What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningDipropylene Glycol
HumectantNiacinamide
SmoothingGlycerin
HumectantButylene Glycol
HumectantTranexamic Acid
AstringentDiethoxyethyl Succinate
SolventSodium Polyacrylate
Absorbent1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientHydrolyzed Sponge
Skin ConditioningGlyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer
HumectantEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCalcium Aluminum Borosilicate
Adenosine
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
Cyanocobalamin
Skin ConditioningPvm/Ma Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingGluconolactone
Skin ConditioningBetaine Salicylate
AntimicrobialCitric Acid
BufferingAscorbic Acid
AntioxidantAlpha-Arbutin
AntioxidantPanthenol
Skin ConditioningMilk Exosomes
EmollientSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantSh-Oligopeptide-1
Skin ConditioningWater, Dipropylene Glycol, Niacinamide, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Tranexamic Acid, Diethoxyethyl Succinate, Sodium Polyacrylate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Hydrolyzed Sponge, Glyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer, Ethylhexylglycerin, Calcium Aluminum Borosilicate, Adenosine, Disodium EDTA, Cyanocobalamin, Pvm/Ma Copolymer, Gluconolactone, Betaine Salicylate, Citric Acid, Ascorbic Acid, Alpha-Arbutin, Panthenol, Milk Exosomes, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sh-Oligopeptide-1
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantButylene Glycol
HumectantNiacinamide
Smoothing1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningCetyl Ethylhexanoate
EmollientCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingCetearyl Olivate
Hydroxyacetophenone
AntioxidantSorbitan Olivate
EmulsifyingTromethamine
BufferingCalcium Gluconate
HumectantEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Sponge
Skin ConditioningAdenosine
Skin ConditioningCyanocobalamin
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningTremella Fuciformis Extract
HumectantTabebuia Impetiginosa Bark Extract
Skin ConditioningCoffea Arabica Seed Extract
MaskingHydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
HumectantHydrolyzed Extensin
Skin ConditioningCollagen Extract
Skin ConditioningWater, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Niacinamide, 1,2-Hexanediol, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Carbomer, Cetearyl Olivate, Hydroxyacetophenone, Sorbitan Olivate, Tromethamine, Calcium Gluconate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Hydrolyzed Sponge, Adenosine, Cyanocobalamin, Disodium EDTA, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Fruit Extract, Tremella Fuciformis Extract, Tabebuia Impetiginosa Bark Extract, Coffea Arabica Seed Extract, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Hydrolyzed Extensin, Collagen Extract
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
1,2-Hexanediol is a synthetic liquid and another multi-functional powerhouse.
It is a:
- Humectant, drawing moisture into the skin
- Emollient, helping to soften skin
- Solvent, dispersing and stabilizing formulas
- Preservative booster, enhancing the antimicrobial activity of other preservatives
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 AdenosineButylene 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 GlycolCyanocobalamin is the manufactured version of vitamin B12. It has skin soothing, antioxidant, and barrier protecting properties. Topical cyanocobalamin is used to treat skin irritation and atopic dermatitis.
Disodium 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 EDTAEthylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:
The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure.
Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.
Learn more about EthylhexylglycerinGlycerin (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 GlycerinHydrolyzed sponge comes from marine or freshwater sponges. This is the main ingredient for "spicules".
In some products, tiny microneedles called spicules are made from silica or hydrolyzed sponge. They help push active ingredients into the skin to enhance the penetration and efficacy of these ingredients.
Niacinamide 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 NiacinamideWater. 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