What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Squalane
Emollient
Polyglyceryl-6 Distearate
Emulsifying
Microcrystalline Cellulose
AbsorbentDicaprylyl Ether
Emollient
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Jojoba Esters
Emollient
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingHydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Potassium Cetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingCetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Polyglyceryl-3 Beeswax
Emulsifying
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingTocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Hydrolyzed Algin
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Water, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Glycerin, Squalane, Polyglyceryl-6 Distearate, Microcrystalline Cellulose, Dicaprylyl Ether, 1,2-Hexanediol, Jojoba Esters, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Hydroxyacetophenone, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Sodium Hydroxide, Cetyl Alcohol, Polyglyceryl-3 Beeswax, Xanthan Gum, Tocopheryl Acetate, Hydrolyzed Algin, Tocopherol
Water
Skin ConditioningSqualane
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Maltodextrin
Absorbent
Sodium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate
Emulsion Stabilising1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Ascorbyl Glucoside
Antioxidant
Sucrose Dilaurate
Emollient
Dimethicone
Emollient
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Dextran Sulfate
Gel Forming
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingNiacinamide
Smoothing
Sodium Cocoyl Glutamate
Cleansing
Sodium Citrate
BufferingMica
Cosmetic ColorantDipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Humectant
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
CI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantPisum Sativum Extract
Skin ConditioningBiosaccharide Gum-1
Humectant
Citric Acid
Buffering
Water, Squalane, Glycerin, Maltodextrin, Sodium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Sucrose Dilaurate, Dimethicone, Hydroxyacetophenone, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Sodium Dextran Sulfate, Sodium Hydroxide, Niacinamide, Sodium Cocoyl Glutamate, Sodium Citrate, Mica, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Tocopheryl Acetate, CI 77891, Pisum Sativum Extract, Biosaccharide Gum-1, 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.
1,2-Hexanediol is a synthetic liquid and another multi-functional powerhouse.
It is a:
- Humectant, drawing moisture into the skin
- Emollient, helping to soften skin
- Solvent, dispersing and stabilizing formulas
- Preservative booster, enhancing the antimicrobial activity of other preservatives
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer is a synthetic polymer. It is used to thicken, emulsify, and improve the texture of products.
As an emulsifier, it helps stabilize oil-in-water emulsions to give products an elegant feel when applied.
It can also form a thin protective film on skin. One study found that a formula using this polymer helped slow down how quickly other ingredients (like DEET) were absorbed through skin.
A 2024 study of over 1,300 patients confirmed that sensitization to this ingredient is rare. It is also non-mutagenic and has a clean track record.
Learn more about Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate CrosspolymerGlycerin (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 GlycerinHydroxyacetophenone is antioxidant with skin conditioning and soothing properties. It also boosts the efficiency of preservatives.
Though naturally occuring in Norwegian spruce needles, this ingredient is usually synthetically created.
This ingredient is not irritating or sensitizing. Recent research also suggests it may have skin-brightening effects through tyrosinase inhibition.
Learn more about HydroxyacetophenoneSodium Hydroxide is also known as lye or caustic soda. It is used to adjust the pH of products; many ingredients require a specific pH to be effective.
In small amounts, sodium hydroxide is considered safe to use. However, large amounts may cause chemical burns due to its high alkaline.
Your skin has a natural pH and acid mantle. This acid mantle helps prevent harmful bacteria from breaking through. The acid mantle also helps keep your skin hydrated.
"Alkaline" refers to a high pH level. A low pH level would be considered acidic.
Learn more about Sodium HydroxideSqualane 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 SqualaneTocopheryl Acetate is AKA Vitamin E. It is an antioxidant and protects your skin from free radicals. Free radicals damage the skin by breaking down collagen.
One study found using Tocopheryl Acetate with Vitamin C decreased the number of sunburned cells.
Tocopheryl Acetate is commonly found in both skincare and dietary supplements.
Learn more about Tocopheryl AcetateWater. 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
