What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningAzelaic Acid
Buffering
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialTerminalia Ferdinandiana Fruit Extract
Antioxidant
Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
Bleaching
Hexylresorcinol
Antimicrobial
Gluconolactone
Skin Conditioning
Rubus Idaeus Seed Oil
Emollient
Pichia/Resveratrol Ferment Extract
Skin ConditioningMorus Nigra Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Artocarpus Heterophyllus Seed Extract
BleachingPhyllanthus Emblica Extract
Skin ConditioningPolyacrylate Crosspolymer-6
Emulsion StabilisingDaucus Carota Sativa Extract
Perfuming
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate
Antimicrobial
Cucumis Sativus Extract
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Benzoic Acid
Masking
Dehydroacetic Acid
Preservative
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Sodium Citrate
BufferingFerulic Acid
Antimicrobial
Tetrasodium EDTA
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Water, Azelaic Acid, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Pentylene Glycol, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Terminalia Ferdinandiana Fruit Extract, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Hexylresorcinol, Gluconolactone, Rubus Idaeus Seed Oil, Pichia/Resveratrol Ferment Extract, Morus Nigra Leaf Extract, Glycerin, Artocarpus Heterophyllus Seed Extract, Phyllanthus Emblica Extract, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Daucus Carota Sativa Extract, Tocopherol, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Cucumis Sativus Extract, Sodium Benzoate, Benzoic Acid, Dehydroacetic Acid, Benzyl Alcohol, Sodium Citrate, Ferulic Acid, Tetrasodium EDTA, Potassium Sorbate, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Water
Skin ConditioningAzelaic Acid 10%
Buffering
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingSalicylic Acid 1%
Masking
Glycerin
Humectant
Cucurbita Pepo Seed Oil
Emollient
Salvia Hispanica Seed Oil
Emollient
Sclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil
Humectant
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Diglucosyl Gallic Acid
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Phloretin
Antioxidant
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Ferulic Acid
Antimicrobial
Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Humectant
Tremella Fuciformis Sporocarp Extract
Antioxidant
Behenic Acid
Cleansing
Glutathione
Linoleic Acid
Cleansing
Tocotrienols
Skin Conditioning
Thioctic Acid
Antioxidant
Linolenic Acid
Cleansing
Ergothioneine
Antioxidant
Cholesterol
Emollient
Ceramide Ns
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide AP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide EOP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide Eos
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
Humectant
Amylopectin
Ellagic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Pseudozyma Epicola/Camellia Sinensis Seed Oil Ferment Extract Filtrate
Humectant
Caprooyl Phytosphingosine
Skin Conditioning
Caprooyl Sphingosine
Skin ConditioningSqualane
Emollient
Ascorbyl Palmitate
Antioxidant
Acetyl Glucosamine
Skin Conditioning
Punica Granatum Extract
AstringentDextrin
AbsorbentSebacic Acid
BufferingOryza Sativa Bran Oil
Emollient
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Ceteareth-25
CleansingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Sorbitan Isostearate
Emulsifying
Polydextrose
HumectantCetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Polysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningWater, Azelaic Acid 10%, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Salicylic Acid 1%, Glycerin, Cucurbita Pepo Seed Oil, Salvia Hispanica Seed Oil, Sclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil, Pentylene Glycol, Diglucosyl Gallic Acid, Niacinamide, Phloretin, Allantoin, Ferulic Acid, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Tremella Fuciformis Sporocarp Extract, Behenic Acid, Glutathione, Linoleic Acid, Tocotrienols, Thioctic Acid, Linolenic Acid, Ergothioneine, Cholesterol, Ceramide Ns, Ceramide AP, Ceramide EOP, Ceramide Eos, Ceramide NP, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Amylopectin, Ellagic Acid, Pseudozyma Epicola/Camellia Sinensis Seed Oil Ferment Extract Filtrate, Caprooyl Phytosphingosine, Caprooyl Sphingosine, Squalane, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Acetyl Glucosamine, Punica Granatum Extract, Dextrin, Sebacic Acid, Oryza Sativa Bran Oil, Tocopherol, Ceteareth-25, Phenoxyethanol, Sorbitan Isostearate, Polydextrose, Cetyl Alcohol, Caprylyl Glycol, Chlorphenesin, Polysorbate 60, Ethylhexylglycerin
Reviews
Alternatives
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Azelaic acid is a multitasker ingredient that helps treat acne, pigmentation, and irritation. It is a great option for sensitive skin.
What makes it special?
OTC Azelaic acid is usually available in concentrations from 10-15% and anything over requires a prescription.
Here's what each tier does best:
Unlike other acids, azelaic acid will not make your skin more photosensitive/sun sensitive.
Though this ingredient is naturally occurring in grains like wheat, rye, and barley, it is usually synthetically created for cosmetics to ensure stability and effectiveness.
Learn more about Azelaic AcidFerulic Acid is a plant based antioxidant that can be naturally found in the cell walls of grains like rice, oats, and corn. It has antioxidant and antimicrobial properties, and has the ability to boost the performance of other antioxidants as well.
A well-known study found that adding Ferulic Acid to a solution of Vitamins C and E doubled the photoprotection of skin. This is why you'll often see it paired with Vitamin C or Vitamin E serums rather than sold on its own.
A 2025 review of 18 human studies found that using Ferulic Acid (0.5-1%) daily for one to three months showed improvements in:
As far as allergies go, Ferulic acid is generally well-tolerated but can cause an allergic reaction in very rare cases. It's also worth noting that Ferulic acid is often extracted from plant sources like rice bran or wheat bran, so be sure to path test if you have known grain allergies.
Outside of skincare, researchers are also looking into Ferulic Acid for its potential benefits in areas like diabetes, Alzheimer's, and heart health.
Learn more about Ferulic AcidGlycerin (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 GlycerinPentylene glycol is typically used within a product to thicken it. It also adds a smooth, soft, and moisturizing feel to the product. It is naturally found in plants such as sugar beets.
The hydrophilic trait of Pentylene Glycol makes it a humectant. As a humectant, Pentylene Glycol helps draw moisture from the air to your skin. This can help keep your skin hydrated.
This property also makes Pentylene Glycol a great texture enhancer. It can also help thicken or stabilize a product.
Pentylene Glycol also acts as a mild preservative and helps to keep a product microbe-free.
Some people may experience mild eye and skin irritation from Pentylene Glycol. We always recommend speaking with a professional about using this ingredient in your routine.
Pentylene Glycol has a low molecular weight and is part of the 1,2-glycol family.
Learn more about Pentylene GlycolTocopherol 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 Water
