This pore-care serum is formulated around Niacinamide and Azelaic Acid to refine the look of pores and refine skin texture.
This hydrating serum is formulated around Panthenol and Sodium Hyaluronate to hydrate skin and strengthen the skin barrier.
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Azelaic Acid
Buffering
Glycerin
Humectant
Dipeptide-15
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hydroxide
Buffering1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Gluconolactone
Skin Conditioning
Methylpropanediol
SolventXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingHydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningGalactomyces Ferment Filtrate
Humectant
Lactococcus Ferment Lysate
Skin Conditioning
Potentilla Anserina Extract
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
Polyquaternium-51
Skin Conditioning
Avena Sativa Kernel Extract
Abrasive
Cynara Scolymus Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningBeta-Glucan
Skin Conditioning
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Water
Masking
Fructooligosaccharides
Humectant
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Mandelic Acid
Antimicrobial
Arginine
Masking
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Sodium Chloride
MaskingPhenylpropanol
Masking
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Levulinic Acid
Perfuming
Sodium Levulinate
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
Solvent
Acetyl Hexapeptide-8
Humectant
Sucrose Distearate
Emollient
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Epigallocatechin Gallate
Antioxidant
Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin
MaskingWater, Butylene Glycol, Niacinamide, Azelaic Acid, Glycerin, Dipeptide-15, Sodium Hydroxide, 1,2-Hexanediol, Gluconolactone, Methylpropanediol, Xanthan Gum, Hydroxyacetophenone, Ethylhexylglycerin, Galactomyces Ferment Filtrate, Lactococcus Ferment Lysate, Potentilla Anserina Extract, Disodium EDTA, Polyquaternium-51, Avena Sativa Kernel Extract, Cynara Scolymus Leaf Extract, Beta-Glucan, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Water, Fructooligosaccharides, Allantoin, Mandelic Acid, Arginine, Tocopherol, Sodium Chloride, Phenylpropanol, Caprylyl Glycol, Levulinic Acid, Sodium Levulinate, Propanediol, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Sucrose Distearate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Epigallocatechin Gallate, Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Betaine
Humectant
PEG/PPG-17/6 Copolymer
SolventZeolite
AbsorbentPEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingSilica
Abrasive
Tromethamine
BufferingHydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingGlyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer
HumectantPanthenol
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Phytate
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningLimonene
Perfuming
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Rosa Damascena Flower Water
Masking
Lavandula Angustifolia Flower Water
Skin Conditioning
Biosaccharide Gum-1
Humectant
Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil
Antioxidant
Sodium Levulinate
Skin ConditioningCitrus Grandis Peel Oil
Masking
Glyceryl Caprylate
EmollientAloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
Emollient
P-Anisic Acid
MaskingLavandula Angustifolia Oil
Masking
Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil
Masking
Citrus Aurantifolia Oil
Cleansing
Salix Alba Bark Extract
Astringent
Origanum Vulgare Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningChamaecyparis Obtusa Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningLactobacillus/Soybean Ferment Extract
Skin ConditioningCinnamomum Cassia Bark Extract
Masking
Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract
Astringent
Portulaca Oleracea Extract
Skin Conditioning
Alcohol
Antimicrobial
Lecithin
Emollient
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Polysorbate 80
Emulsifying
Ubiquinone
Antioxidant
Soluble Collagen
Humectant
Momordica Charantia Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningLactobacillus Ferment
Skin Conditioning
Water, Glycerin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Butylene Glycol, Betaine, PEG/PPG-17/6 Copolymer, Zeolite, PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Carbomer, Silica, Tromethamine, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Glyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer, Panthenol, Sodium Phytate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Limonene, Sodium Hyaluronate, Rosa Damascena Flower Water, Lavandula Angustifolia Flower Water, Biosaccharide Gum-1, Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil, Sodium Levulinate, Citrus Grandis Peel Oil, Glyceryl Caprylate, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, P-Anisic Acid, Lavandula Angustifolia Oil, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil, Citrus Aurantifolia Oil, Salix Alba Bark Extract, Origanum Vulgare Leaf Extract, Chamaecyparis Obtusa Leaf Extract, Lactobacillus/Soybean Ferment Extract, Cinnamomum Cassia Bark Extract, Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract, Portulaca Oleracea Extract, Alcohol, Lecithin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Tocopheryl Acetate, Polysorbate 80, Ubiquinone, Soluble Collagen, Momordica Charantia Fruit Extract, Lactobacillus Ferment
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
1,2-Hexanediol is a synthetic liquid and another multi-functional powerhouse.
It is a:
- Humectant, drawing moisture into the skin
- Emollient, helping to soften skin
- Solvent, dispersing and stabilizing formulas
- Preservative booster, enhancing the antimicrobial activity of other preservatives
Butylene 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 GlycolCaprylic/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 GlycerinSodium levulinate is the a sodium salt of Levulinic Acid. Oncedissolved in an aqueous solution, the two ingredients become identical. It is usually derived from renewable plant sources like corn starch or sugarcane.
In skincare, it mostly acts as a skin conditioning agent that keeps skin soft and hydrated. It also acts as a preservative booster by inhibiting the growth of mold, yeast, and bacteria.
It's often paired with Sodium Anisate as the two create a broad-spectrum preservative system that is popular in "natural" formulations.
This ingredient is water-soluble.
The CIR Expert Panel for Cosmetic Ingredient Safety has concluded this ingredient to be non-irritated and there are no restrictions for use in EU cosmetics. The FDA also allows this ingredient to be used as a food-grade flavoring agent.
Learn more about Sodium LevulinateWater. 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
