What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingNiacinamide
SmoothingCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientPotassium Phosphate
BufferingCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningCeramide AP
Skin ConditioningCeramide EOP
Skin ConditioningCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingDimethicone
EmollientCeteareth-20
CleansingBehentrimonium Methosulfate
Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate
EmulsifyingSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantCholesterol
EmollientPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeDisodium EDTA
Dipotassium Phosphate
BufferingCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientPhytosphingosine
Skin ConditioningXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPolyglyceryl-3 Diisostearate
EmulsifyingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningWater, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Niacinamide, Cetearyl Alcohol, Potassium Phosphate, Ceramide NP, Ceramide AP, Ceramide EOP, Carbomer, Dimethicone, Ceteareth-20, Behentrimonium Methosulfate, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Cholesterol, Phenoxyethanol, Disodium EDTA, Dipotassium Phosphate, Caprylyl Glycol, Phytosphingosine, Xanthan Gum, Polyglyceryl-3 Diisostearate, Ethylhexylglycerin
Water
Skin ConditioningPropylene Glycol
HumectantSqualane
EmollientCoco-Caprylate/Caprate
EmollientNiacinamide
SmoothingSaccharide Isomerate
HumectantCaprylyl Methicone
Skin ConditioningPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningHexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingWithania Somnifera Root Extract
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Jojoba Esters
Skin ConditioningCaffeine
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantGlucosyl Hesperidin
HumectantBiosaccharide Gum-1
HumectantMelissa Officinalis Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningHordeum Distichon Extract
Skin ProtectingCaesalpinia Spinosa Fruit Pod Extract
Helianthus Annuus Sprout Extract
Skin ConditioningGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientGlyceryl Caprylate
EmollientAmmonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Fructose
HumectantGlycerin
HumectantCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientCetearyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingCaprylhydroxamic Acid
Sodium Gluconate
Skin ConditioningParfum
MaskingSodium Benzoate
MaskingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeCitric Acid
BufferingSodium Citrate
BufferingWater, Propylene Glycol, Squalane, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Niacinamide, Saccharide Isomerate, Caprylyl Methicone, Pentylene Glycol, Hexylene Glycol, Withania Somnifera Root Extract, Hydrolyzed Jojoba Esters, Caffeine, Sodium Hyaluronate, Glucosyl Hesperidin, Biosaccharide Gum-1, Melissa Officinalis Leaf Extract, Hordeum Distichon Extract, Caesalpinia Spinosa Fruit Pod Extract, Helianthus Annuus Sprout Extract, Glyceryl Stearate, Glyceryl Caprylate, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Fructose, Glycerin, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Glucoside, Tocopheryl Acetate, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, Sodium Gluconate, Parfum, Sodium Benzoate, Phenoxyethanol, Citric Acid, Sodium Citrate
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Cetearyl alcohol is a waxy mixture of two fatty alcohols: cetyl alcohol and stearyl alcohol. It is an emollient and emulsifier.
Despite having "alcohol" in its name, it has nothing to do with drying solvent alcohols; the FDA also allows "alcohol-free" products to contain fatty alcohols like this ingredient.
It plays several roles in a formula:
Typical use levels for this ingredient sit around 1-10% and the Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has affirmed safety at concentrations up to 25% in leave-on products.
Multiple assessments have found it to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing to most people.
However, there have been some cases of allergic contact dermatitis in patients with chronically compromised skin barriers.
Cetearyl alcohol has a comedogenic rating of 2 and irritancy rating of 1. Both of these numbers come from the 1989 study that used rabbit ears; a "2" means mildly comedogenic and a "1" means low irritancy.
Here's the catch: rabbit skin is more sensitive than human skin and throws a lot of false positives. A 1996 reappraisal found that ingredients rated 1-2 in the rabbit ear tests are generally safe for humans.
Remember comedogenic ratings are unable to assess the entire formula of a product or how it will react on your skin. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure about certain ingredients.
This ingredient is not fungal acne safe. Cetearyl alcohol is a fatty alcohol with chain lengths that fall within the range that Malassezia can metabolize.
Learn more about Cetearyl AlcoholGlycerin (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 GlycerinNiacinamide is a multitasking form of vitamin B3 that strengthens the skin barrier, reduces pores and dark spots, regulates oil, and improves signs of aging.
And the best part? It's gentle and well-tolerated by most skin types, including sensitive and reactive skin.
You might have heard of "niacin flush", or the reddening of skin that causes itchiness. Niacinamide has not been found to cause this.
In very rare cases, some individuals may not be able to tolerate niacinamide at all or experience an allergic reaction to it.
If you are experiencing flaking, irritation, and dryness with this ingredient, be sure to double check all your products as this ingredient can be found in all categories of skincare.
When incorporating niacinamide into your routine, look out for concentration amounts. Typically, 5% niacinamide provides benefits such as fading dark spots. However, if you have sensitive skin, it is better to begin with a smaller concentration.
When you apply niacinamide to your skin, your body converts it into nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD). NAD is an essential coenzyme that is already found in your cells as "fuel" and powers countless biological processes.
In your skin, NAD helps repair cell damage, produce new healthy cells, support collagen production, strengthen the skin barrier, and fight environmental stressors (like UV and pollution).
Our natural NAD levels start to decline with age, leading to slower skin repair, visible aging, and a weaker skin barrier. By providing your skin niacinamide, you're recharging your skin's NAD levels. This leads to stronger, healthier, and younger looking skin.
Another name for vitamin B3 is nicotinamide. This vitamin is water-soluble and our bodies don't store it. We obtain Vitamin B3 from either food or skincare. Meat, fish, wheat, yeast, and leafy greens contain vitamin B3.
The type of niacinamide used in skincare is synthetically created.
Learn more about NiacinamidePhenoxyethanol 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.
Sodium 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 HyaluronateWater. 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