What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantDicaprylyl Ether
EmollientPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningPolyglyceryl-6 Distearate
EmulsifyingNiacinamide
SmoothingPropanediol
SolventCetyl Esters
EmollientJojoba Esters
EmollientCetearyl Isononanoate
EmollientSqualane
EmollientBehenyl Alcohol
EmollientAdenosine
Skin ConditioningCapryloyl Salicylic Acid
ExfoliatingHydroxyacetophenone
AntioxidantMineral Salts
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantTrisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Vitreoscilla Ferment
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
AntioxidantAcacia Decurrens Flower Cera
EmollientAcrylamide/Sodium Acryloyldimethyltaurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingCetyl Alcohol
EmollientHelianthus Annuus Seed Cera
EmollientHydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate
Isohexadecane
EmollientPolyglycerin-3
HumectantPolyglyceryl-3 Beeswax
EmulsifyingPolysorbate 80
EmulsifyingSodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingSorbitan Oleate
EmulsifyingParfum
MaskingWater, Glycerin, Dicaprylyl Ether, Pentylene Glycol, Polyglyceryl-6 Distearate, Niacinamide, Propanediol, Cetyl Esters, Jojoba Esters, Cetearyl Isononanoate, Squalane, Behenyl Alcohol, Adenosine, Capryloyl Salicylic Acid, Hydroxyacetophenone, Mineral Salts, Sodium Hyaluronate, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Vitreoscilla Ferment, Tocopherol, Acacia Decurrens Flower Cera, Acrylamide/Sodium Acryloyldimethyltaurate Copolymer, Cetyl Alcohol, Helianthus Annuus Seed Cera, Hydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate, Isohexadecane, Polyglycerin-3, Polyglyceryl-3 Beeswax, Polysorbate 80, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Sorbitan Oleate, Parfum
Water
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingGlycerin
HumectantCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningBehenyl Alcohol
EmollientArgania Spinosa Kernel Oil
EmollientCetearyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingCitrus Aurantium Dulcis Fruit Water
MaskingGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder
Skin ConditioningAvena Sativa Flower/Leaf/Stem Juice
Skin ConditioningCitric Acid
BufferingGlyceryl Caprylate
EmollientHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
EmollientSodium Benzoate
MaskingTaraxacum Officinale Rhizome/Root Extract
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
AntioxidantXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingWater, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glycerin, Cetearyl Alcohol, Pentylene Glycol, Behenyl Alcohol, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Cetearyl Glucoside, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Fruit Water, Glyceryl Stearate, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder, Avena Sativa Flower/Leaf/Stem Juice, Citric Acid, Glyceryl Caprylate, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Sodium Benzoate, Taraxacum Officinale Rhizome/Root Extract, Tocopherol, Xanthan Gum
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Behenyl Alcohol is a type of fatty alcohol (these are different from the drying, solvent alcohols).
Fatty Alcohols have hydrating properties and are most often used as an emollient or to thicken a product. They are usually derived from natural fats and oils; behenyl alcohol is derived from the fats of vegetable oils.
Emollients help keep your skin soft and hydrated by creating a film that traps moisture in.
In 2000, Behenyl Alcohol was approved by the US as medicine to reduce the duration of cold sores.
Learn more about Behenyl AlcoholGlycerin (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 GlycerinPentylene glycol is typically used within a product to thicken it. It also adds a smooth, soft, and moisturizing feel to the product. It is naturally found in plants such as sugar beets.
The hydrophilic trait of Pentylene Glycol makes it a humectant. As a humectant, Pentylene Glycol helps draw moisture from the air to your skin. This can help keep your skin hydrated.
This property also makes Pentylene Glycol a great texture enhancer. It can also help thicken or stabilize a product.
Pentylene Glycol also acts as a mild preservative and helps to keep a product microbe-free.
Some people may experience mild eye and skin irritation from Pentylene Glycol. We always recommend speaking with a professional about using this ingredient in your routine.
Pentylene Glycol has a low molecular weight and is part of the 1,2-glycol family.
Learn more about Pentylene GlycolTocopherol (also known as Vitamin E) is a common antioxidant used to help protect the skin from free-radicals and strengthen the skin barrier. It's also fat soluble - this means our skin is great at absorbing it.
Vitamin E also helps keep your natural skin lipids healthy. Your lipid skin barrier naturally consists of lipids, ceramides, and fatty acids. Vitamin E offers extra protection for your skin’s lipid barrier, keeping your skin healthy and nourished.
Another benefit is a bit of UV protection. Vitamin E helps reduce the damage caused by UVB rays. (It should not replace your sunscreen). Combining it with Vitamin C can decrease sunburned cells and hyperpigmentation after UV exposure.
You might have noticed Vitamin E + C often paired together. This is because it is great at stabilizing Vitamin C. Using the two together helps increase the effectiveness of both ingredients.
There are often claims that Vitamin E can reduce/prevent scarring, but these claims haven't been confirmed by scientific research.
Learn more about TocopherolWater. 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