What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningDiethylhexyl Succinate
EmollientC12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialGlycolic Acid
Buffering
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Potassium Hydroxide
BufferingGlyceryl Stearate
Emollient
PEG-100 Stearate
Retinol
Skin Conditioning
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Urea
Buffering
Squalane
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Phospholipids
Skin Conditioning
Ubiquinone
Antioxidant
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
C13-14 Isoparaffin
Emollient
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Polyacrylamide
Laureth-7
EmulsifyingCetearyl Glucoside
Emulsifying
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPotassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Disodium EDTA
Water, Diethylhexyl Succinate, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Glycolic Acid, Cetearyl Alcohol, Potassium Hydroxide, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Retinol, Lactic Acid, Urea, Squalane, Glycerin, Phospholipids, Ubiquinone, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Tocopheryl Acetate, C13-14 Isoparaffin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Polyacrylamide, Laureth-7, Cetearyl Glucoside, Xanthan Gum, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Phenoxyethanol, Disodium EDTA
Water
Skin ConditioningIsoamyl Laurate
Emollient
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Propanediol
Solvent
Glycerin
Humectant
Dicaprylyl Carbonate
EmollientAmmonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
C13-15 Alkane
SolventLavandula Angustifolia Extract
Skin Conditioning
Squalane
Emollient
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Ascorbyl Glucoside
Antioxidant
Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Hydrogenated Olive Oil Unsaponifiables
Emollient
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Spirulina Platensis Extract
Skin ProtectingSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Cichorium Intybus Root Extract
MaskingMaltobionic Acid
Buffering
Zinc PCA
Humectant
Maltodextrin
Absorbent
Citric Acid
Buffering
Polyglyceryl-10 Stearate
Skin Conditioning
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Sucrose Stearate
EmollientLactobacillus Ferment
Skin Conditioning
Mandelic Acid
Antimicrobial
Acetyl Hexapeptide-8
Humectant
Hibiscus Sabdariffa Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningWater, Isoamyl Laurate, Niacinamide, Propanediol, Glycerin, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, C13-15 Alkane, Lavandula Angustifolia Extract, Squalane, Sodium Benzoate, Hydroxyacetophenone, Potassium Sorbate, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Hydrogenated Olive Oil Unsaponifiables, Ceramide NP, Spirulina Platensis Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Cichorium Intybus Root Extract, Maltobionic Acid, Zinc PCA, Maltodextrin, Citric Acid, Polyglyceryl-10 Stearate, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Sucrose Stearate, Lactobacillus Ferment, Mandelic Acid, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Hibiscus Sabdariffa Flower Extract
Reviews
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 GlycerinPotassium Sorbate is a preservative used to prevent yeast and mold in products. It is commonly found in both cosmetic and food products.
This ingredient comes from potassium salt derived from sorbic acid. Sorbic acid is a natural antibiotic and effective against fungus.
Both potassium sorbate and sorbic acid can be found in baked goods, cheeses, dried meats, dried fruit, ice cream, pickles, wine, yogurt, and more.
You'll often find this ingredient used with other preservatives.
Learn more about Potassium SorbateSodium Benzoate is a preservative. It's used in both cosmetic and food products to inhibit the growth of mold and bacteria. It is typically produced synthetically.
Both the US FDA and EU Health Committee have approved the use of sodium benzoate. In the US, levels of 0.1% (of the total product) are allowed.
Sodium benzoate works as a preservative by inhibiting the growth of bacteria inside of cells. It prevents the cell from fermenting a type of sugar using an enzyme called phosphofructokinase.
It is the salt of benzoic acid. Foods containing sodium benzoate include soda, salad dressings, condiments, fruit juices, wines, and snack foods.
Studies for using ascorbic acid and sodium benzoate in cosmetics are lacking, especially in skincare routines with multiple steps.
We always recommend speaking with a professional, such as a dermatologist, if you have any concerns.
Learn more about Sodium BenzoateSqualane is the hydrogenated and shelf-stable form of squalene (a lipid that naturally occurs in human sebum).
It is an emollient and skin conditioning agent that is able to integrate seamlessly into the skin's lipid barrier without clogging pores.
This is due to how structurally similar it is to what your skin already produces.
Though it is mostly an emollient that helps soften and hydrate skin, it also has some humectant and occlusive action. Humectants help the skin retain moisture while occlusives seal it in, making squalane a triple-threat moisturizer.
Research shows it has antioxidant capabilities that help protect against stressors like UV exposure, specifically UVA induced oxidative stress. This study also found that it supports collagen biosynthesis in human dermal fibroblasts.
No clinical study has reported significant adverse effects and irritation reactions are very rare from this ingredient (even at 100% concentration).
Overall, it's a fantastic ingredient for hydration and is suitable for all skin types.
This depends on the source. Squalane can be derived from both plants and animals. Most squalane used in skincare comes from plants.
Please note: the source of squalane is only known if disclosed by the brand. We recommend reaching out to the brand if you have any questions about their squalane.
Read more about squalene with an "e".
Though squalane is often called an oil, it’s technically not one. It is a hydrocarbon, meaning it is only made of carbon and hydrogen. True oils are triglycerides and made of fatty acids and glycerol.
The term “oil-free” isn’t regulated so companies can define it however they want. Some exclude all oils, while others just avoid mineral oil or comedogenic oils.
Squalane has a comedogenic rating of 1 from the original 1972 study that tested raw ingredients under occlusion on rabbit ears. This system is not standardized or peer-reviewed, and using the raw ingredients is very different from how diluted cosmetic formulations are used on human skin.
A comedogenic rating of 1 means it is "unlikely to clog pores" according to the original rating system.
The overall formula of a product matters more than the individual ingredients on whether or not it will cause clogged pores.
Learn more about SqualaneWater. 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
