What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
C13-15 Alkane
SolventSqualane
Emollient
C12-16 Alcohols
EmollientCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Dimethicone
Emollient
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Palmitoyl Hexapeptide-12
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Acetyl Tetrapeptide-2
Skin Conditioning
Phosphatidylserine
Emulsion StabilisingOleuropein
Antioxidant
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Linum Usitatissimum Seed Extract
Perfuming
Plantago Lanceolata Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialPeucedanum Graveolens Extract
TonicButyrospermum Parkii Butter Extract
Skin Conditioning
Tremella Fuciformis Sporocarp Extract
Antioxidant
Hydroxymethoxyphenyl Decanone
Skin ConditioningBetaine
Humectant
Ascorbyl Palmitate
Antioxidant
Olea Europaea Leaf Extract
Perfuming
Dunaliella Salina Extract
Skin ConditioningPersea Gratissima Fruit Extract
EmollientPhospholipids
Skin Conditioning
Bentonite
Absorbent
Palmitic Acid
Emollient
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Caprylyl Methicone
Skin Conditioning
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Lecithin
Emollient
Sclerotium Gum
Emulsion StabilisingPullulan
Polyglyceryl-10 Stearate
Skin Conditioning
Sucrose Stearate
EmollientDisodium EDTA
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCaprylhydroxamic Acid
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Water, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, C13-15 Alkane, Squalane, C12-16 Alcohols, Cetearyl Alcohol, Dimethicone, Niacinamide, Palmitoyl Hexapeptide-12, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Acetyl Tetrapeptide-2, Phosphatidylserine, Oleuropein, Ceramide NP, Linum Usitatissimum Seed Extract, Plantago Lanceolata Leaf Extract, Peucedanum Graveolens Extract, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter Extract, Tremella Fuciformis Sporocarp Extract, Hydroxymethoxyphenyl Decanone, Betaine, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Olea Europaea Leaf Extract, Dunaliella Salina Extract, Persea Gratissima Fruit Extract, Phospholipids, Bentonite, Palmitic Acid, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Tocopherol, Xanthan Gum, Caprylyl Glycol, Caprylyl Methicone, Butylene Glycol, Lecithin, Sclerotium Gum, Pullulan, Polyglyceryl-10 Stearate, Sucrose Stearate, Disodium EDTA, Ethylhexylglycerin, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, Phenoxyethanol
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Dimethicone
Emollient
Hydrogenated Polyisobutene
EmollientVinyl Dimethicone/Methicone Silsesquioxane Crosspolymer
Methyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer
Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate
Emulsion StabilisingHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil Unsaponifiables
Emollient
Myristyl Myristate
Emollient
Allyl Methacrylates Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingPotassium Cetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingGlyceryl Stearate Se
Emulsifying
Capryloyl Glycine
CleansingCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Silica Silylate
Emollient
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Hydrolyzed Rice Protein
Skin ConditioningPalmitic Acid
Emollient
Retinol
Skin Conditioning
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Coco-Glucoside
Cleansing
Magnesium Aluminum Silicate
Absorbent
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingAlcohol
Antimicrobial
BHT
Antioxidant
Sodium Citrate
BufferingMyristic Acid
Cleansing
Lavandula Angustifolia Oil
Masking
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil
Masking
Mentha Piperita Oil
Masking
Glaucine
Skin ConditioningCitric Acid
Buffering
Linalool
Perfuming
Tetradecyl Aminobutyroylvalylaminobutyric Urea Trifluoroacetate
Skin ConditioningMagnesium Chloride
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Propyl Gallate
Antioxidant
Biotin
AntiseborrhoeicWater, Glycerin, Dimethicone, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Vinyl Dimethicone/Methicone Silsesquioxane Crosspolymer, Methyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer, Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil Unsaponifiables, Myristyl Myristate, Allyl Methacrylates Crosspolymer, Sodium Hydroxide, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Capryloyl Glycine, Caprylyl Glycol, Silica Silylate, Pentylene Glycol, Stearic Acid, Hydrolyzed Rice Protein, Palmitic Acid, Retinol, Polysorbate 20, Coco-Glucoside, Magnesium Aluminum Silicate, Xanthan Gum, Alcohol, BHT, Sodium Citrate, Myristic Acid, Lavandula Angustifolia Oil, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil, Mentha Piperita Oil, Glaucine, Citric Acid, Linalool, Tetradecyl Aminobutyroylvalylaminobutyric Urea Trifluoroacetate, Magnesium Chloride, Tocopherol, Propyl Gallate, Biotin
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 GlycolDimethicone is a type of synthetic silicone created from natural materials such as quartz. It is also known as polydimethylsiloxane.
What it does:
Dimethicone comes in different viscosities:
Depending on the viscosity, dimethicone has different properties.
Ingredients lists don't always show which type is used, so we recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about the viscosity.
This ingredient is unlikely to cause irritation because it does not get absorbed into skin. However, people with silicone allergies should be careful about using this ingredient.
Note: Dimethicone may contribute to pilling. This is because it is not oil or water soluble, so pilling may occur when layered with products. When mixed with heavy oils in a formula, the outcome is also quite greasy.
Learn more about DimethiconeGlycerin (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 GlycerinPalmitic Acid is a fatty acid naturally found in our skin and in many plant and animal sources.
In cosmetics, it is usually derived from palm oil. It serves many purposes in skincare, acting as a cleanser, emollient, and emulsifier.
Interestingly, topically applied Palmitic Acid can be elongated into longer chain fatty acids and ceramides. A 2019 study found low levels of Palmitic Acid lead to slower development of cells, suggesting it plays a role in keeping your skin's renewal process on track.
The CIR (Cosmetic Ingredient Review) panel determined it safe as used in cosmetics at concentrations up to 13%. It is non-irritating and non-sensitizing in clinical studies.
The culprit behind fungal acne, the Malassezia yeast, feeds on fatty acids with carbon chain lengths between C11-C24. Palmitic Acid, at C16, falls right into that sweet spot.
In vitro studies have shown that Palmitic Acid is one of the fatty acids that induce rapid Malassezia growth in lab settings.
It's worth noting that what feeds yeast in a lab doesn't necessarily feed it on your face since formulation and your skin's chemistry play a bigger role.
Learn more about Palmitic 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 WaterXanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.
On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.
Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.
Learn more about Xanthan Gum
