What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Diglycerin
Humectant
Dimethyl Isosorbide
SolventSaccharomyces Ferment Filtrate
Humectant
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Polyglyceryl-4 Caprate
Emulsifying1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Glycereth-26
Humectant
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Betaine
Humectant
Empetrum Nigrum Fruit Juice
Skin ConditioningPanthenol
Skin Conditioning
Yeast Extract
Skin ConditioningPavlova Lutheri Extract
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Olea Europaea Fruit Extract
BleachingSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Sodium Polyacrylate
Absorbent
Acrylates/Vinyl Isodecanoate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingMaltodextrin
Absorbent
Arginine
Masking
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantGlyceryl Polyacrylate
Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate
Antimicrobial
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Sorbic Acid
Preservative
Benzoic Acid
Masking
Water, Glycerin, Diglycerin, Dimethyl Isosorbide, Saccharomyces Ferment Filtrate, Pentylene Glycol, Polyglyceryl-4 Caprate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Glycereth-26, Niacinamide, Betaine, Empetrum Nigrum Fruit Juice, Panthenol, Yeast Extract, Pavlova Lutheri Extract, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Olea Europaea Fruit Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Caprylyl Glycol, Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Polyacrylate, Acrylates/Vinyl Isodecanoate Crosspolymer, Maltodextrin, Arginine, Dipropylene Glycol, Glyceryl Polyacrylate, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Tocopherol, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Potassium Sorbate, Benzyl Alcohol, Sorbic Acid, Benzoic Acid
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Cyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Mangifera Indica Seed Butter
Skin Conditioning
Dimethicone
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Ceteareth-20
CleansingButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Methylsilanol Mannuronate
Skin ConditioningCycloastragenol
Ceramide Ns
Skin Conditioning
Myristoyl Tetrapeptide-12
Skin Conditioning
Myristoyl Pentapeptide-11
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4
Skin Conditioning
Myristoyl Pentapeptide-8
Skin Conditioning
Sh-Polypeptide-3
Skin Conditioning
Sh-Polypeptide-22
Skin Conditioning
Sh-Oligopeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Linoleic Acid
Cleansing
Linolenic Acid
Cleansing
Camellia Oleifera Leaf Extract
AstringentAllantoin
Skin Conditioning
Ubiquinone
Antioxidant
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Magnesium Aluminum Silicate
Absorbent
Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Skin Conditioning
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingGlycine Soja Oil
Emollient
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingPolysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Yeast Polysaccharides
Skin ConditioningSodium Lactate
Buffering
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningHexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingCitric Acid
Buffering
Quartz
Abrasive
Sodium Oleate
CleansingDisodium EDTA
Sorbic Acid
Preservative
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Water, Glycerin, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Cyclopentasiloxane, Butylene Glycol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil, Mangifera Indica Seed Butter, Dimethicone, Glyceryl Stearate, Ceteareth-20, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Methylsilanol Mannuronate, Cycloastragenol, Ceramide Ns, Myristoyl Tetrapeptide-12, Myristoyl Pentapeptide-11, Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4, Myristoyl Pentapeptide-8, Sh-Polypeptide-3, Sh-Polypeptide-22, Sh-Oligopeptide-1, Panthenol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Linoleic Acid, Linolenic Acid, Camellia Oleifera Leaf Extract, Allantoin, Ubiquinone, Tocopheryl Acetate, Tocopherol, Magnesium Aluminum Silicate, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Xanthan Gum, Glycine Soja Oil, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Carbomer, Polysorbate 20, Yeast Polysaccharides, Sodium Lactate, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Hexylene Glycol, Citric Acid, Quartz, Sodium Oleate, Disodium EDTA, Sorbic Acid, Phenoxyethanol
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Caprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.
Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.
Because it is not a free-fatty acid, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolGlycerin (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 GlycerinPanthenol is a common ingredient that helps hydrate and soothe the skin. It is found naturally in our skin and hair.
There are two forms of panthenol: D and L.
D-panthenol is also known as dexpanthenol. Most cosmetics use dexpanthenol or a mixture of D and L-panthenol.
Panthenol is famous due to its ability to go deeper into the skin's layers. Using this ingredient has numerous pros (and no cons):
Like hyaluronic acid, panthenol is a humectant. Humectants are able to bind and hold large amounts of water to keep skin hydrated.
This ingredient works well for wound healing. It works by increasing tissue in the wound and helps close open wounds.
Once oxidized, panthenol converts to pantothenic acid. Panthothenic acid is found in all living cells.
This ingredient is also referred to as pro-vitamin B5.
Learn more about PanthenolSodium Hyaluronate is the salt form of hyaluronic acid. It is a long sugar chain that is naturally found in your skin, joints, and connective tissue that maintains hydration and elasticity.
In skincare, it works as a humectant. It pulls water from the environment and deeper layers of skin and binds it to the surface.
Interestingly, the size of the molecule affects its behavior:
Some clinical evidence links low molecular weight versions to improved wrinkle depth, elasticity, anti-inflammatory effects, and barrier repair.
Many serums use a blend of both weights so you can get surface hydration plus longer-lasting and deeper effects.
You'll typically see concentrations between 0.1-2% for this ingredient.
Learn more about Sodium HyaluronateSorbic Acid is a preservative that stops your product from spoiling by stopping microbes from growing.
As a preservative, it's kind of a specialist: it has a broad spectrum of activity against yeast and molds but is weaker against bacteria. That's why it's often paired with another preservative to cover that gap.
This ingredient is also pretty picky about pH; it performs best at pH 6.5 or below.
At the right pH level, sorbic acid is "active" and can slip through the outer wall of a microbe. Once inside, it turns the cell's interior more acidic to shut down the microbe from the inside.
The EU caps this ingredient at 0.6% while the CIR has concluded it's safe at concentrations up to 1%. It's most often used around 0.05-0.2% in cosmetics.
Though this ingredient is considered low-sensitizing and well-tolerated, a very small number of people may have a contact allergy to it. Be sure to patch test if you have a history of allergies towards preservatives.
Learn more about Sorbic AcidTocopherol 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 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
