This acne moisturizer is formulated around Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate and Retinol to clear breakouts and refine skin texture.
This barrier-repair moisturizer is formulated around Niacinamide and Panthenol to strengthen the skin barrier and hydrate skin.
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Octyldodecanol
Emollient
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate
Antioxidant
Arachidyl Alcohol
Emollient
Pentaerythrityl Distearate
Emulsifying
Squalane
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate Se
Emulsifying
Citronellyl Methylcrotonate
Masking
Behenyl Alcohol
Emollient
Acacia Senegal Gum
MaskingArachidyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingBenzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Citric Acid
Buffering
Retinol
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Metabisulfite
Antioxidant
Pistacia Lentiscus Gum
MaskingDehydroacetic Acid
Preservative
Lecithin
Emollient
Glucose
Humectant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Glyceryl Caprylate
EmollientWater, Glycerin, Octyldodecanol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Arachidyl Alcohol, Pentaerythrityl Distearate, Squalane, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Citronellyl Methylcrotonate, Behenyl Alcohol, Acacia Senegal Gum, Arachidyl Glucoside, Phenoxyethanol, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Panthenol, Xanthan Gum, Benzyl Alcohol, Citric Acid, Retinol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Pentylene Glycol, Sodium Metabisulfite, Pistacia Lentiscus Gum, Dehydroacetic Acid, Lecithin, Glucose, Tocopherol, Glyceryl Caprylate
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Dimethicone
Emollient
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Zea Mays Starch
Absorbent
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Polyacrylamide
Cetearyl Olivate
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
C13-14 Isoparaffin
Emollient
Sorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningDimethicone Crosspolymer
Emulsion Stabilising
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingLaureth-7
EmulsifyingSodium Hydroxide
Buffering
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Ethylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:
The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure.
Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.
Learn more about EthylhexylglycerinGlycerin (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 GlycerinPanthenol is a common ingredient that helps hydrate and soothe the skin. It is found naturally in our skin and hair.
There are two forms of panthenol: D and L.
D-panthenol is also known as dexpanthenol. Most cosmetics use dexpanthenol or a mixture of D and L-panthenol.
Panthenol is famous due to its ability to go deeper into the skin's layers. Using this ingredient has numerous pros (and no cons):
Like hyaluronic acid, panthenol is a humectant. Humectants are able to bind and hold large amounts of water to keep skin hydrated.
This ingredient works well for wound healing. It works by increasing tissue in the wound and helps close open wounds.
Once oxidized, panthenol converts to pantothenic acid. Panthothenic acid is found in all living cells.
This ingredient is also referred to as pro-vitamin B5.
Learn more about PanthenolPhenoxyethanol is one of the most widely used preservatives in skincare (and for good reason!).
It has a large spectrum of antimicrobial activity and especially effective bacteria, yeast, and mold while only having a weak effect on your skin's natural microbiome.
On a cellular level, it disrupts the cell membranes of microbes by poking holes that make the cell leak. This shuts down the chemical reactions the microbe needs to make energy so it can no longer survive.
Another perk of this ingredient is that it stays functional across a wide pH range (3-10).
You'll often see it paired with boosters like Ethylhexylglycerin; one study showed that a 1:9 ratio of Ethylhexylglycerin to Phenoxyethanol damages bacterial membranes as effectively as doubling the Phenoxyethanol concentration on its own.
Typical use concentrations range from 0.3-1% depending on the formula, and this ingredient is capped at 1% int the EU.
Safety-wise, the fear mongering does not hold up to the evidence. The EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety and FDA consider it safe as a preservative at up to 1%, including for children of all ages.
Adverse systemic effects only showed up in animal studies at exposures roughly 200x higher than what people get from cosmetics. And despite its very widespread use, this ingredient is a rare sensitizer and allergic reactions are uncommon.
Learn more about PhenoxyethanolWater. 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
