Serum
General Moisturizer
American United States
American United States

What's inside

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Show highlights for:

Water

Skin Conditioning

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

Masking
Coconut Derived IconHelps hydrate Dry Skin IconGood for Barrier Repair Icon

Isononyl Isononanoate

Emollient

Glycerin

Humectant
0 / 0 Helps hydrate Dry Skin IconGood for Scar Healing IconGood for Barrier Repair Icon

C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate

Antimicrobial

Polysorbate 60

Emulsifying
Not safe for Fungal Acne Icon

Pentaerythrityl Tetraisostearate

Emollient
2 / 0 Not safe for Fungal Acne Icon

Cetearyl Olivate

Not safe for Fungal Acne Icon

Mannitol

Humectant
Helps hydrate Dry Skin Icon

Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6

Emulsion Stabilising

Polyglyceryl-10 Oleate

Skin Conditioning
Not safe for Fungal Acne Icon

Euterpe Oleracea Fruit Oil

Skin Conditioning
Oil IconNot safe for Fungal Acne Icon

Rubus Idaeus Seed Oil

Emollient
Oil IconHelps hydrate Dry Skin IconNot safe for Fungal Acne Icon

Ascorbyl Palmitate

Antioxidant
2 / 0 Vitamin C IconAntioxidant IconHelps brighten skin IconGood for Scar Healing IconNot safe for Fungal Acne Icon

Lactobacillus Ferment

Skin Conditioning
Helps reduce Skin Redness IconGood for Barrier Repair Icon

Saccharomyces/Xylinum/Black Tea Ferment

Skin Conditioning
Helps reduce irritation IconNot safe for Fungal Acne Icon

Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract

Antimicrobial
Antioxidant IconHelps with Anti-Aging IconHelps hydrate Dry Skin IconHelps brighten skin IconHelps reduce irritation IconGood for Oily Skin IconGood for Minimizing Pores IconHelps reduce Skin Redness Icon

Ferulic Acid

Antimicrobial
Antioxidant IconHelps with Anti-Aging IconHelps brighten skin IconGood for Scar Healing Icon

Ceramide NP

Skin Conditioning
Ceramide IconHelps with Anti-Aging IconHelps hydrate Dry Skin IconHelps reduce irritation IconHelps reduce Skin Redness IconGood for Barrier Repair Icon

Caffeine

Skin Conditioning
Helps with Anti-Aging IconHelps reduce irritation Icon

Honey

Humectant
Helps hydrate Dry Skin Icon

Phospholipids

Skin Conditioning
Helps hydrate Dry Skin IconGood for Barrier Repair Icon

Sphingolipids

Emollient
Helps hydrate Dry Skin IconHelps reduce Skin Redness IconGood for Barrier Repair Icon

Hyaluronic Acid

Humectant
Hyaluronic Acid IconHelps with Anti-Aging IconHelps hydrate Dry Skin IconGood for Scar Healing IconGood for Barrier Repair Icon

Bisabolol

Antioxidant
Antioxidant IconHelps hydrate Dry Skin IconHelps reduce irritation IconHelps reduce Skin Redness IconGood for Scar Healing IconGood for Barrier Repair Icon

Allantoin

Skin Conditioning
0 / 0 Helps hydrate Dry Skin IconHelps reduce irritation IconHelps reduce Skin Redness IconGood for Scar Healing IconGood for Barrier Repair Icon

Epigallocatechin Gallate

Antioxidant
Antioxidant IconGood for Oily Skin Icon

Glutathione

Helps brighten skin IconHelps reduce Skin Redness IconGood for Dark Spots Icon

Ergothioneine

Antioxidant
Antioxidant IconHelps reduce irritation IconHelps reduce Skin Redness IconGood for Dark Spots Icon

Dunaliella Salina Extract

Skin Conditioning

Waltheria Indica Leaf Extract

Skin Conditioning

Lecithin

Emollient
Helps hydrate Dry Skin IconGood for Barrier Repair Icon

Astaxanthin

Skin Conditioning
Helps with Anti-Aging IconHelps brighten skin IconHelps reduce irritation IconHelps reduce Skin Redness Icon

Tocopherol

Antioxidant
0-3 / 0-3 Vitamin E IconAntioxidant IconHelps with Anti-Aging IconHelps hydrate Dry Skin IconHelps brighten skin IconHelps reduce Skin Redness IconGood for Dark Spots IconGood for Barrier Repair Icon

Biotin

Antiseborrhoeic

Benzimidazole Diamond Amidoethyl Urea Carbamoyl Propyl Polymethylsilsesquioxane

Cosmetic Colorant
Silicon Icon

Teprenone

Skin Conditioning

Sorbitan Olivate

Emulsifying
Not safe for Fungal Acne Icon

Lonicera Caprifolium Flower Extract

Perfuming
Fragrance Icon

Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5

Skin Conditioning
Peptide IconHelps with Anti-Aging IconGood for Skin Texture Icon

