What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
Solvent
Squalane
Emollient
Diisostearyl Malate
EmollientDiheptyl Succinate
EmollientCoco-Caprylate/Caprate
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Capryloyl Glycerin/Sebacic Acid Copolymer
Skin ConditioningHydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingGlyceryl Stearate Citrate
Emollient
Behenyl Alcohol
Emollient
Maltol
MaskingTocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Terminalia Chebula Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningSodium Lactate
Buffering
Centella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Arginine
Masking
PCA
Humectant
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide As
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide AP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide Ns
Skin Conditioning
Cholesterol
Emollient
Ceramide EOP
Skin Conditioning
Hydrolyzed Gardenia Florida Extract
Antioxidant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Gossypium Hirsutum Extract
Skin ConditioningGlycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
Bleaching
Sodium PCA
Humectant
Laminaria Japonica Extract
Skin Protecting
Solanum Lycopersicum Fruit Extract
Antioxidant
Polyquaternium-80
CleansingSorbitan Isostearate
Emulsifying
Saccharide Isomerate
Humectant
Maltodextrin
Absorbent
Citric Acid
Buffering
Aspartic Acid
Masking
Sodium Citrate
BufferingHydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Glycine
Buffering
Alanine
Masking
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantSerine
Masking
Valine
MaskingPotassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Proline
Skin Conditioning
Threonine
Isoleucine
Skin ConditioningSucrose Distearate
Emollient
Histidine
Humectant
Phenylalanine
Masking
Water, Propanediol, Squalane, Diisostearyl Malate, Diheptyl Succinate, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Glycerin, Niacinamide, Capryloyl Glycerin/Sebacic Acid Copolymer, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Behenyl Alcohol, Maltol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Terminalia Chebula Fruit Extract, Sodium Lactate, Centella Asiatica Extract, Arginine, PCA, Ceramide NP, Ceramide As, Ceramide AP, Ceramide Ns, Cholesterol, Ceramide EOP, Hydrolyzed Gardenia Florida Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Gossypium Hirsutum Extract, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Sodium PCA, Laminaria Japonica Extract, Solanum Lycopersicum Fruit Extract, Polyquaternium-80, Sorbitan Isostearate, Saccharide Isomerate, Maltodextrin, Citric Acid, Aspartic Acid, Sodium Citrate, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Glycine, Alanine, Dipropylene Glycol, Serine, Valine, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Glyceryl Stearate, Proline, Threonine, Isoleucine, Sucrose Distearate, Histidine, Phenylalanine
Water
Skin ConditioningAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil
Emollient
Rosa Canina Fruit Oil
Emollient
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Ceteareth-20
CleansingOpuntia Ficus-Indica Seed Oil
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Sodium Lactate
Buffering
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Salicylic Acid
Masking
Glycerin
Humectant
Sorbic Acid
Preservative
Cocos Nucifera Fruit Extract
Emollient
Vanilla Planifolia Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Coffee Seed Oil PEG-8 Esters
Emollient
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Sus Extract
Skin ConditioningGlycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
Bleaching
Water, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil, Rosa Canina Fruit Oil, Cetyl Alcohol, Ceteareth-20, Opuntia Ficus-Indica Seed Oil, Glyceryl Stearate, Sodium Lactate, Benzyl Alcohol, Salicylic Acid, Glycerin, Sorbic Acid, Cocos Nucifera Fruit Extract, Vanilla Planifolia Fruit Extract, Coffee Seed Oil PEG-8 Esters, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sus Extract, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Glycerin (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 GlycerinGlyceryl Stearate is made by reacting glycerin with stearic acid (typically sourced from plant oils like palm or coconut). It's an emulsifier, emollient, and mild occlusive.
Emulsifiers help ingredients like oil and water stay mixed so your formula stays nicely blended and uniform in texture.
This ingredient is typically used in concentrations between 1-10%. Studies have found it to be non-sensitizing, non-phototoxic, and non-photoallergenic.
A close cousin of this ingredient is Glyceryl Stearate SE ("self-emulsifying"). This just has a small amount of sodium or potassium stearate added so it can emulsify without a co-emulsifier.
Since this ingredient is an ester of a C18 fatty acid, it may not be fungal acne safe. The Malassezia yeast can potentially metabolize within the C11-C24 range.
Fun fact: The human body also creates Glyceryl Stearate naturally.
Learn more about Glyceryl StearateGlycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract is an extract of the roots of Licorice. It has been found to have several benefits such as skin hydrating, conditioning, and soothing.
One component, glabridin, has extra potent antioxidant and soothing properties. It has also been found to block pigmentation from UVB rays in guinea pigs.
Licorice Root also contains a flavonoid. Flavonoids are a natural substance from in plants. Flavonoids also have antioxidant properties.
Another component, glycyrrhizin, has been found to have anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial benefits. This may make licorice root extract effective at treating acne. However, more research is needed to support this.
Liquiritin is one of the flavone compounds found in licorice. It has been found to help lighten skin by preventing tyrosinase from reacting with tyrosine. When the two react, protein is converted to melanin. Melanin is the substance in your body that gives your features pigmentation.
Learn more about Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root ExtractSodium 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 HyaluronateSodium Lactate is the sodium salt of lactic acid, an AHA. It is a humectant and sometimes used to adjust the pH of a product.
This ingredient is part of our skin's NMF, or natural moisturizing factor. Our NMF is essential for the hydration of our top skin layers and plasticity of skin. NMF also influences our skin's natural acid mantle and pH, which protects our skin from harmful bacteria.
High percentages of Sodium Lactate can have an exfoliating effect.
Fun fact: Sodium Lactate is produced from fermented sugar.
Learn more about Sodium LactateWater. 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
