What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Dimethicone
Emollient
Polyethylene
Abrasive
Tridecyl Trimellitate
EmollientCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Isostearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Butylene Glycol Cocoate
Emulsifying
Fructooligosaccharides
Humectant
Mannitol
Humectant
Xylitol
Humectant
Caffeine
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Glycyrrhetinic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Rhamnose
HumectantLaminaria Ochroleuca Extract
Skin Conditioning
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingPentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Disodium EDTA
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingEthylcellulose
Water, Glycerin, Dimethicone, Polyethylene, Tridecyl Trimellitate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Isostearyl Alcohol, Butylene Glycol Cocoate, Fructooligosaccharides, Mannitol, Xylitol, Caffeine, Sodium Hyaluronate, Glycyrrhetinic Acid, Rhamnose, Laminaria Ochroleuca Extract, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Pentylene Glycol, Caprylyl Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Hydroxide, Ethylcellulose
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Dimethicone
Emollient
Cetearyl Olivate
Caffeine
Skin Conditioning
Sorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningDimethicone Crosspolymer
Emulsion Stabilising
Dimethiconol
Emollient
Acetyl Glucosamine
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Steareth-20
CleansingN-Hydroxysuccinimide
Skin ConditioningChrysin
Skin ConditioningPalmitoyl Tripeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Skin Conditioning
Water, Glycerin, Dimethicone, Cetearyl Olivate, Caffeine, Sorbitan Olivate, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Caprylyl Glycol, Panthenol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Dimethiconol, Acetyl Glucosamine, Sodium Hyaluronate, Steareth-20, N-Hydroxysuccinimide, Chrysin, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
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 CaffeineCaprylyl 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 GlycolDimethicone is a type of synthetic silicone created from natural materials such as quartz. It is also known as polydimethylsiloxane.
What it does:
Dimethicone comes in different viscosities:
Depending on the viscosity, dimethicone has different properties.
Ingredients lists don't always show which type is used, so we recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about the viscosity.
This ingredient is unlikely to cause irritation because it does not get absorbed into skin. However, people with silicone allergies should be careful about using this ingredient.
Note: Dimethicone may contribute to pilling. This is because it is not oil or water soluble, so pilling may occur when layered with products. When mixed with heavy oils in a formula, the outcome is also quite greasy.
Learn more about DimethiconeGlycerin (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 HyaluronateWater. 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
