What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Squalane
Emollient
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Glycerin
Humectant
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Chondrus Crispus Extract
Skin Conditioning
Malus Domestica Fruit Cell Culture Extract
Skin ConditioningAcetyl Tetrapeptide-5
Humectant
Acetyl Hexapeptide-8
Humectant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract
Emollient
Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate
Antioxidant
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Lycium Barbarum Fruit Extract
Astringent
Lycopene
Antioxidant
Vitis Vinifera Skin Extract
Antioxidant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Caffeine
Skin Conditioning
Acacia Senegal Gum
MaskingDimethicone Crosspolymer
Emulsion Stabilising
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingEthyl Lauroyl Arginate Hcl
Skin ConditioningLecithin
Emollient
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Silica
Abrasive
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Citric Acid
Buffering
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Water, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Squalane, Niacinamide, Glycerin, Panthenol, Chondrus Crispus Extract, Malus Domestica Fruit Cell Culture Extract, Acetyl Tetrapeptide-5, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Tocopherol, Pentylene Glycol, Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Lycium Barbarum Fruit Extract, Lycopene, Vitis Vinifera Skin Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Caffeine, Acacia Senegal Gum, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Xanthan Gum, Carbomer, Ethyl Lauroyl Arginate Hcl, Lecithin, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Silica, Phenoxyethanol, Potassium Sorbate, Citric Acid, Caprylyl Glycol
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Coco-Caprylate/Caprate
Emollient
Pentaerythrityl Tetraisostearate
Emollient
Diisostearyl Malate
EmollientButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate
Antioxidant
Cetearyl Olivate
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil Unsaponifiables
Emollient
Sorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Boron Nitride
Absorbent
Caffeine
Skin Conditioning
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Vaccinium Macrocarpon Fruit Extract
AstringentCoffea Arabica Seed Extract
Masking
Honey Extract
Humectant
Propolis Extract
Skin Conditioning
Royal Jelly Extract
Skin Conditioning
Citrus Aurantium Amara Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningCitrus Aurantium Sinensis Peel Extract
Skin ConditioningCitrus Reticulata Fruit Extract
Skin ProtectingAscorbic Acid
Antioxidant
Tridecapeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Betaine
Humectant
Triolein
Skin Conditioning
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Astaxanthin
Skin Conditioning
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Hippophae Rhamnoides Oil
Emollient
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Ubiquinone
Antioxidant
Lecithin
Emollient
Haematococcus Pluvialis Extract
Antioxidant
Glyceryl Dioleate
Emollient
Water, Glycerin, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Pentaerythrityl Tetraisostearate, Diisostearyl Malate, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Cetearyl Alcohol, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Cetearyl Olivate, Pentylene Glycol, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil Unsaponifiables, Sorbitan Olivate, Boron Nitride, Caffeine, Hyaluronic Acid, Ceramide NP, Vaccinium Macrocarpon Fruit Extract, Coffea Arabica Seed Extract, Honey Extract, Propolis Extract, Royal Jelly Extract, Citrus Aurantium Amara Fruit Extract, Citrus Aurantium Sinensis Peel Extract, Citrus Reticulata Fruit Extract, Ascorbic Acid, Tridecapeptide-1, Betaine, Triolein, Hydroxyacetophenone, Tocopheryl Acetate, Astaxanthin, Allantoin, Hippophae Rhamnoides Oil, Tocopherol, Ubiquinone, Lecithin, Haematococcus Pluvialis Extract, Glyceryl Dioleate
Reviews
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 CaffeineGlycerin (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 GlycerinLecithin is a term for a group of substances found in the cell membranes of plants, animals, and humans. They are made up of phospholipids.
Thanks to its amphiphilic structure (water-loving head and oil-loving tail), it is a true multitasker:
It plays well with most ingredients and is typically used at 0.1-1%. However, concentrations up to 50% have been reported in moisturizers.
Depending on the source of this ingredient, lecithin may not be fungal acne safe. This is because some sources of lecithin come from soybean oil, which may feed the malassezia yeast that causes fungal acne.
We recommend reaching out to the brand you are purchasing from to inquire about the source of their lecithin.
Learn more about LecithinPentylene glycol is typically used within a product to thicken it. It also adds a smooth, soft, and moisturizing feel to the product. It is naturally found in plants such as sugar beets.
The hydrophilic trait of Pentylene Glycol makes it a humectant. As a humectant, Pentylene Glycol helps draw moisture from the air to your skin. This can help keep your skin hydrated.
This property also makes Pentylene Glycol a great texture enhancer. It can also help thicken or stabilize a product.
Pentylene Glycol also acts as a mild preservative and helps to keep a product microbe-free.
Some people may experience mild eye and skin irritation from Pentylene Glycol. We always recommend speaking with a professional about using this ingredient in your routine.
Pentylene Glycol has a low molecular weight and is part of the 1,2-glycol family.
Learn more about Pentylene GlycolTetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate (THD) is a stable and oil-soluble form of Vitamin C.
THD is special in that it has the ability to travel deeper into skin than traditional ascorbic acid while maintaining the same skin benefits (double win!).
Because it’s oil-soluble, THD dives deep into your skin’s fatty layers (think ceramides and cholesterol) to fight off the kind of free radicals that mess with your skin barrier. This makes it a great pair with water-based vitamin C (ascorbic acid) that mainly works on the surface.
Even at just 0.1%, THD is already showing great antioxidant activity. When used up to 2%, it helps keep your skin happy and calm, especially when it’s stressed from pollution or sun.
Want to fade dark spots or tackle hyperpigmentation? You’ll want 5% or more. Pairing it with brightening buddies like niacinamide or licorice root gives even better results. One study even used 30% THD with other brighteners and saw real results on stubborn discoloration, even in melasma-prone skin.
A note on THD: It’s has a slightly silky, oily texture and usually shows up colorless or pale yellow (though the exact shade can vary by supplier).
While you can sneak it into water-based formulas, it really shines when paired with silicones or oils, which help your skin soak it up better.
THD is pretty stable, but it’s still vulnerable to degradation like ascorbic acid. Too much light or heat (above 113°F / 45°C) can break it down over time. Go for dark and opaque packaging that keeps it safe and shady!
Read more about other types of Vitamin C:
Learn more about Tetrahexyldecyl AscorbateTocopherol (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