Palmitoyl Dipeptide-5 Diaminobutyroyl Hydroxythreonine

Skin Conditioning
Peptide IconNot safe for Fungal Acne Icon

Palmitoyl Dipeptide-5 Diaminohydroxybutyrate

Skin Conditioning
Peptide Icon

Palmitoyl Tripeptide-38

Skin Conditioning
Peptide IconHelps with Anti-Aging IconGood for Skin Texture Icon

Dimethyl Isosorbide

Solvent

Tetrahydrodiferuloylmethane

Antioxidant
Antioxidant Icon

Palmitoyl Tripeptide-8

Skin Conditioning
Peptide IconHelps reduce irritation IconGood for Minimizing Pores IconHelps reduce Skin Redness Icon

Acetyl Tetrapeptide-40

Skin Conditioning
Peptide IconHelps reduce Skin Redness Icon

Tetrahydrodemethoxydiferuloylmethane

Antioxidant
Antioxidant Icon

Tetrahydrobisdemethoxydiferuloylmethane

Antioxidant
Antioxidant Icon

Dextrin

Absorbent

Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin

Masking

Dextran

Helps hydrate Dry Skin Icon

Lonicera Japonica Flower Extract

Skin Conditioning

Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate

Antimicrobial
Not safe for Fungal Acne Icon

Sodium Gluconate

Skin Conditioning

Hydroxyethylcellulose

Emulsion Stabilising

Citric Acid

Buffering
AHA IconHelps brighten skin IconMay worsen Rosacea Icon

Potassium Sorbate

Preservative
Preservative Icon

Sodium Hydroxide

Buffering

Sodium Citrate

Buffering

Caprylyl Glycol

Emollient
Fatty Alcohol Icon

Sodium Benzoate

Masking
Preservative Icon

Sodium Dehydroacetate

Preservative
Preservative Icon

Hydrogenated Palm Glycerides Citrate

Emollient
Not safe for Fungal Acne Icon

T-Butyl Alcohol

Perfuming
Alcohol IconFragrance IconCan worsen Dry Skin Icon

Polysorbate 20

Emulsifying
0 / 0 Not safe for Fungal Acne Icon

Butylene Glycol

Humectant
1 / 0 Helps hydrate Dry Skin IconGood for Barrier Repair Icon

Phenoxyethanol

Preservative
Preservative Icon

Water, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Isononyl Isononanoate, Glycerin, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Polysorbate 60, Pentaerythrityl Tetraisostearate, Cetearyl Olivate, Mannitol, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Polyglyceryl-10 Oleate, Euterpe Oleracea Fruit Oil, Rubus Idaeus Seed Oil, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Lactobacillus Ferment, Saccharomyces/Xylinum/Black Tea Ferment, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Ferulic Acid, Ceramide NP, Caffeine, Honey, Phospholipids, Sphingolipids, Hyaluronic Acid, Bisabolol, Allantoin, Epigallocatechin Gallate, Glutathione, Ergothioneine, Dunaliella Salina Extract, Waltheria Indica Leaf Extract, Lecithin, Astaxanthin, Tocopherol, Biotin, Benzimidazole Diamond Amidoethyl Urea Carbamoyl Propyl Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Teprenone, Sorbitan Olivate, Lonicera Caprifolium Flower Extract, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5, Palmitoyl Dipeptide-5 Diaminobutyroyl Hydroxythreonine, Palmitoyl Dipeptide-5 Diaminohydroxybutyrate, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-38, Dimethyl Isosorbide, Tetrahydrodiferuloylmethane, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-8, Acetyl Tetrapeptide-40, Tetrahydrodemethoxydiferuloylmethane, Tetrahydrobisdemethoxydiferuloylmethane, Dextrin, Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin, Dextran, Lonicera Japonica Flower Extract, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Sodium Gluconate, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Citric Acid, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Hydroxide, Sodium Citrate, Caprylyl Glycol, Sodium Benzoate, Sodium Dehydroacetate, Hydrogenated Palm Glycerides Citrate, T-Butyl Alcohol, Polysorbate 20, Butylene Glycol, Phenoxyethanol

Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.

Emollient, Humectant, Skin Conditioning

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 or alcohol, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).

Learn more about Caprylyl Glycol
Buffering, Masking

Citric Acid is an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) naturally found in citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, and limes.

Like other AHAs, citric acid can exfoliate skin by breaking down the bonds that hold dead skin cells together. This helps reveal smoother and brighter skin underneath.

However, this exfoliating effect only happens at high concentrations (20%) which can be hard to find in cosmetic products.

Due to this, citric acid is usually included in small amounts as a pH adjuster. This helps keep products slightly more acidic and compatible with skin's natural pH.

