
Sorbitol
Humectant
Vaccinium Myrtillus Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningPotassium Hydroxide
BufferingAdenosine
Skin Conditioning
Citric Acid
Buffering
Punica Granatum Fruit Extract
Antioxidant
Limonene
Perfuming
Coumarin
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
Antioxidant
Water, Hydroxypropyl Tetrahydropyrantriol, Glycerin, Propylene Glycol, Stearic Acid, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Hydroxyethylpiperazine Ethane Sulfonic Acid, Palmitic Acid, Pentylene Glycol, Oleyl Alcohol, Arachidyl Alcohol, Myristyl Myristate, Panthenol, Niacinamide, Dimethicone, Isononyl Isononanoate, Bis-PEG/PPG-16/16 PEG/PPG-16/16 Dimethicone, Glyceryl Stearate, Candelilla Cera, Behenyl Alcohol, PEG-100 Stearate, Sodium Polyacrylate, Pentaerythrityl Tetraisostearate, 4-T-Butylcyclohexanol, Arachidyl Glucoside, Caprylyl Glycol, Xanthan Gum, Chlorphenesin, Myristic Acid, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glycyrrhetinic Acid, Parfum, Sorbitol, Vaccinium Myrtillus Fruit Extract, Potassium Hydroxide, Adenosine, Citric Acid, Punica Granatum Fruit Extract, Limonene, Coumarin, Linalool, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Caprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.
Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.
Because it is not a free-fatty acid or alcohol, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolCitric 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 GlycerinParfum is a catch-all term for an ingredient or more that is used to give a scent to products.
Also called "fragrance", this ingredient can be a blend of hundreds of chemicals or plant oils. This means every product with "fragrance" or "parfum" in the ingredients list is a different mixture.
For instance, Habanolide is a proprietary trade name for a specific aroma chemical. When used as a fragrance ingredient in cosmetics, most aroma chemicals fall under the broad labeling category of “FRAGRANCE” or “PARFUM” according to EU and US regulations.
The term 'parfum' or '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 by INCI standards.
One example is Calendula flower extract. Calendula is an essential oil that still imparts a scent or 'fragrance'.
Depending on the blend, the ingredients in the mixture can cause allergies and sensitivities on the skin. Some ingredients that are known EU allergens include linalool and citronellol.
Parfum can also be used to mask or cover an unpleasant scent.
The bottom line is: not all fragrances/parfum/ingredients are created equally. If you are worried about fragrances, we recommend taking a closer look at an ingredient. And of course, we always recommend speaking with a professional.
Learn more about ParfumPentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate (long name, huh?) is a synthetic antioxidant.
It is used to help stabilize other antioxidants or prevent the color from changing in a product.
As an antioxidant, it helps fight free-radical molecules. Free-radical molecules are capable of damaging our cells and other genetic material. Thus, antioxidants may reduce the signs of aging.
This ingredient is oil-soluble.
Learn more about Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl HydroxyhydrocinnamatePentylene glycol is typically used within a product to thicken it. It also adds a smooth, soft, and moisturizing feel to the product. It is naturally found in plants such as sugar beets.
The hydrophilic trait of Pentylene Glycol makes it a humectant. As a humectant, Pentylene Glycol helps draw moisture from the air to your skin. This can help keep your skin hydrated.
This property also makes Pentylene Glycol a great texture enhancer. It can also help thicken or stabilize a product.
Pentylene Glycol also acts as a mild preservative and helps to keep a product microbe-free.
Some people may experience mild eye and skin irritation from Pentylene Glycol. We always recommend speaking with a professional about using this ingredient in your routine.
Pentylene Glycol has a low molecular weight and is part of the 1,2-glycol family.
Learn more about Pentylene GlycolSodium Polyacrylate is the sodium salt of polyacrylic acid. It is used as an absorber, emollient, and stabilizer.
This ingredient is a super-absorbent polymer - meaning it can absorb 100 to 1000 times its mass in water. As an emollient, Sodium Polyacrylate helps soften and soothe skin. Emollients work by creating a barrier to trap moisture in. This helps keep your skin hydrated.
Water. 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
