What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCucumis Sativus Fruit Water
Skin ConditioningGlyceryl Stearates
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate
Antimicrobial
Squalane
Emollient
Cellulose
Absorbent
Bakuchiol
Antimicrobial
Adansonia Digitata Seed Oil
Emollient
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Caramel
Cosmetic ColorantSodium Dehydroacetate
Preservative
Baptisia Tinctoria Root Extract
Skin ConditioningCitric Acid
Buffering
Beta-Glucan
Skin Conditioning
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Glyceryl Stearate Se
Emulsifying
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Hydrogenated Ethylhexyl Olivate
EmollientSodium Phytate
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil
Masking
Sodium Stearoyl Lactylate
EmulsifyingBakuchiol
Antimicrobial
Malus Domestica Fruit Cell Culture Extract
Skin ConditioningVitis Vinifera Fruit Cell Extract
Skin ConditioningHydrogenated Olive Oil Unsaponifiables
Emollient
Euterpe Oleracea Fruit Extract
Lycium Barbarum Fruit Extract
Astringent
Aronia Melanocarpa Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningCyamopsis Tetragonoloba Gum
Emulsion StabilisingHydrolyzed Gardenia Florida Extract
Antioxidant
Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningMelia Azadirachta Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningCorallina Officinalis Extract
Skin Conditioning
Coccinia Indica Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningSolanum Melongena Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningAloe Barbadensis Flower Extract
EmollientSimmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Curcuma Longa Root Extract
Masking
Ocimum Sanctum Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningOcimum Basilicum Flower/Leaf Extract
TonicVaccinium Myrtillus Fruit/Leaf Extract
AstringentSaccharum Officinarum Extract
MoisturisingCitric Acid
Buffering
Citrus Limon Fruit Extract
Masking
Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Fruit Extract
MaskingAcer Saccharum Extract
Skin ConditioningMalic Acid
Buffering
Tartaric Acid
Buffering
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingMaltodextrin
Absorbent
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Dehydroacetic Acid
Preservative
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Hydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate
Isomalt
HumectantLecithin
Emollient
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Glycolic Acid
Buffering
Parfum
Masking
Water, Glycerin, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Hydrogenated Ethylhexyl Olivate, Sodium Phytate, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil, Sodium Stearoyl Lactylate, Bakuchiol, Malus Domestica Fruit Cell Culture Extract, Vitis Vinifera Fruit Cell Extract, Hydrogenated Olive Oil Unsaponifiables, Euterpe Oleracea Fruit Extract, Lycium Barbarum Fruit Extract, Aronia Melanocarpa Fruit Extract, Cyamopsis Tetragonoloba Gum, Hydrolyzed Gardenia Florida Extract, Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract, Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract, Corallina Officinalis Extract, Coccinia Indica Fruit Extract, Solanum Melongena Fruit Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Flower Extract, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Curcuma Longa Root Extract, Ocimum Sanctum Leaf Extract, Ocimum Basilicum Flower/Leaf Extract, Vaccinium Myrtillus Fruit/Leaf Extract, Saccharum Officinarum Extract, Citric Acid, Citrus Limon Fruit Extract, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Fruit Extract, Acer Saccharum Extract, Malic Acid, Tartaric Acid, Xanthan Gum, Maltodextrin, Benzyl Alcohol, Dehydroacetic Acid, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Hydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate, Isomalt, Lecithin, Lactic Acid, Glycolic Acid, Parfum
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Bakuchiol is a plant-derived antioxidant from the seeds of the Psoralea corylifolia plant. It has antimicrobial, emollient, skin conditioning, and antioxidant properties.
You'll likely see it called a "retinol replacement" but the two are technically not related. This is because bakuchiol is able to flip many of the same switches in your skin cells to tell them to:
1) produce more collagen (type I, III, and IV)
2) activate the same genes retinoids do
Unlike retinoids, this ingredient will not increase photosensitivity and is safe to use during pregnancy (but please still check in with your doctor!).
The flagship clinical trial from Dhaliwal et al. 2019 found 0.5% bakuchiol (twice daily) and 0.5% retinol (once daily) reduced wrinkles and hyperpigmentation equally, but bakuchiol had significantly less irritation.
Systematic reviews also back this up:
Bakuchiol is comparable to retinol for photoaging but with better tolerability. It also has mild antibacterial properties against Cutibacterium acnes and antifungal activity in vitro against Candida and dermatophytes.
The reason bakuchiol works well is due to its structure; it is a meroterpene phenol, or a hybrid molecule. The phenol half acts as an antioxidant while the terpene half is fat-loving. This helps the molecule slip through the skin barrier.
This ingredient is usually used between 0.5-2%. Only one case of contact dermatitis has ever been reported for this ingredient.
Learn more about BakuchiolCitric Acid is an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) naturally found in citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, and limes.
Like other AHAs, citric acid can exfoliate skin by breaking down the bonds that hold dead skin cells together. This helps reveal smoother and brighter skin underneath.
However, this exfoliating effect only happens at high concentrations (20%) which can be hard to find in cosmetic products.
Due to this, citric acid is usually included in small amounts as a pH adjuster. This helps keep products slightly more acidic and compatible with skin's natural pH.
In skincare formulas, citric acid can:
While it can provide some skin benefits, research shows lactic acid and glycolic acid are generally more effective and less irritating exfoliants.
Most citric acid used in skincare today is made by fermenting sugars (usually from molasses). This synthetic version is identical to the natural citrus form but easier to stabilize and use in formulations.
Read more about some other popular AHA's here:
Learn more about Citric AcidGlycerin (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 GlycerinJojoba oil is one of the most well-studied plant-derived ingredients in cosmetics. It is an emollient with a special structure.
Because it is made up of 97-98% wax esters, it closely mirrors the linear monoesters found in human sebum. This makes it skin compatible, non-greasy, and lightweight.
Unlike other plant oils, jojoba wax doesn't easily penetrate skin. It mostly works in the uppermost layers as an emollient. This just means it forms a light barrier on the skin to help retain moisture.
Formulations with jojoba esters up to 90% reduced transepidermal water loss (TEWL) and increased barrier recovery by 81% (outperforming bisabolol at 47%).
Besides barrier support, the science also suggests jojoba to have anti-inflammatory effects and potential applications for skin infections, aging, and wound healing.
Fun fact: Indigenous cultures have used jojoba as a moisturizer and to help treat burns for centuries.
Due to its fatty acid content, Jojoba oil may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Simmondsia Chinensis Seed OilWater. 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
