What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningNiacinamide
Smoothing
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Glyceryl Glucoside
Humectant
Allium Cepa Bulb Extract
Skin Conditioning
Dicaprylyl Ether
Emollient
Shea Butter Ethyl Esters
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Sodium Polyacrylate
Absorbent
Lecithin
Emollient
Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate
UV Absorber
Isododecane
EmollientGlycyrrhiza Inflata Root Extract
Skin Conditioning
Caprylhydroxamic Acid
Hydrated Silica
Abrasive
PPG-3 Benzyl Ether Myristate
EmollientCentella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Retinol
Skin Conditioning
Retinal
Skin Conditioning
Disodium EDTA
Citric Acid
Buffering
Polygonum Cuspidatum Root Extract
Antioxidant
Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract
Astringent
Pei-10
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
Bleaching
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
Masking
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialTocopherol
Antioxidant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Water, Niacinamide, Butylene Glycol, Glyceryl Glucoside, Allium Cepa Bulb Extract, Dicaprylyl Ether, Shea Butter Ethyl Esters, Glycerin, Sodium Polyacrylate, Lecithin, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Isododecane, Glycyrrhiza Inflata Root Extract, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, Hydrated Silica, PPG-3 Benzyl Ether Myristate, Centella Asiatica Extract, Retinol, Retinal, Disodium EDTA, Citric Acid, Polygonum Cuspidatum Root Extract, Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract, Pei-10, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Tocopherol, 1,2-Hexanediol
Water
Skin ConditioningCetyl Ethylhexanoate
EmollientGlycerin
Humectant
Squalane
Emollient
Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil
Masking
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Brassica Campestris Sterols
EmollientCholesterol
Emollient
Phytosteryl/Behenyl/Octyldodecyl Lauroyl Glutamate
Skin Conditioning1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Polyglyceryl-10 Oleate
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Polyglutamic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Retinal
Skin Conditioning
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Oleic Acid
Emollient
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Adenosine
Skin Conditioning
Disodium EDTA
Water, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Glycerin, Squalane, Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Brassica Campestris Sterols, Cholesterol, Phytosteryl/Behenyl/Octyldodecyl Lauroyl Glutamate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Polyglyceryl-10 Oleate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Polyglutamic Acid, Ceramide NP, Retinal, Stearic Acid, Oleic Acid, Tocopherol, Adenosine, Disodium EDTA
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
Disodium 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 EDTAGlycerin (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 GlycerinRetinal is a form of retinoid. Retinoids are the gold-standard class of anti-aging ingredients.
Retinal has many benefits as other retinoids: improve skin texture, reduce large pores, reduce the effects of aging, reduce the visibility of dark spots, heal scars, and fight acne.
Studies show retinal may work at a faster rate than retinol due to its structure.
All retinoids have to be converted into retinoic acid before starting to work. Some retinoids take several steps of conversion before binding. Retinal is only one step away, making it more potent.
Like other retinoids, retinal may be irritating. It is best to ease into using this ingredient frequently.
Using the 'ramp up' method, start by using retinol once a week. This gives your skin time to adjust and decrease irritation. Once you feel ready, you can slowly increase the frequency of retinol use.
Using retinoids will increase sun-sensitivity in the first few weeks of use. Though studies show retinoids increase your skin's natural SPF with continuous use, it is best to always wear sunscreen and sun-protection.
Learn more about RetinalSodium 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 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
