What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Propanediol
Solvent
Glycerin
Humectant
Ethylhexyl Palmitate
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Squalane
Emollient
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Sorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Parfum
Masking
Cetearyl Olivate
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingArginine
Masking
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningAdenosine
Skin Conditioning
Rosa Canina Fruit Oil
Emollient
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate
Skin Conditioning
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Acetyl Hexapeptide-8
Humectant
Copper Tripeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Hexapeptide-9
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4
Skin Conditioning
Tripeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Water, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Propanediol, Glycerin, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Squalane, 1,2-Hexanediol, Sorbitan Olivate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Parfum, Cetearyl Olivate, Carbomer, Arginine, Ethylhexylglycerin, Adenosine, Rosa Canina Fruit Oil, Butylene Glycol, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Tocopherol, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Copper Tripeptide-1, Hexapeptide-9, Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4, Tripeptide-1
Water
Skin ConditioningNiacinamide
Smoothing
Glycerin
Humectant
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialDiisostearyl Malate
EmollientJojoba Esters
Emollient
Sodium Acrylates Copolymer
Palmitoyl Hexapeptide-12
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide Ng
Skin Conditioning
Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Tremella Fuciformis Sporocarp Extract
Antioxidant
Brassica Oleracea Italica Seed Oil
Emollient
Hydrolyzed Jojoba Esters
Skin Conditioning
Lecithin
Emollient
Anhydroxylitol
Humectant
Xylitol
Humectant
Xylitylglucoside
Humectant
Saccharide Isomerate
Humectant
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingTocopherol
Antioxidant
Tribehenin
Emollient
Arginine
Masking
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingCitric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Citrate
BufferingPotassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Phenethyl Alcohol
MaskingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Water, Niacinamide, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Butylene Glycol, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Diisostearyl Malate, Jojoba Esters, Sodium Acrylates Copolymer, Palmitoyl Hexapeptide-12, Ceramide Ng, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Tremella Fuciformis Sporocarp Extract, Brassica Oleracea Italica Seed Oil, Hydrolyzed Jojoba Esters, Lecithin, Anhydroxylitol, Xylitol, Xylitylglucoside, Saccharide Isomerate, Xanthan Gum, Tocopherol, Tribehenin, Arginine, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Carbomer, Citric Acid, Sodium Citrate, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Phenethyl Alcohol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Caprylyl Glycol
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Arginine is a semi-essential amino acid. This just means our bodies can product a bit on its own, but sometimes needs a little boost from food sources.
It is a part of your skin's natural moisturizing factor (NMF), or the water-loving molecules in your outermost layer of skin (stratum corneum) that keeps everything hydrated and happy.
Here's an interesting thing about Arginine: your skin converts it into urea through the Krebs-Henseleit urea cycle. Urea is one of the most effective humectants your skin naturally produces.
A clinical study showed applying 2.5% arginine hydrochloride to atopic dermatitis skin showed significant urea levels in the stratum corneum and improved moisture in just four weeks.
Arginine is also a precursor to nitric oxide; nitric oxide improves microcirculation and supports wound healing and collagen synthesis.
One study found that an amino acid complex containing Arginine reduced skin irritation, improved hydration, and accelerated skin repair in clinical / in-vivo studies.
Arginine itself is an amino acid and not a fatty acid, oil, or ester. On its own, it's not a direct food source for Malassezia, or the yeast that causes fungal acne.
Learn more about ArginineButylene 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 GlycolCaprylic/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 TriglycerideCarbomer is a high-molecular weight polymer of acrylic acid. It is used to form gels and thicken formulas.
Due to its large molecular size, carbomer has minimal skin penetration and is considered an inert ingredient.
A high amount of carbomer can cause pilling or balling up of products. Don't worry, most products contain 1% or less of carbomer.
Learn more about CarbomerEthylhexylglycerin 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 GlycerinTocopherol 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
