What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
Solvent
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantNiacinamide
Smoothing
Glycerin
Humectant
Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Cyclohexasiloxane
Emollient
Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate
Emulsifying
Polyglyceryl-3 Distearate
Emulsifying
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Caffeine
Skin Conditioning
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Soluble Collagen
Humectant
Squalane
Emollient
Adenosine
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide Ng
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide Ns
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide AP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide As
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide EOP
Skin Conditioning
Hexapeptide-2
Bleaching
Copper Tripeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Acetyl Hexapeptide-8
Humectant
Acetyl Dipeptide-1 Cetyl Ester
Skin Conditioning
Retinol
Skin Conditioning
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
Humectant
Dimethylsilanol Hyaluronate
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
Skin Conditioning
Potassium Hyaluronate
Skin ConditioningHydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate
Sodium Hyaluronate Dimethylsilanol
HumectantSodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
Humectant
Hippophae Rhamnoides Oil
Emollient
Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil
Emollient
Chitosan
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Hippophae Rhamnoides Fruit Oil
Skin Protecting
Pentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate
Emollient
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingDiglycerin
Humectant
Polymethylsilsesquioxane
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Sodium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate
Emulsion StabilisingHydrogenated Polydecene
EmollientHydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Glyceryl Stearate Citrate
Emollient
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Sodium Phytate
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Trideceth-10
CleansingHydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Sorbitan Isostearate
Emulsifying
Palmitic Acid
Emollient
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Brassica Campestris Sterols
EmollientCholesterol
Emollient
Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate
Skin Conditioning
Phytosteryl/Behenyl/Octyldodecyl Lauroyl Glutamate
Skin ConditioningAluminum/Magnesium Hydroxide Stearate
Emulsion StabilisingPentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
Antioxidant
Oleic Acid
Emollient
Potassium Cetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingTris(Tetramethylhydroxypiperidinol)Citrate
StabilisingOctyldodecanol
Emollient
Phytosterols
Skin Conditioning
Sorbitan Laurate
Emulsifying
Hydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingPhytosphingosine
Skin Conditioning
Biotin
AntiseborrhoeicCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingWater, Propanediol, Dipropylene Glycol, Niacinamide, Glycerin, Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil, Pentylene Glycol, Cyclohexasiloxane, Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate, Polyglyceryl-3 Distearate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caffeine, Panthenol, Soluble Collagen, Squalane, Adenosine, Ceramide NP, Ceramide Ng, Ceramide Ns, Ceramide AP, Ceramide As, Ceramide EOP, Hexapeptide-2, Copper Tripeptide-1, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Acetyl Dipeptide-1 Cetyl Ester, Retinol, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Dimethylsilanol Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Potassium Hyaluronate, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate, Sodium Hyaluronate Dimethylsilanol, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Hippophae Rhamnoides Oil, Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil, Chitosan, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Hippophae Rhamnoides Fruit Oil, Pentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Diglycerin, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Tocopheryl Acetate, Sodium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Hydrogenated Polydecene, Hydroxyacetophenone, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Sodium Phytate, Butylene Glycol, Trideceth-10, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Sorbitan Isostearate, Palmitic Acid, Stearic Acid, Brassica Campestris Sterols, Cholesterol, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Phytosteryl/Behenyl/Octyldodecyl Lauroyl Glutamate, Aluminum/Magnesium Hydroxide Stearate, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Oleic Acid, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Tris(Tetramethylhydroxypiperidinol)Citrate, Octyldodecanol, Phytosterols, Sorbitan Laurate, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Phytosphingosine, Biotin, Cetearyl Alcohol, Xanthan Gum
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Trehalose
Humectant
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Arginine
Masking
Chenopodium Quinoa Seed Extract
Skin Conditioning
Himanthalia Elongata Extract
Skin Protecting
Brassica Oleracea Italica Seed Oil
Emollient
Tremella Fuciformis Sporocarp Extract
Antioxidant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingHydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Water, Glycerin, Niacinamide, Trehalose, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Arginine, Chenopodium Quinoa Seed Extract, Himanthalia Elongata Extract, Brassica Oleracea Italica Seed Oil, Tremella Fuciformis Sporocarp Extract, Tocopherol, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Allantoin, Pentylene Glycol, Carbomer, Hydroxyacetophenone
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride (aka MCT Oil) is a lightweight emollient, solvent, and texture enhancer. It is considered a skin-softener by helping to prevent moisture loss.
