What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantDipropylene Glycol
HumectantIsostearyl Isostearate
EmollientSucrose Stearate
EmollientSqualane
EmollientMicrocrystalline Cellulose
AbsorbentPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningGlycyrrhetinic Acid
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
Cellulose Gum
Emulsion StabilisingPolyacrylate Crosspolymer-6
Emulsion StabilisingTambourissa Trichophylla Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
AntioxidantLecithin
EmollientHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
EmollientNiacinamide
SmoothingCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialFructooligosaccharides
HumectantCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingLaminaria Ochroleuca Extract
Skin ConditioningWater, Glycerin, Dipropylene Glycol, Isostearyl Isostearate, Sucrose Stearate, Squalane, Microcrystalline Cellulose, Pentylene Glycol, Glycyrrhetinic Acid, Disodium EDTA, Cellulose Gum, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Tambourissa Trichophylla Leaf Extract, Tocopherol, Lecithin, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Niacinamide, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Fructooligosaccharides, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Laminaria Ochroleuca Extract
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientNiacinamide
SmoothingPEG-100 Stearate
10-Hydroxydecenoic Acid
Skin ConditioningAvena Sativa Leaf/Stem Extract
Skin ConditioningBenzoic Acid
MaskingCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientCetearyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingOenothera Biennis Oil
EmollientPolyacrylate-13
Polyisobutene
Polysorbate 20
EmulsifyingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingSorbitan Isostearate
EmulsifyingTocopherol
AntioxidantTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantWater, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glyceryl Stearate, Niacinamide, PEG-100 Stearate, 10-Hydroxydecenoic Acid, Avena Sativa Leaf/Stem Extract, Benzoic Acid, Caprylyl Glycol, Carbomer, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Glucoside, Oenothera Biennis Oil, Polyacrylate-13, Polyisobutene, Polysorbate 20, Sodium Hydroxide, Sorbitan Isostearate, Tocopherol, Tocopheryl Acetate
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
This ingredient is a lightweight emollient, solvent, and texture enhancer. It is considered a skin-softener by helping the skin prevent moisture loss.
It helps thicken a product's formula and makes it easier to spread by dissolving clumping compounds.
Caprylic Triglyceride is made by combining glycerin with coconut oil, forming a clear liquid. Though it behaves like an oil, it is not technically one due to its chemical composition. 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. Be sure to 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.
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 GlycerinNiacinamide 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 NiacinamideTocopherol (also known as Vitamin E) is a common antioxidant used to help protect the skin from free-radicals and strengthen the skin barrier. It's also fat soluble - this means our skin is great at absorbing it.
Vitamin E also helps keep your natural skin lipids healthy. Your lipid skin barrier naturally consists of lipids, ceramides, and fatty acids. Vitamin E offers extra protection for your skin’s lipid barrier, keeping your skin healthy and nourished.
Another benefit is a bit of UV protection. Vitamin E helps reduce the damage caused by UVB rays. (It should not replace your sunscreen). Combining it with Vitamin C can decrease sunburned cells and hyperpigmentation after UV exposure.
You might have noticed Vitamin E + C often paired together. This is because it is great at stabilizing Vitamin C. Using the two together helps increase the effectiveness of both ingredients.
There are often claims that Vitamin E can reduce/prevent scarring, but these claims haven't been confirmed by scientific research.
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