What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Glycerin
Humectant
Pentaerythrityl Tetracaprylate/Tetracaprate
EmollientTriethylhexanoin
MaskingSqualane
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Behenyl Alcohol
Emollient
Niacinamide
Smoothing
C20-22 Alkyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingC20-22 Alcohols
Emulsion Stabilising
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Aquaphilus Dolomiae Ferment Filtrate
Skin ConditioningArginine
Masking
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Cetearyl Glucoside
Emulsifying
Copper Sulfate
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingTocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Tromethamine
BufferingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingZinc Sulfate
Antimicrobial
Water, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glycerin, Pentaerythrityl Tetracaprylate/Tetracaprate, Triethylhexanoin, Squalane, Cetearyl Alcohol, Behenyl Alcohol, Niacinamide, C20-22 Alkyl Phosphate, C20-22 Alcohols, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Aquaphilus Dolomiae Ferment Filtrate, Arginine, Caprylyl Glycol, Cetearyl Glucoside, Copper Sulfate, Sodium Benzoate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Hydroxide, Tocopheryl Acetate, Tromethamine, Xanthan Gum, Zinc Sulfate
Water
Skin ConditioningDicaprylyl Carbonate
EmollientSqualane
Emollient
Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil
Emollient
Sisymbrium Irio Seed Oil
Masking
Xylitylglucoside
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Anhydroxylitol
Humectant
PEG-75 Stearate
Xylitol
Humectant
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingColostrum
Skin Conditioning
Triethanolamine
BufferingCeteth-20
CleansingSteareth-20
CleansingMimosa Tenuiflora Bark Extract
Skin ProtectingTocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Acacia Senegal Gum
MaskingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingBiosaccharide Gum-2
Skin ConditioningEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningRhizobian Gum
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Sorbic Acid
Preservative
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Glycine Soja Oil
Emollient
Diaminopropionoyl Tripeptide-33
Skin Conditioning
Water, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Squalane, Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil, Sisymbrium Irio Seed Oil, Xylitylglucoside, Glycerin, Cetyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, Phenoxyethanol, Propylene Glycol, Anhydroxylitol, PEG-75 Stearate, Xylitol, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Colostrum, Triethanolamine, Ceteth-20, Steareth-20, Mimosa Tenuiflora Bark Extract, Tocopheryl Acetate, Acacia Senegal Gum, Xanthan Gum, Biosaccharide Gum-2, Ethylhexylglycerin, Rhizobian Gum, Sodium Hyaluronate, Chlorphenesin, Sorbic Acid, Caprylyl Glycol, Tocopherol, Glycine Soja Oil, Diaminopropionoyl Tripeptide-33
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Caprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.
Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.
Because it is not a free-fatty acid or alcohol, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolGlycerin (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 GlycerinSodium 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 HyaluronateSqualane is the hydrogenated and shelf-stable form of squalene (a lipid that naturally occurs in human sebum).
It is an emollient and skin conditioning agent that is able to integrate seamlessly into the skin's lipid barrier without clogging pores.
This is due to how structurally similar it is to what your skin already produces.
Though it is mostly an emollient that helps soften and hydrate skin, it also has some humectant and occlusive action. Humectants help the skin retain moisture while occlusives seal it in, making squalane a triple-threat moisturizer.
Research shows it has antioxidant capabilities that help protect against stressors like UV exposure, specifically UVA induced oxidative stress. This study also found that it supports collagen biosynthesis in human dermal fibroblasts.
No clinical study has reported significant adverse effects and irritation reactions are very rare from this ingredient (even at 100% concentration).
Overall, it's a fantastic ingredient for hydration and is suitable for all skin types.
This depends on the source. Squalane can be derived from both plants and animals. Most squalane used in skincare comes from plants.
Please note: the source of squalane is only known if disclosed by the brand. We recommend reaching out to the brand if you have any questions about their squalane.
Read more about squalene with an "e".
Though squalane is often called an oil, it’s technically not one. It is a hydrocarbon, meaning it is only made of carbon and hydrogen. True oils are triglycerides and made of fatty acids and glycerol.
The term “oil-free” isn’t regulated so companies can define it however they want. Some exclude all oils, while others just avoid mineral oil or comedogenic oils.
Squalane has a comedogenic rating of 1 from the original 1972 study that tested raw ingredients under occlusion on rabbit ears. This system is not standardized or peer-reviewed, and using the raw ingredients is very different from how diluted cosmetic formulations are used on human skin.
A comedogenic rating of 1 means it is "unlikely to clog pores" according to the original rating system.
The overall formula of a product matters more than the individual ingredients on whether or not it will cause clogged pores.
Learn more about SqualaneTocopheryl Acetate is AKA Vitamin E. It is an antioxidant and protects your skin from free radicals. Free radicals damage the skin by breaking down collagen.
One study found using Tocopheryl Acetate with Vitamin C decreased the number of sunburned cells.
Tocopheryl Acetate is commonly found in both skincare and dietary supplements.
Learn more about Tocopheryl AcetateWater. 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
