What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Paraffinum Liquidum
EmollientCera Microcristallina
Emulsion StabilisingParaffin
Skin ConditioningHydrogenated Polydecene
EmollientDimethicone
EmollientTriacontanyl Pvp
HumectantDipentaerythrityl Tetrahydroxystearate/Tetraisostearate
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantSqualane
EmollientBrassica Campestris Sterols
EmollientTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantSynthetic Wax
AbrasiveEthylene/Propylene Copolymer
AbrasivePolyethylene
AbrasivePolyquaternium-61
Skin ConditioningBHT
AntioxidantParaffinum Liquidum, Cera Microcristallina, Paraffin, Hydrogenated Polydecene, Dimethicone, Triacontanyl Pvp, Dipentaerythrityl Tetrahydroxystearate/Tetraisostearate, Glycerin, Squalane, Brassica Campestris Sterols, Tocopheryl Acetate, Synthetic Wax, Ethylene/Propylene Copolymer, Polyethylene, Polyquaternium-61, BHT
Ricinus Communis Seed Oil
MaskingPrunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin ConditioningCocos Nucifera Oil
MaskingButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningHydrogenated Castor Oil
EmollientOleic/Linoleic/Linolenic Polyglycerides
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantCera Alba
EmollientHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
EmollientWater
Skin ConditioningHydrogenated Vegetable Oil
EmollientAlpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide
CleansingPropanediol
SolventTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantDisodium Acetyl Glucosamine Phosphate
Skin ConditioningCaffeyl Glucoside
AntioxidantRhamnose
HumectantGlucose
HumectantGlucuronic Acid
BufferingCitric Acid
BufferingRicinus Communis Seed Oil, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Oleic/Linoleic/Linolenic Polyglycerides, Glycerin, Cera Alba, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Water, Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil, Alpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide, Propanediol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Disodium Acetyl Glucosamine Phosphate, Caffeyl Glucoside, Rhamnose, Glucose, Glucuronic Acid, Citric Acid
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 GlycerinTocopheryl Acetate is a stable, shelf-friendly form of vitamin E.
Formulators love it because plain vitamin E oxidizes quickly once it hits air. This acetate version stays stable and resists going off, helping to extend a product's shelf life.
It's actually inactive on its own and works like a slow-release "storage" form; the enzymes in your skin called esterases gradually convert it into active vitamin E over time.
One in vivo study showed 5% of the acetate in the living layer of the epidermis converted to vitamin E after 5 days of application. This study also found the skin gained protection against UV damage even though the conversion was slow and small.
Once converted, vitamin E acts as a skin's main fat-soluble antioxidant that fights free radicals to protect skin from damage.
Topical vitamin E generally boosts the skin's photoprotection, and it reduced UV-damage in animal models.
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.
Overall, it has a pretty solid safety profile and has been found to be non-irritating and non-comedogenic. Allergic reactions may happen but stay rare due to how widely the ingredient gets used.
The concentration will vary depending on the formula; industry data shows 0.1% in baby lotions, 3% in lipsticks, and 5% in foot powders. You can also find this ingredient at 100% in a pure vitamin E oil.
Most leave-on skincare keeps it at the lower end, often between 0.5-1%.
Learn more about Tocopheryl Acetate