What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
PEG/PPG/Polybutylene Glycol-8/5/3 Glycerin
HumectantHydrogenated Retinol
Skin Conditioning
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingPotassium Hydroxide
BufferingPolyglyceryl-10 Laurate
Skin Conditioning
Benzophenone-4
UV Absorber
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Bis-Ethoxydiglycol Cyclohexane 1,4-Dicarboxylate
EmollientPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Glycerin
Humectant
Cetearyl Isononanoate
Emollient
Cyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Propylene Glycol Dicaprate
EmollientDipropylene Glycol
HumectantPalmitamide DEA
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Macrogol Stearate Type I
Cetyl Palmitate
Emollient
Cetearyl Glucoside
Emulsifying
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
C30-45 Alkyl Cetearyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Emollient
Retinyl Palmitate
Skin Conditioning
Polysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Parfum
Masking
Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
Antioxidant
Sorbitan Stearate
Emulsifying
Carnosine
Skin Conditioning
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Laminaria Digitata Extract
Skin Protecting
Glycerin, Cetearyl Isononanoate, Cyclopentasiloxane, Propylene Glycol Dicaprate, Dipropylene Glycol, Palmitamide DEA, Cetearyl Alcohol, Macrogol Stearate Type I, Cetyl Palmitate, Cetearyl Glucoside, Phenoxyethanol, Chlorphenesin, C30-45 Alkyl Cetearyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Retinyl Palmitate, Polysorbate 60, Propylene Glycol, Parfum, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Sorbitan Stearate, Carnosine, Tocopherol, Laminaria Digitata Extract
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Phenoxyethanol 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 PhenoxyethanolTocopherol 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 Tocopherol
