What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycolic Acid
Buffering
Glycerin
Humectant
Canola Oil
Emollient
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Petrolatum
Emollient
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
PEG-40 Stearate
Emulsifying
Cyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Sorbitan Sesquioleate
Emulsifying
PEG-100 Stearate
Surfactant
Cyclohexasiloxane
Emollient
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingCetearyl Olivate
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingDimethicone
Emollient
Sorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Squalane
Emollient
Cocos Nucifera Oil
Masking
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPolysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingDipropylene Glycol
HumectantSorbitan Isostearate
Emulsifying
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Centella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Harpagophytum Procumbens Root Extract
Skin ConditioningPolygonum Cuspidatum Root Extract
Antioxidant
Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract
Astringent
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Madecassoside
Antioxidant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
Bleaching
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialChamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
Masking
Hydrolyzed Collagen
Emollient
Soluble Collagen
Humectant
Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
Humectant
Collagen Amino Acids
Moisturising
Potassium Hyaluronate
Skin ConditioningHydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Disodium EDTA
Water, Glycolic Acid, Glycerin, Canola Oil, 1,2-Hexanediol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Petrolatum, Propylene Glycol, PEG-40 Stearate, Cyclopentasiloxane, Glyceryl Stearate, Sorbitan Sesquioleate, PEG-100 Stearate, Cyclohexasiloxane, Sodium Hydroxide, Cetearyl Olivate, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Dimethicone, Sorbitan Olivate, Squalane, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Ethylhexylglycerin, Polysorbate 60, Xanthan Gum, Dipropylene Glycol, Sorbitan Isostearate, Butylene Glycol, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Centella Asiatica Extract, Ceramide NP, Tocopheryl Acetate, Pentylene Glycol, Harpagophytum Procumbens Root Extract, Polygonum Cuspidatum Root Extract, Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Madecassoside, Sodium Hyaluronate, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Hydrolyzed Collagen, Soluble Collagen, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Collagen Amino Acids, Potassium Hyaluronate, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Hyaluronic Acid, Disodium EDTA
Water
Skin ConditioningAlcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Hamamelis Virginiana Water
Astringent
Parfum
Masking
PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Mannitol
Humectant
Sodium Gluconate
Skin ConditioningCitric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Citrate
BufferingWaltheria Indica Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningDextrin
AbsorbentFerulic Acid
Antimicrobial
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Saccharide Isomerate
Humectant
Sodium Lactate
Buffering
Glycerin
Humectant
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Bacillus Ferment
Skin Conditioning
Bisabolol
Antioxidant
Glutathione
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Kojic Acid
Antioxidant
Malva Sylvestris Extract
AstringentMentha Piperita Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningPrimula Veris Extract
Skin ConditioningAlchemilla Vulgaris Extract
AstringentVeronica Officinalis Extract
Skin ConditioningMelissa Officinalis Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningAchillea Millefolium Extract
CleansingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingMorus Alba Root Extract
BleachingHydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin
MaskingWater, Alcohol Denat., Niacinamide, Hamamelis Virginiana Water, Parfum, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Mannitol, Sodium Gluconate, Citric Acid, Sodium Citrate, Waltheria Indica Leaf Extract, Dextrin, Ferulic Acid, Panthenol, Saccharide Isomerate, Sodium Lactate, Glycerin, Propylene Glycol, Bacillus Ferment, Bisabolol, Glutathione, Tocopheryl Acetate, Kojic Acid, Malva Sylvestris Extract, Mentha Piperita Leaf Extract, Primula Veris Extract, Alchemilla Vulgaris Extract, Veronica Officinalis Extract, Melissa Officinalis Leaf Extract, Achillea Millefolium Extract, Sodium Hydroxide, Morus Alba Root Extract, Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin
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 GlycerinPropylene Glycol is a synthetic, colorless, odorless liquid that has been a staple in cosmetics for decades. It is a skin conditioning agent, humectant, and solvent.
As a humectant, it draw water to the skin to reduce flaking and restore suppleness. It's also a solvent that helps dissolve other actives and keeps formulas stable across temperature changes.
The CIR Expert Panel has confirmed this ingredient to be nontoxic and clinical studies show no sensitization at cosmetic use concentrations.
True allergic reactions are quite rare: a 15-year retrospective study of 6,751 patients found only 0.31% had a positive reaction (and less than half were considered clinically relevant).
It seemed that when sensitization does occur, it's most commonly linked to topical medication (like corticosteroids) and not cosmetics. Allergic contact dermatitis also appears largely limited to individuals with underlying skin conditions.
Overall, propylene glycol is a well-studied ingredient that most people can tolerate without issue.
Learn more about Propylene GlycolSodium 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 HydroxideTocopheryl 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 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
