What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningEthyl Macadamiate
Skin ConditioningNiacinamide
SmoothingPropanediol
SolventGlycerin
HumectantSphingomonas Ferment Extract
Skin ConditioningPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningEthylhexyl Olivate
Skin ConditioningPolyglyceryl-4 Oleate
EmulsifyingSodium Acrylates Copolymer
Isoceteth-20
EmulsifyingSodium Citrate
BufferingCitric Acid
BufferingMalic Acid
BufferingTrisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Tocopherol
AntioxidantEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeChlorphenesin
AntimicrobialWater, Ethyl Macadamiate, Niacinamide, Propanediol, Glycerin, Sphingomonas Ferment Extract, Pentylene Glycol, Ethylhexyl Olivate, Polyglyceryl-4 Oleate, Sodium Acrylates Copolymer, Isoceteth-20, Sodium Citrate, Citric Acid, Malic Acid, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Tocopherol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenoxyethanol, Chlorphenesin
Water
Skin ConditioningHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantIsoamyl Laurate
EmollientButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningBetaine
HumectantAlcohol
AntimicrobialGlyceryl Stearate Citrate
EmollientBehenyl Alcohol
EmollientSqualane
EmollientRhus Verniciflua Peel Wax
Viola Tricolor Extract
EmollientOlea Europaea Leaf Extract
PerfumingRosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialChamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
MaskingCalendula Officinalis Flower Extract
MaskingHectorite
AbsorbentAcacia Senegal Gum
MaskingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingTocopherol
AntioxidantLactic Acid
BufferingGlyceryl Caprylate
EmollientParfum
MaskingLimonene
PerfumingLinalool
PerfumingBenzyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialCitral
PerfumingWater, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Glycerin, Isoamyl Laurate, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Pentylene Glycol, Betaine, Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Behenyl Alcohol, Squalane, Rhus Verniciflua Peel Wax, Viola Tricolor Extract, Olea Europaea Leaf Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract, Hectorite, Acacia Senegal Gum, Xanthan Gum, Tocopherol, Lactic Acid, Glyceryl Caprylate, Parfum, Limonene, Linalool, Benzyl Benzoate, Citral
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Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Glycerin (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 GlycerinPentylene 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 GlycolTocopherol 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