What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Selaginella Lepidophylla Extract 64%
EmollientCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Propanediol
Solvent
Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil
Emollient
Squalane
Emollient
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Glyceryl Glucoside
Humectant
Octyldodecanol
Emollient
Echium Plantagineum Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil Unsaponifiables
Emollient
Cardiospermum Halicacabum Flower/Leaf/Vine Extract
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
Antioxidant
Carthamus Tinctorius Bud Extract
Skin ConditioningAkebia Quinata Extract
Skin ConditioningDiheptyl Succinate
EmollientCapryloyl Glycerin/Sebacic Acid Copolymer
Skin ConditioningSodium Guaiazulene Sulfonate
Water
Skin ConditioningPentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Adenosine
Skin Conditioning
Boswellia Carterii Oil
Masking
Selaginella Lepidophylla Extract 64%, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Propanediol, Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil, Squalane, Niacinamide, Glyceryl Stearate, Glycerin, Glyceryl Glucoside, Octyldodecanol, Echium Plantagineum Seed Oil, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil Unsaponifiables, Cardiospermum Halicacabum Flower/Leaf/Vine Extract, Tocopherol, Carthamus Tinctorius Bud Extract, Akebia Quinata Extract, Diheptyl Succinate, Capryloyl Glycerin/Sebacic Acid Copolymer, Sodium Guaiazulene Sulfonate, Water, Pentylene Glycol, Caprylyl Glycol, Butylene Glycol, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Adenosine, Boswellia Carterii Oil
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Methyl Trimethicone
Skin Conditioning
Phaseolus Angularis Seed Extract
Antioxidant
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingTromethamine
BufferingGlyceryl Glucoside
Humectant
C12-14 Alketh-12
EmulsifyingMaltodextrin
Absorbent
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Skin Conditioning
Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Emulsion Stabilising
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningBetaine
Humectant
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Humectant
Polyquaternium-51
Skin Conditioning
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingDisodium EDTA
Glyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer
HumectantDioscorea Japonica Root Extract
Skin Conditioning
Glucose
Humectant
Sodium Citrate
BufferingBeta-Glucan
Skin Conditioning
Hydrolyzed Corn Starch
HumectantCitric Acid
Buffering
Sucrose
Humectant
Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate
Antioxidant
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Cyanocobalamin
Skin ConditioningGlycine
Buffering
Serine
Masking
Glutamic Acid
Humectant
Aspartic Acid
Masking
Leucine
Skin ConditioningAcetyl Hexapeptide-8
Humectant
Alanine
Masking
Lysine
Skin ConditioningArginine
Masking
Tyrosine
MaskingPhenylalanine
Masking
Proline
Skin Conditioning
Threonine
Valine
MaskingIsoleucine
Skin ConditioningHistidine
Humectant
Cysteine
Antioxidant
Methionine
Skin ConditioningPhosphoric Acid
BufferingAscorbic Acid
Antioxidant
Sh-Oligopeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Sh-Oligopeptide-2
Skin Conditioning
Sh-Polypeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Water, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Methyl Trimethicone, Phaseolus Angularis Seed Extract, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Tromethamine, Glyceryl Glucoside, C12-14 Alketh-12, Maltodextrin, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Ethylhexylglycerin, Betaine, Panthenol, Allantoin, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Polyquaternium-51, Xanthan Gum, Disodium EDTA, Glyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer, Dioscorea Japonica Root Extract, Glucose, Sodium Citrate, Beta-Glucan, Hydrolyzed Corn Starch, Citric Acid, Sucrose, Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Caprylyl Glycol, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Tocopherol, Cyanocobalamin, Glycine, Serine, Glutamic Acid, Aspartic Acid, Leucine, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Alanine, Lysine, Arginine, Tyrosine, Phenylalanine, Proline, Threonine, Valine, Isoleucine, Histidine, Cysteine, Methionine, Phosphoric Acid, Ascorbic Acid, Sh-Oligopeptide-1, Sh-Oligopeptide-2, Sh-Polypeptide-1
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer is a synthetically created polymer. It's used as a film-forming agent and used to thicken the consistency of products.
Think of it as a supportive ingredient that helps your gel-creams feel silky, "cloud cream-like", and spread evenly without being greasy.
The Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) Expert Panel evaluated it (along with 22 other acryloyldimethyltaurate polymers) and concluded it's:
Due to its large molecular size, it sits on the surface of skin rather than penetrating it.
Learn more about Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp CopolymerButylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:
Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient that works well with other ingredients.
Though this ingredient works well with most skin types, some people with sensitive skin may experience a reaction such as allergic rashes, closed comedones, or itchiness.
Learn more about Butylene GlycolCaprylyl 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 GlycolGlycerin (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 Glucoside is made from glycerol and glucose.
It is a humectant. Humectants help hydrate your skin by drawing moisture to it from the air.
Some foods that contain glyceryl glucoside include sake, miso, and wines.
Learn more about Glyceryl GlucosideTocopherol is a fat-soluble antioxidant known as Vitamin E.
You'll find this ingredient in the vast majority of skincare (for good reason). It works to neutralize free radicals, or unstable molecules generated by UV exposure, pollution, and other environmental stressors, before they can cause oxidative damage to your skin cells.
Topically applied tocopherol has been shown to protect against UV damage by ramping up the skin's own natural defense enzymes.
It also acts as a skin conditioning agent; some studies show that regular topical use can improve the skin's water-binding capacity over 2-4 weeks.
This ingredient is especially loved for being a team player. When combined with Vitamin C, the photoprotective effect of both ingredients roughly doubles and the combo also helps reduce UV-induced DNA damage.
This ingredient has some brightening potential but it's more of a prevention ingredient than spot-fader. Cell studies show it can slow down melanin production but it's worth noting that it's not the most powerful brightener out there.
In formulations, it also serves as a stabilizer that helps protect other oxidation-prone ingredients from degrading.
Concentrations usually range from 0.1-1% in most leave-on products.
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
