What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantTribehenin
EmollientCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingIsodecyl Neopentanoate
EmollientGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientPropanediol
SolventSqualane
EmollientAcrylamide/Sodium Acryloyldimethyltaurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingLeuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate
AntimicrobialCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientBakuchiol
AntimicrobialSodium Ascorbyl Phosphate
AntioxidantCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningRosa Canina Seed Oil
EmollientAdansonia Digitata Seed Oil
EmollientArgania Spinosa Kernel Oil
EmollientGlycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
BleachingPfaffia Paniculata Root Extract
SoothingPtychopetalum Olacoides Bark/Stem Extract
Skin ConditioningCalanthe Discolor Extract
Skin ConditioningLilium Candidum Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningUbiquinone
AntioxidantSuperoxide Dismutase
AntioxidantErgothioneine
AntioxidantTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantBisabolol
AntioxidantAllantoin
Skin ConditioningBiotin
AntiseborrhoeicHesperidin Methyl Chalcone
AntioxidantMethylglucoside Phosphate
Skin ConditioningCopper Lysinate/Prolinate
Skin ConditioningPalmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Skin ConditioningChrysin
Skin ConditioningGluconolactone
Skin ConditioningDipeptide-2
Skin ConditioningPalmitoyl Tripeptide-1
Skin ConditioningN-Prolyl Palmitoyl Tripeptide-56 Acetate
Skin ConditioningCalcium Gluconate
HumectantN-Hydroxysuccinimide
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl/Capryl Glucoside
CleansingCitric Acid
BufferingGlyceryl Polyacrylate
Isohexadecane
EmollientPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningPolysorbate 80
EmulsifyingSodium Citrate
BufferingSodium Gluconate
Skin ConditioningSodium Hydroxide
BufferingSorbitan Oleate
EmulsifyingSteareth-20
CleansingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingBenzyl Alcohol
PerfumingChlorhexidine Digluconate
AntimicrobialSodium Benzoate
MaskingPotassium Sorbate
PreservativePhenoxyethanol
PreservativeWater, Glycerin, Tribehenin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Isodecyl Neopentanoate, Glyceryl Stearate, Propanediol, Squalane, Acrylamide/Sodium Acryloyldimethyltaurate Copolymer, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Caprylyl Glycol, Bakuchiol, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Ceramide NP, Rosa Canina Seed Oil, Adansonia Digitata Seed Oil, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Pfaffia Paniculata Root Extract, Ptychopetalum Olacoides Bark/Stem Extract, Calanthe Discolor Extract, Lilium Candidum Flower Extract, Ubiquinone, Superoxide Dismutase, Ergothioneine, Tocopheryl Acetate, Bisabolol, Allantoin, Biotin, Hesperidin Methyl Chalcone, Methylglucoside Phosphate, Copper Lysinate/Prolinate, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Chrysin, Gluconolactone, Dipeptide-2, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, N-Prolyl Palmitoyl Tripeptide-56 Acetate, Calcium Gluconate, N-Hydroxysuccinimide, Caprylyl/Capryl Glucoside, Citric Acid, Glyceryl Polyacrylate, Isohexadecane, Pentylene Glycol, Polysorbate 80, Sodium Citrate, Sodium Gluconate, Sodium Hydroxide, Sorbitan Oleate, Steareth-20, Xanthan Gum, Benzyl Alcohol, Chlorhexidine Digluconate, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, Phenoxyethanol
Water
Skin ConditioningNiacinamide
SmoothingSqualane
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantCetyl Ethylhexanoate
EmollientSodium Acrylates Copolymer
Phenoxyethanol
PreservativeCaffeine
Skin ConditioningTetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate
AntioxidantLecithin
EmollientSynthetic Fluorphlogopite
Polyglyceryl-3 Laurate
EmulsifyingPullulan
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningHippophae Rhamnoides Fruit Oil
Skin ProtectingSodium Gluconate
Skin ConditioningMethyl Glucose Sesquistearate
EmollientCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientTin Oxide
AbrasiveAcetyl Hexapeptide-8
HumectantAcetyl Tetrapeptide-5
HumectantCI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Niacinamide, Squalane, Glycerin, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Sodium Acrylates Copolymer, Phenoxyethanol, Caffeine, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Lecithin, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Polyglyceryl-3 Laurate, Pullulan, Ethylhexylglycerin, Hippophae Rhamnoides Fruit Oil, Sodium Gluconate, Methyl Glucose Sesquistearate, Caprylyl Glycol, Tin Oxide, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Acetyl Tetrapeptide-5, CI 77891
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 GlycerinPhenoxyethanol 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.
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 GluconateSqualane is the hydrogenated and shelf-stable form of squalene (a lipid that naturally occurs in human sebum).
It is an emollient and skin conditioning agent that is able to integrate seamlessly into the skin's lipid barrier without clogging pores.
This is due to how structurally similar it is to what your skin already produces.
Though it is mostly an emollient that helps soften and hydrate skin, it also has some humectant and occlusive action. Humectants help the skin retain moisture while occlusives seal it in, making squalane a triple-threat moisturizer.
Research shows it has antioxidant capabilities that help protect against stressors like UV exposure, specifically UVA induced oxidative stress. This study also found that it supports collagen biosynthesis in human dermal fibroblasts.
No clinical study has reported significant adverse effects and irritation reactions are very rare from this ingredient (even at 100% concentration).
Overall, it's a fantastic ingredient for hydration and is suitable for all skin types.
This depends on the source. Squalane can be derived from both plants and animals. Most squalane used in skincare comes from plants.
Please note: the source of squalane is only known if disclosed by the brand. We recommend reaching out to the brand if you have any questions about their squalane.
Read more about squalene with an "e".
Though squalane is often called an oil, it’s technically not one. It is a hydrocarbon, meaning it is only made of carbon and hydrogen. True oils are triglycerides and made of fatty acids and glycerol.
The term “oil-free” isn’t regulated so companies can define it however they want. Some exclude all oils, while others just avoid mineral oil or comedogenic oils.
Squalane has a comedogenic rating of 1 from the original 1972 study that tested raw ingredients under occlusion on rabbit ears. This system is not standardized or peer-reviewed, and using the raw ingredients is very different from how diluted cosmetic formulations are used on human skin.
A comedogenic rating of 1 means it is "unlikely to clog pores" according to the original rating system.
The overall formula of a product matters more than the individual ingredients on whether or not it will cause clogged pores.
Learn more about SqualaneWater. 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