What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningAscorbic Acid
AntioxidantGlycerin
HumectantHydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
HumectantSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantSodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
HumectantHydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
Skin ConditioningSodium PCA
HumectantErythritol
HumectantChondrus Crispus
MaskingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingFerulic Acid
AntimicrobialSalix Alba Bark Extract
AstringentCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialAlpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide
CleansingPhenethyl Alcohol
Masking1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningGlycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
BleachingParfum
MaskingLimonene
PerfumingLinalool
PerfumingBenzyl Salicylate
PerfumingWater, Ascorbic Acid, Glycerin, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium PCA, Erythritol, Chondrus Crispus, Xanthan Gum, Ferulic Acid, Salix Alba Bark Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Alpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide, Phenethyl Alcohol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Parfum, Limonene, Linalool, Benzyl Salicylate
Water
Skin Conditioning3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid
Skin ConditioningNiacinamide
SmoothingAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin ConditioningPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningGlycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
BleachingCucumis Sativus Fruit Extract
EmollientPanthenol
Skin ConditioningLactic Acid
BufferingGlycerin
HumectantSodium PCA
HumectantSodium Lactate
BufferingArginine
MaskingIsoleucine
Skin ConditioningHistidine
HumectantAspartic Acid
MaskingProline
Skin ConditioningThreonine
Glycine
BufferingPCA
HumectantValine
MaskingAlanine
MaskingPhenylalanine
MaskingSerine
MaskingBenzoic Acid
MaskingDehydroacetic Acid
PreservativeHydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingPolysorbate 20
EmulsifyingTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCitric Acid
BufferingSodium Benzoate
MaskingPotassium Sorbate
PreservativePropylene Glycol
HumectantTetrasodium EDTA
Water, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Niacinamide, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Pentylene Glycol, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract, Panthenol, Lactic Acid, Glycerin, Sodium PCA, Sodium Lactate, Arginine, Isoleucine, Histidine, Aspartic Acid, Proline, Threonine, Glycine, PCA, Valine, Alanine, Phenylalanine, Serine, Benzoic Acid, Dehydroacetic Acid, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Polysorbate 20, Tocopheryl Acetate, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Citric Acid, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, Propylene Glycol, Tetrasodium EDTA
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 GlycerinGlycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract is an extract of the roots of Licorice. It has been found to have several benefits such as skin hydrating, conditioning, and soothing.
One component, glabridin, has extra potent antioxidant and soothing properties. It has also been found to block pigmentation from UVB rays in guinea pigs.
Licorice Root also contains a flavonoid. Flavonoids are a natural substance from in plants. Flavonoids also have antioxidant properties.
Another component, glycyrrhizin, has been found to have anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial benefits. This may make licorice root extract effective at treating acne. However, more research is needed to support this.
Liquiritin is one of the flavone compounds found in licorice. It has been found to help lighten skin by preventing tyrosinase from reacting with tyrosine. When the two react, protein is converted to melanin. Melanin is the substance in your body that gives your features pigmentation.
Learn more about Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root ExtractHydroxyethylcellulose is used to improve the texture of products. It is created from a chemical reaction involving ethylene oxide and alkali-cellulose. Cellulose is a sugar found in plant cell walls and help give plants structure.
This ingredient helps stabilize products by preventing ingredients from separating. It can also help thicken the texture of a product.
This ingredient can also be found in pill medicines to help our bodies digest other ingredients.
Learn more about HydroxyethylcelluloseSodium PCA is the sodium salt of pyroglutamic acid. It is naturally occurring in our skin's natural moisturizing factors where it works to maintain hydration.
The PCA stands for pyrrolidone carboxylic acid, a natural amino acid derivative.
This ingredient has skin conditioning, anti-inflammatory, and humectant properties. Humectants help hydrate your skin by drawing moisture from the air. This helps keep your skin moisturized.
Learn more about Sodium PCAWater. 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