What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
HumectantGlycerin
HumectantHydrogenated Polyisobutene
EmollientGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientDimethicone
EmollientAdenosine
Skin ConditioningPearl Extract
AntioxidantHydrogenated Lecithin
EmulsifyingC14-22 Alcohols
Emulsion StabilisingPEG-100 Stearate
SurfactantAmmonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Anhydroxylitol
HumectantArgania Spinosa Kernel Oil
EmollientCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPotassium Hydroxide
BufferingParfum
MaskingDisodium EDTA
Water, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Glyceryl Stearate, Dimethicone, Adenosine, Pearl Extract, Hydrogenated Lecithin, C14-22 Alcohols, PEG-100 Stearate, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Anhydroxylitol, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Caprylyl Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Potassium Hydroxide, Parfum, Disodium EDTA
Morinda Citrifolia Fruit Extract 42.75%
Skin ConditioningWater
Skin ConditioningCoco-Caprylate/Caprate
EmollientDipropylene Glycol
HumectantGlycerin
HumectantButylene Glycol
HumectantArachidyl Alcohol
EmollientSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantHydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
HumectantSodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
HumectantMorinda Citrifolia Seed Oil
Skin ConditioningMelia Azadirachta Branch/Leaf Extract
Skin ProtectingMelia Azadirachta Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningRosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil
MaskingTheobroma Cacao Extract
Skin ConditioningHydroxyethyl Urea
HumectantButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningDipotassium Glycyrrhizate
HumectantSqualane
EmollientBehenyl Alcohol
EmollientAmmonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Cyclohexasiloxane
EmollientDimethicone
EmollientGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientSorbitan Sesquioleate
EmulsifyingArachidyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingAdenosine
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingDextrin
AbsorbentGlucose
Humectant1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
Hydroxyacetophenone
AntioxidantMorinda Citrifolia Fruit Extract 42.75%, Water, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Dipropylene Glycol, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Arachidyl Alcohol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Morinda Citrifolia Seed Oil, Melia Azadirachta Branch/Leaf Extract, Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil, Theobroma Cacao Extract, Hydroxyethyl Urea, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Squalane, Behenyl Alcohol, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Cyclohexasiloxane, Dimethicone, Glyceryl Stearate, Sorbitan Sesquioleate, Arachidyl Glucoside, Xanthan Gum, Adenosine, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Dextrin, Glucose, 1,2-Hexanediol, Disodium EDTA, Hydroxyacetophenone
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Adenosine is in every living organism. It is one of four components in nucleic acids that helps store our DNA.
Adenosine has many benefits when used. These benefits include hydrating the skin, smoothing skin, and reducing wrinkles. Once applied, adenosine increases collagen production. It also helps with improving firmness and tissue repair.
Studies have found adenosine may also help with wound healing.
In skincare products, Adenosine is usually derived from yeast.
Learn more about AdenosineAmmonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer is a synthetically created polymer. It's used as a film-forming agent and used to thicken the consistency of products.
Think of it as a supportive ingredient that helps your gel-creams feel silky, "cloud cream-like", and spread evenly without being greasy.
The Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) Expert Panel evaluated it (along with 22 other acryloyldimethyltaurate polymers) and concluded it's:
Due to its large molecular size, it sits on the surface of skin rather than penetrating it.
Learn more about Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp CopolymerButylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:
Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient that works well with other ingredients.
Though this ingredient works well with most skin types, some people with sensitive skin may experience a reaction such as allergic rashes, closed comedones, or itchiness.
Learn more about Butylene 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 DimethiconeDisodium EDTA is a chelating agent. It grabs onto and deactivates metal ions that sneak into your products from water, packaging, or air.
This ingredient mainly works behind the scenes and helps with:
On top of that, this ingredient can counteract the effects of hard water by binding to the minerals in it.
One thing worth knowing is that Disodium EDTA has been shown to be a mild penetration enhancer. It can help other ingredients absorb into skin more effectively which can be a double-edged sword (great for actives, but can also make the active too strong if you have sensitive skin).
Clinical patch testing showed no significant skin irritation at typical use concentrations and minimal dermal absorption.
You'll most likely see this ingredient near the end of an ingredient list. It's typically found in concentrations less than 1%.
Learn more about Disodium EDTAGlycerin (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 GlycerinGlyceryl Stearate is made by reacting glycerin with stearic acid (typically sourced from plant oils like palm or coconut). It's an emulsifier, emollient, and mild occlusive.
Emulsifiers help ingredients like oil and water stay mixed so your formula stays nicely blended and uniform in texture.
This ingredient is typically used in concentrations between 1-10%. Studies have found it to be non-sensitizing, non-phototoxic, and non-photoallergenic.
A close cousin of this ingredient is Glyceryl Stearate SE ("self-emulsifying"). This just has a small amount of sodium or potassium stearate added so it can emulsify without a co-emulsifier.
Since this ingredient is an ester of a C18 fatty acid, it may not be fungal acne safe. The Malassezia yeast can potentially metabolize within the C11-C24 range.
Fun fact: The human body also creates Glyceryl Stearate naturally.
Learn more about Glyceryl StearateWater. 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