What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Glycerin
Humectant
Theobroma Grandiflorum Seed Butter
Skin Conditioning
Stearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil
Masking
PEG-100 Stearate
Surfactant
Elaeis Guineensis Oil
Emollient
Dimethicone
Emollient
Cetyl Esters
Emollient
Molasses Extract
Skin ConditioningAsparagopsis Armata Extract
Skin ProtectingAscophyllum Nodosum Extract
Skin ConditioningGlycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
Bleaching
Olea Europaea Fruit Oil
Masking
Hydrogenated Olive Oil
Skin Conditioning
Olea Europaea Oil Unsaponifiables
Skin Conditioning
Caffeine
Skin Conditioning
Aminopropyl Ascorbyl Phosphate
Antioxidant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Salicylic Acid
Masking
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Sorbitol
Humectant
Cetearyl Glucoside
Emulsifying
Glyceryl Stearate Citrate
Emollient
Sodium PCA
Humectant
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Water, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glycerin, Theobroma Grandiflorum Seed Butter, Stearyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil, PEG-100 Stearate, Elaeis Guineensis Oil, Dimethicone, Cetyl Esters, Molasses Extract, Asparagopsis Armata Extract, Ascophyllum Nodosum Extract, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Hydrogenated Olive Oil, Olea Europaea Oil Unsaponifiables, Caffeine, Aminopropyl Ascorbyl Phosphate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Salicylic Acid, Tocopherol, Cetyl Alcohol, Sorbitol, Cetearyl Glucoside, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Sodium PCA, Xanthan Gum, Caprylyl Glycol, Phenoxyethanol
Water
Skin ConditioningSimmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Propanediol
Solvent
Dicaprylyl Carbonate
EmollientPolyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate
Emulsifying
Opuntia Tuna Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Algae Extract
EmollientSalicornia Herbacea Extract
Skin ConditioningChlorella Vulgaris Extract
Skin ConditioningLaminaria Saccharina Extract
Skin ProtectingCaffeine
Skin Conditioning
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Sclerotium Gum
Emulsion StabilisingMaris Sal
Skin ConditioningTrehalose
Humectant
Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate
Antioxidant
Hydrolyzed Algin
Glycine Soja Oil
Emollient
Pullulan
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Citric Acid
Buffering
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingHydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Lecithin
Emollient
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Silica
Abrasive
Parfum
Masking
Limonene
Perfuming
Geraniol
Perfuming
Citronellol
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Hydroxycitronellal
Perfuming
Sodium Phytate
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
CI 77289
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Glycerin, Propanediol, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate, Opuntia Tuna Fruit Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Algae Extract, Salicornia Herbacea Extract, Chlorella Vulgaris Extract, Laminaria Saccharina Extract, Caffeine, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Sclerotium Gum, Maris Sal, Trehalose, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Hydrolyzed Algin, Glycine Soja Oil, Pullulan, Hydroxyacetophenone, Citric Acid, Xanthan Gum, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Lecithin, Tocopherol, Silica, Parfum, Limonene, Geraniol, Citronellol, Linalool, Hydroxycitronellal, Sodium Phytate, Phenoxyethanol, CI 77289
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Caffeine is a naturally occurring plant compound found in coffee beans, tea leaves, cocoa pods, and guarana.
As an antioxidant, caffeine protects your skin from free radical damage caused by UV exposure and envionrmnetal stressors.
Early research also shows that caffeine can help calm redness, soothe irritated skin, and support hair growth by stimulating microcirculation in the scalp.
You might have seen eye creams marketing caffeine as a depuffing ingredient. This is because it is a vasoconstrictor meaning it can temporarily constrict blood vessels, though clinical evidence for this specific use is still limited.
Most skincare products contain this ingredient at concentrations between 1-6%. It is able to penetrate skin easily regardless of skin type or thickness.
Just so you know, a very small number of case reports describe caffeine-induced allergy. This ingredient is generally well-tolerated, non-irritating, and non-sensitizing for the majority of people.
Learn more about CaffeineCaprylic/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 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.
Sodium Hyaluronate is the salt form of hyaluronic acid. It is a long sugar chain that is naturally found in your skin, joints, and connective tissue that maintains hydration and elasticity.
In skincare, it works as a humectant. It pulls water from the environment and deeper layers of skin and binds it to the surface.
Interestingly, the size of the molecule affects its behavior:
Some clinical evidence links low molecular weight versions to improved wrinkle depth, elasticity, anti-inflammatory effects, and barrier repair.
Many serums use a blend of both weights so you can get surface hydration plus longer-lasting and deeper effects.
You'll typically see concentrations between 0.1-2% for this ingredient.
Learn more about Sodium HyaluronateTocopherol 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 WaterXanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.
On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.
Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.
Learn more about Xanthan Gum
