What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantDipropylene Glycol
Humectant3-Glyceryl Ascorbate
AntioxidantPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningSodium Citrate
BufferingAscorbyl Tetraisopalmitate
AntioxidantCitric Acid
BufferingTocopherol
AntioxidantInulin
Skin ConditioningCoptis Japonica Root Extract
Skin ConditioningPolyglyceryl-10 Oleate
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
HumectantXanthan Gum
Emulsifying1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningSodium Metabisulfite
AntioxidantPhenoxyethanol
PreservativePyrus Malus Juice
Skin ConditioningVitis Vinifera
MaskingAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin ConditioningCitrus Limon Juice
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantCoconut Alkanes
EmollientCoco-Caprylate
EmollientSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantGlyceryl Stearate Se
EmulsifyingHydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingOenothera Biennis Oil
EmollientBorago Officinalis Seed Oil
EmollientCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialEpilobium Angustifolium Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract
Skin ConditioningVaccinium Myrtillus Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningSaccharum Officinarum Extract
MoisturisingAcer Saccharum Extract
Skin ConditioningCitrus Aurantium Dulcis Fruit Extract
MaskingCitrus Limon Fruit Extract
MaskingCoenochloris Signiensis Extract
Skin ConditioningDipeptide-2
Skin ConditioningPalmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Skin ConditioningXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSodium Benzoate
MaskingPotassium Sorbate
PreservativeSqualane
EmollientUbiquinone
AntioxidantDimethylaminoethanol Tartrate
EmollientThioctic Acid
AntioxidantMagnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate
AntioxidantTocopherol
AntioxidantHesperidin Methyl Chalcone
AntioxidantSodium Phytate
Triethyl Citrate
MaskingCitrus Aurantium Dulcis Oil
MaskingLitsea Cubeba Fruit Oil
MaskingCinnamomum Camphora Wood Oil
MaskingPyrus Malus Juice, Vitis Vinifera, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Citrus Limon Juice, Glycerin, Coconut Alkanes, Coco-Caprylate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Oenothera Biennis Oil, Borago Officinalis Seed Oil, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Epilobium Angustifolium Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract, Vaccinium Myrtillus Fruit Extract, Saccharum Officinarum Extract, Acer Saccharum Extract, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Fruit Extract, Citrus Limon Fruit Extract, Coenochloris Signiensis Extract, Dipeptide-2, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, Squalane, Ubiquinone, Dimethylaminoethanol Tartrate, Thioctic Acid, Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Tocopherol, Hesperidin Methyl Chalcone, Sodium Phytate, Triethyl Citrate, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Oil, Litsea Cubeba Fruit Oil, Cinnamomum Camphora Wood Oil
Alternatives
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 GlycerinTocopherol 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 TocopherolXanthan 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