What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningSqualane
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Cetearyl Olivate
Sorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Retinol
Skin Conditioning
Retinal
Skin Conditioning
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Crocus Sativus Stigma Extract
Pseudozyma Epicola/Evening Primrose Oil Ferment Extract
Emollient
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialOryza Sativa Bran Extract
Skin Conditioning
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Helianthus Annuus Extract
Emollient
Hydroxyapatite
Abrasive
Dextrin
AbsorbentCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Gluconate
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningSodium Hydroxide
BufferingWater, Squalane, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, Retinol, Retinal, Allantoin, Crocus Sativus Stigma Extract, Pseudozyma Epicola/Evening Primrose Oil Ferment Extract, Tocopherol, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Oryza Sativa Bran Extract, Cetearyl Alcohol, Helianthus Annuus Extract, Hydroxyapatite, Dextrin, Carbomer, Sodium Gluconate, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Hydroxide
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingTocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
Humectant
Retinol
Skin Conditioning
Propanediol
Solvent
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Lecithin
Emollient
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Hexanoyl Dipeptide-3 Norleucine Acetate
Skin Conditioning
Glyceryl Oleate Citrate
Emulsifying
Glycerin
Humectant
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningEthyl Oleate
Emollient
Disodium EDTA
Citrus Paradisi Peel Oil
Masking
Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil
Masking
Citrus Aurantifolia Oil
Cleansing
Cestrum Latifolium Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Water
Skin ConditioningAllantoin
Skin Conditioning
Xanthan Gum, Tocopheryl Acetate, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Retinol, Propanediol, Phenoxyethanol, Lecithin, Lactic Acid, Hexanoyl Dipeptide-3 Norleucine Acetate, Glyceryl Oleate Citrate, Glycerin, Ethylhexylglycerin, Ethyl Oleate, Disodium EDTA, Citrus Paradisi Peel Oil, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil, Citrus Aurantifolia Oil, Cestrum Latifolium Leaf Extract, Caprylyl Glycol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Butylene Glycol, Water, Allantoin
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Allantoin is a soothing ingredient known for its protective and moisturizing properties; it's basically a quiet workhorse ingredient you can find in a huge range of cosmetics.
Though it can be derived from the comfrey plant, allantoin is produced synthetically for cosmetic products to ensure purity.
Research shows it can encourage your skin cells to turn over and renew by stimulating keratinocyte and fibroblast proliferation.
It also has mild keratolytic properties to help loosen and shed dead skin cells without being harsh.
Studies also suggest allantoin can help calm inflammation by dialing down some of the chemical signals your skin sends out when it is irritated.
This ingredient is typically used in the 0.1-0.5% range, and the FDA recognizes it as a skin protectant in OTC products up to 2%.
Overall, allantoin is a wonderful addition to most routines; it is stable across a wide pH range (~4-8), works well with other ingredients, and is considered non-sensitizing/non-irritating.
Fun fact: Allantoin is naturally occurring in comfrey root, beets, chamomile, and wheat sprouts. Our bodies even produce it as a byproduct of uric acid metabolism.
Learn more about AllantoinCaprylic/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 TriglycerideEthylhexylglycerin 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 GlycerinPhenoxyethanol is a preservative that has germicide, antimicrobial, and aromatic properties. Studies show that phenoxyethanol can prevent microbial growth. By itself, it has a scent that is similar to that of a rose.
It's often used in formulations along with Caprylyl Glycol to preserve the shelf life of products.
Retinol is a gold-standard ingredient for anti-aging. It is a form of Vitamin A and belongs to the class of retinoids that also includes tretinoin.
Why is retinol famous?
It has the most scientific studies backing up its skin benefits out of all the non-prescription ingredients.
Retinol is proven to:
This is why retinol is effective at removing wrinkles, fading dark spots, treating acne, and reducing the appearance of pores.
Studies show retinol is less effective when exposed to UV. Be sure to look for appropriate packaging to keep your retinol potent (similar to Vitamin C).
Using retinol or any retinoids will increase sun-sensitivity in the first few months. Though studies show retinoids increase your skin's natural SPF with continuous use, it is best to always wear sunscreen and sun-protection.
We recommend speaking with a medical professional about using this ingredient during pregnancy.
Retinol may cause irritation in some people, so be sure to patch test. Experts recommend 'ramping up' retinol use: start using this ingredient once a week and work up to using it daily.
Read about Tretinoin
Learn more about RetinolWater. 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
