What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantCamellia Japonica Seed Oil
EmollientCetearyl Olivate
Squalane
EmollientCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientSorbitan Olivate
EmulsifyingGlyceryl Caprylate
EmollientPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningArgania Spinosa Kernel Oil
EmollientRubus Idaeus Seed Oil
EmollientRosa Canina Seed Oil
EmollientLinoleic Acid
CleansingLinolenic Acid
CleansingTocopherol
AntioxidantVitis Vinifera Fruit Cell Extract
Skin ConditioningBisabolol
AntioxidantOpuntia Ficus-Indica Seed Oil
EmollientAcer Rubrum Bark Extract
Skin ConditioningPicea Mariana Bark Extract
AntioxidantBetula Alleghaniensis Bark Extract
Skin ConditioningPinus Banksiana Bark Extract
Skin ConditioningCaprylhydroxamic Acid
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingIsomalt
HumectantTerminalia Ferdinandiana Fruit Extract
AntioxidantLecithin
EmollientCitrus Tangerina Peel Oil
MaskingWater, Glycerin, Camellia Japonica Seed Oil, Cetearyl Olivate, Squalane, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, Sorbitan Olivate, Glyceryl Caprylate, Pentylene Glycol, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Rubus Idaeus Seed Oil, Rosa Canina Seed Oil, Linoleic Acid, Linolenic Acid, Tocopherol, Vitis Vinifera Fruit Cell Extract, Bisabolol, Opuntia Ficus-Indica Seed Oil, Acer Rubrum Bark Extract, Picea Mariana Bark Extract, Betula Alleghaniensis Bark Extract, Pinus Banksiana Bark Extract, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, Xanthan Gum, Isomalt, Terminalia Ferdinandiana Fruit Extract, Lecithin, Citrus Tangerina Peel Oil
Water
Skin ConditioningPersea Gratissima Oil
Skin ConditioningPrunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil
MaskingGlyceryl Stearate Citrate
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientPrunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin ConditioningCetyl Alcohol
EmollientGlyceryl Laurate
EmollientSimmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
EmollientGlyceryl Undecylenate
EmollientOenothera Biennis Oil
EmollientCarthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil
MaskingPotassium Sorbate
PreservativeXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingOlea Europaea Fruit Oil
MaskingSodium Levulinate
Skin ConditioningCitric Acid
BufferingHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
EmollientSodium Phytate
Tocopherol
AntioxidantHypericum Perforatum Oil
EmollientAnthemis Nobilis Flower Water
MaskingAspalathus Linearis Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningCalendula Officinalis Flower Extract
MaskingChamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
MaskingEuterpe Oleracea Fruit Extract
Punica Granatum Extract
AstringentRosa Canina Fruit Extract
AstringentRubus Fruticosus Fruit Extract
AstringentArgania Spinosa Kernel Oil
EmollientIsomalt
HumectantAlcohol
AntimicrobialGardenia Jasminoides Meristem Cell Culture
AntioxidantEchinacea Angustifolia Extract
MoisturisingMarrubium Vulgare Meristem Cell Culture
Skin ProtectingChlorella Vulgaris Extract
Skin ConditioningPhospholipids
Skin ConditioningLeuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate
AntimicrobialHyaluronic Acid
HumectantArgania Spinosa Callus Culture Extract
Skin ConditioningLecithin
EmollientUbiquinone
AntioxidantSodium Benzoate
MaskingWater, Persea Gratissima Oil, Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Glycerin, Glyceryl Stearate, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Cetyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Laurate, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Glyceryl Undecylenate, Oenothera Biennis Oil, Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil, Potassium Sorbate, Xanthan Gum, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Sodium Levulinate, Citric Acid, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Sodium Phytate, Tocopherol, Hypericum Perforatum Oil, Anthemis Nobilis Flower Water, Aspalathus Linearis Leaf Extract, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Euterpe Oleracea Fruit Extract, Punica Granatum Extract, Rosa Canina Fruit Extract, Rubus Fruticosus Fruit Extract, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Isomalt, Alcohol, Gardenia Jasminoides Meristem Cell Culture, Echinacea Angustifolia Extract, Marrubium Vulgare Meristem Cell Culture, Chlorella Vulgaris Extract, Phospholipids, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Hyaluronic Acid, Argania Spinosa Callus Culture Extract, Lecithin, Ubiquinone, Sodium Benzoate
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
You may know this ingredient as argan oil. It has emollient and skin conditioning properties that help soften skin and reinforce the lipid barrier.
The fatty acid profile of argan oil is roughly 45-55% oleic acid, 28-36% linoleic acid, 10-15% palmitic acid, and 5-7% stearic acid. It also contains vitamin E, sterols, squalene, and polyphenols like ferulic acid.
Two clinical studies in postmenopausal women found that applying argan oil for 60 days significantly improved skin elasticity and moisturization (reduced transepidermal water loss and increased epidermal water content).
Since it is high in oleic and linoleic acid, this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe. Both of these fall in the C11-C24 range that Malassezia yeast can metabolize.
Learn more about Argania Spinosa Kernel OilGlycerin (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 GlycerinGlyceryl Stearate is made by reacting glycerin with stearic acid (typically sourced from plant oils like palm or coconut). It's an emulsifier, emollient, and mild occlusive.
Emulsifiers help ingredients like oil and water stay mixed so your formula stays nicely blended and uniform in texture.
This ingredient is typically used in concentrations between 1-10%. Studies have found it to be non-sensitizing, non-phototoxic, and non-photoallergenic.
A close cousin of this ingredient is Glyceryl Stearate SE ("self-emulsifying"). This just has a small amount of sodium or potassium stearate added so it can emulsify without a co-emulsifier.
Since this ingredient is an ester of a C18 fatty acid, it may not be fungal acne safe. The Malassezia yeast can potentially metabolize within the C11-C24 range.
Fun fact: The human body also creates Glyceryl Stearate naturally.
Learn more about Glyceryl StearateWe don't have a description for Isomalt yet.
Lecithin is a term for a group of substances found in the cell membranes of plants, animals, and humans. They are made up of phospholipids.
Thanks to its amphiphilic structure (water-loving head and oil-loving tail), it is a true multitasker:
It plays well with most ingredients and is typically used at 0.1-1%. However, concentrations up to 50% have been reported in moisturizers.
Depending on the source of this ingredient, lecithin may not be fungal acne safe. This is because some sources of lecithin come from soybean oil, which may feed the malassezia yeast that causes fungal acne.
We recommend reaching out to the brand you are purchasing from to inquire about the source of their lecithin.
Learn more about LecithinTocopherol (also known as Vitamin E) is a common antioxidant used to help protect the skin from free-radicals and strengthen the skin barrier. It's also fat soluble - this means our skin is great at absorbing it.
Vitamin E also helps keep your natural skin lipids healthy. Your lipid skin barrier naturally consists of lipids, ceramides, and fatty acids. Vitamin E offers extra protection for your skin’s lipid barrier, keeping your skin healthy and nourished.
Another benefit is a bit of UV protection. Vitamin E helps reduce the damage caused by UVB rays. (It should not replace your sunscreen). Combining it with Vitamin C can decrease sunburned cells and hyperpigmentation after UV exposure.
You might have noticed Vitamin E + C often paired together. This is because it is great at stabilizing Vitamin C. Using the two together helps increase the effectiveness of both ingredients.
There are often claims that Vitamin E can reduce/prevent scarring, but these claims haven't been confirmed by scientific research.
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 WaterXanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.
On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.
Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.
Learn more about Xanthan Gum