In skincare formulas, citric acid can:

While it can provide some skin benefits, research shows lactic acid and glycolic acid are generally more effective and less irritating exfoliants.

Most citric acid used in skincare today is made by fermenting sugars (usually from molasses). This synthetic version is identical to the natural citrus form but easier to stabilize and use in formulations.

Read more about some other popular AHA's here:

Learn more about Citric Acid

Dimethyl Isosorbide is a low-irritation solvent that helps deliver actives into your skin. It is created from glucose.

Research shows how well this ingredient works depends on the active and formulation rather than the concentration alone. This means adding more Dimethyl Isosorbide does not guarantee better penetration of ingredients into the skin.

Antioxidant

Ergothioneine is an amino acid found naturally in mushrooms, grains, and meat. It has antioxidant and skin soothing properties.

This amino acid helps with:

  • Maintaining DNA stability and cell reproduction
  • Enhances cellular immunity
  • Skin brightening
  • Anti-aging
  • Skin soothing
Humectant, Skin Conditioning, Skin Protecting

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 Glycerin
Emulsion Stabilising, Stabilising

Hydroxyethylcellulose is used to improve the texture of products. It is created from a chemical reaction involving ethylene oxide and alkali-cellulose. Cellulose is a sugar found in plant cell walls and help give plants structure.

This ingredient helps stabilize products by preventing ingredients from separating. It can also help thicken the texture of a product.

This ingredient can also be found in pill medicines to help our bodies digest other ingredients.

Learn more about Hydroxyethylcellulose
Emollient, Skin Conditioning

Isononyl Isononanoate is a synthetic skin-conditioner and texture enhancer. It is created from nonanoic acid, a fatty acid found in cocoa and lavender oil.

As an emollient, Isononyl Isononanoate helps keep your skin soft and smooth. This is because emollients create a barrier on the skin to trap moisture in.

Isononyl Isononanoate helps give products a velvet feel and improves spreadability.

Learn more about Isononyl Isononanoate
Preservative

Phenoxyethanol is a preservative that has germicide, antimicrobial, and aromatic properties. Studies show that phenoxyethanol can prevent microbial growth. By itself, it has a scent that is similar to that of a rose.

It's often used in formulations along with Caprylyl Glycol to preserve the shelf life of products.

Skin Conditioning

Polyglyceryl-10 Oleate is made by combining ten units of glycerin with oleic acid.

According to a manufacturer, it is a low-irritation and hydrophilic (water loving) skin conditioning agent. It also improves the sensory feel and texture of a product.

The Malassezia yeast survives by eating certain fats, including oleic acid. Since this ingredient is made from oleic acid, it might not be fungal acne safe. However, it should be noted this oleic acid is chemically bound to a large polyglycerol molecule, so it might not trigger fungal acne for everyone.

Learn more about Polyglyceryl-10 Oleate
Emulsifying

Polysorbate 20 is a gentle, water-soluble emulsifier and mild surfactant. It stops oil and water from separating to keep your formulas blended and stable.

It also acts as a mild penetration enhancer by helping active ingredients absorb slightly better.

The common safety discussion around this ingredient involves a manufacturing byproduct called 1,4-dioxane.

Trace amounts can form during production but the EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety has concluded that levels at/below 10 ppm in finished products are safe (commercial products consistently fall within acceptable margins).

True allergic reactions are uncommon and the CIR Expert Panel has confirmed this ingredient to be safe as used in cosmetics.

Because it is derived from lauric acid, it may not be fungal acne safe.

Learn more about Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying

Polysorbate 60 is used to help stabilize products. It is a surfactant and emulsifier. These properties help keep ingredients together in a product. Surfactants help reduce surface tension between ingredients with different states, such as liquids and solids. Emulsifiers help prevent oils and waters from separating.

Polysorbate 60 is sorbitol-based and created from the ethoxylation of sorbitan. Ethoxylation is a chemical reaction used to add ethylene oxide. Sorbitan is a the dehydrated version of sorbitol, a sugar found in fruits.

In this case, the 60 comes from reacting 60 units of ethylene oxide with sorbitan.

Polysorbates are commonly used in medicine and foods.

Learn more about Polysorbate 60
Skin Conditioning

This is the synthetic salt of gluconic acid, a form of PHA and mild exfoliant.

It is mainly used to stabilize oil and butter formulations from going bad. Sodium gluconate is a humectant, pH regulator, and chelating agent.

Chelating agents help neutralize unwanted metals from affecting the formulation.

Sodium gluconate is water-soluble.

Learn more about Sodium Gluconate
Buffering

Sodium 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 Hydroxide
Antioxidant, Masking, Skin Conditioning

Tocopherol 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 Tocopherol
Skin Conditioning, Solvent

Water. 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

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