Though it behaves like an oil, it is not technically one due to its chemical composition. One perk of this ingredient is that it is very stable, resistant to oxidation, and unlikely to go rancid.
In practice, that translates to a long shelf life and a consistently elegant skin feel.
While there is an assumption Caprylic Triglyceride can clog pores due to it being derived from coconut oil, there is no research supporting this. Just patch test if you have concerns.
Fractionated coconut oil and MCT Oil are both listed as Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride according to INCI. This is because INCI names are based on the ingredient’s final chemical composition and not its marketing name or source.
This ingredient is treated as the gold standard fungal acne safe oil. Even though it is coconut derived, the problematic lauric acid is stripped out.
This leaves just caprylic (C8) and capric (C10) acid. These chain lengths actually trend antifungal; a 2020 study found caprylic acid was enough to disrupt Malassezia furfur cell membrane, with a caprylic acid derivative damaging membrane structures at concentrations as low as 0.2%.
Learn more about Caprylic/Capric TriglycerideGlycerin (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 GlycerinHydroxyacetophenone is a small phenolic molecule that earns its place in a formulas as an antioxidant and preservative booster.
As a phenol, it is able to neutralize free radicals to protect both the product and the skin from oxidative stress.
Though it can't kill microbes on its own, it works as a good supporting agent when combined with other preservatives like Phenoxyethanol or 1,2-Hexanediol.
This ingredient naturally occurs as piceol in Norwegian spruce needles (~0.4-1.1% dry weight and in cloudberries). Though the cosmetic-grade material is synthesized for purity and consistency.
You'll usually see it used at low levels and suppliers recommend up to 1% added to a water phase.
Safety testing was done at concentrations like 0.05% in SPF products and 0.5% in a Human Repeated Insult Patch Test. The safety evidence is assuring; this ingredient is safe for cosmetics in current use and also holds safety status as a food flavoring as well.
An honest caveat: the "soothing" and "anti-inflammatory" claims come mostly from supplier marketing rather than published clinical trials. The Cosmetic Ingredient Review's own literature search found no useful efficacy studies on this ingredient.
So the antioxidant and preservative-boosting roles are the well supported ones while the calming benefit is plausible but thinly evidenced.
Overall, this is a well-tolerated, low-irritation multitasker that quietly helps a formula stay fresh and stable.
Learn more about HydroxyacetophenoneNiacinamide is a multitasking form of vitamin B3 that strengthens the skin barrier, reduces pores and dark spots, regulates oil, and improves signs of aging.
And the best part? It's gentle and well-tolerated by most skin types, including sensitive and reactive skin.
You might have heard of "niacin flush", or the reddening of skin that causes itchiness. Niacinamide has not been found to cause this.
In very rare cases, some individuals may not be able to tolerate niacinamide at all or experience an allergic reaction to it.
If you are experiencing flaking, irritation, and dryness with this ingredient, be sure to double check all your products as this ingredient can be found in all categories of skincare.
When incorporating niacinamide into your routine, look out for concentration amounts. Typically, 5% niacinamide provides benefits such as fading dark spots. However, if you have sensitive skin, it is better to begin with a smaller concentration.
When you apply niacinamide to your skin, your body converts it into nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD). NAD is an essential coenzyme that is already found in your cells as "fuel" and powers countless biological processes.
In your skin, NAD helps repair cell damage, produce new healthy cells, support collagen production, strengthen the skin barrier, and fight environmental stressors (like UV and pollution).
Our natural NAD levels start to decline with age, leading to slower skin repair, visible aging, and a weaker skin barrier. By providing your skin niacinamide, you're recharging your skin's NAD levels. This leads to stronger, healthier, and younger looking skin.
Another name for vitamin B3 is nicotinamide. This vitamin is water-soluble and our bodies don't store it. We obtain Vitamin B3 from either food or skincare. Meat, fish, wheat, yeast, and leafy greens contain vitamin B3.
The type of niacinamide used in skincare is synthetically created.
Learn more about NiacinamidePentylene Glycol (1,2-pentanediol) is a multitasking little diol with three main roles in a formula:
Research on alkanediols (the family pentylene glycol belongs to) show they work by disrupting microbial cell membranes. This disruption helps the primary preservative system in a product work more effectively at lower doses.
On the safety side, the Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has concluded this ingredient to be safe as used in current cosmetic practices + concentrations.
Typical use levels in a formula run about 1-5%.
Learn more about Pentylene GlycolWater. 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
