What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningNiacinamide
SmoothingSilica
AbrasiveGlycerin
HumectantButylene Glycol
HumectantInulin
Skin ConditioningUndecane
EmollientXylitylglucoside
HumectantTridecane
PerfumingGluconolactone
Skin ConditioningZinc Gluconate
Skin ConditioningDicaprylyl Carbonate
EmollientVitis Vinifera Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningAnhydroxylitol
HumectantPolyglyceryl-6 Distearate
EmulsifyingPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningSclerotium Gum
Emulsion StabilisingCannabis Sativa Seed Oil
EmollientSodium Hydroxide
BufferingXylitol
Humectant1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningBoswellia Serrata Resin Extract
SmoothingCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientFructose
HumectantGlyceryl Stearate Citrate
EmollientZingiber Officinale Root Extract
MaskingChlorphenesin
AntimicrobialJojoba Esters
EmollientParfum
MaskingEnantia Chlorantha Bark Extract
Skin ConditioningXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingAsiaticoside
AntioxidantBisabolol
AntioxidantAsiatic Acid
Skin ConditioningMadecassic Acid
Skin ConditioningCetyl Alcohol
EmollientCitric Acid
BufferingPolyglyceryl-3 Beeswax
EmulsifyingCI 77289
Cosmetic ColorantLinalool
PerfumingGeraniol
PerfumingCitronellol
PerfumingCI 77492
Cosmetic ColorantTocopherol
AntioxidantEugenol
PerfumingOleanolic Acid
Skin ConditioningWater, Niacinamide, Silica, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Inulin, Undecane, Xylitylglucoside, Tridecane, Gluconolactone, Zinc Gluconate, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Vitis Vinifera Fruit Extract, Anhydroxylitol, Polyglyceryl-6 Distearate, Pentylene Glycol, Sclerotium Gum, Cannabis Sativa Seed Oil, Sodium Hydroxide, Xylitol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Boswellia Serrata Resin Extract, Caprylyl Glycol, Fructose, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Zingiber Officinale Root Extract, Chlorphenesin, Jojoba Esters, Parfum, Enantia Chlorantha Bark Extract, Xanthan Gum, Asiaticoside, Bisabolol, Asiatic Acid, Madecassic Acid, Cetyl Alcohol, Citric Acid, Polyglyceryl-3 Beeswax, CI 77289, Linalool, Geraniol, Citronellol, CI 77492, Tocopherol, Eugenol, Oleanolic Acid
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantButylene Glycol
HumectantDipropylene Glycol
HumectantPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningPolyglyceryl-4 Caprate
EmulsifyingZinc Gluconate
Skin ConditioningFomes Officinalis Extract
Skin ProtectingCentella Asiatica Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningAmmonium Glycyrrhizate
MaskingNiacinamide
SmoothingSodium Phytate
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialSuperoxide Dismutase
AntioxidantAesculus Hippocastanum Extract
AntioxidantTocopherol
AntioxidantPanthenol
Skin ConditioningCaffeine
Skin ConditioningFaex Extract
Skin ConditioningBiotin
AntiseborrhoeicBenzyl Alcohol
PerfumingDehydroxanthan Gum
Emulsion StabilisingDehydroacetic Acid
PreservativePropylene Glycol
HumectantGlycine Soja Oil
EmollientPhenoxyethanol
PreservativePEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
EmulsifyingLactic Acid
BufferingAlcohol
AntimicrobialParfum
MaskingWater, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Dipropylene Glycol, Pentylene Glycol, Polyglyceryl-4 Caprate, Zinc Gluconate, Fomes Officinalis Extract, Centella Asiatica Leaf Extract, Ammonium Glycyrrhizate, Niacinamide, Sodium Phytate, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Superoxide Dismutase, Aesculus Hippocastanum Extract, Tocopherol, Panthenol, Caffeine, Faex Extract, Biotin, Benzyl Alcohol, Dehydroxanthan Gum, Dehydroacetic Acid, Propylene Glycol, Glycine Soja Oil, Phenoxyethanol, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Lactic Acid, Alcohol, Parfum
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
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 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 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 NiacinamideParfum is a catch-all term for an ingredient or more that is used to give a scent to products.
Also called "fragrance", this ingredient can be a blend of hundreds of chemicals or plant oils. This means every product with "fragrance" or "parfum" in the ingredients list is a different mixture.
For instance, Habanolide is a proprietary trade name for a specific aroma chemical. When used as a fragrance ingredient in cosmetics, most aroma chemicals fall under the broad labeling category of “FRAGRANCE” or “PARFUM” according to EU and US regulations.
The term 'parfum' or 'fragrance' is not regulated in many countries. In many cases, it is up to the brand to define this term.
For instance, many brands choose to label themselves as "fragrance-free" because they are not using synthetic fragrances. However, their products may still contain ingredients such as essential oils that are considered a fragrance by INCI standards.
One example is Calendula flower extract. Calendula is an essential oil that still imparts a scent or 'fragrance'.
Depending on the blend, the ingredients in the mixture can cause allergies and sensitivities on the skin. Some ingredients that are known EU allergens include linalool and citronellol.
Parfum can also be used to mask or cover an unpleasant scent.
The bottom line is: not all fragrances/parfum/ingredients are created equally. If you are worried about fragrances, we recommend taking a closer look at an ingredient. And of course, we always recommend speaking with a professional.
Learn more about ParfumPentylene glycol is typically used within a product to thicken it. It also adds a smooth, soft, and moisturizing feel to the product. It is naturally found in plants such as sugar beets.
The hydrophilic trait of Pentylene Glycol makes it a humectant. As a humectant, Pentylene Glycol helps draw moisture from the air to your skin. This can help keep your skin hydrated.
This property also makes Pentylene Glycol a great texture enhancer. It can also help thicken or stabilize a product.
Pentylene Glycol also acts as a mild preservative and helps to keep a product microbe-free.
Some people may experience mild eye and skin irritation from Pentylene Glycol. We always recommend speaking with a professional about using this ingredient in your routine.
Pentylene Glycol has a low molecular weight and is part of the 1,2-glycol family.
Learn more about Pentylene GlycolTocopherol (also known as Vitamin E) is a common antioxidant used to help protect the skin from free-radicals and strengthen the skin barrier. It's also fat soluble - this means our skin is great at absorbing it.
Vitamin E also helps keep your natural skin lipids healthy. Your lipid skin barrier naturally consists of lipids, ceramides, and fatty acids. Vitamin E offers extra protection for your skin’s lipid barrier, keeping your skin healthy and nourished.
Another benefit is a bit of UV protection. Vitamin E helps reduce the damage caused by UVB rays. (It should not replace your sunscreen). Combining it with Vitamin C can decrease sunburned cells and hyperpigmentation after UV exposure.
You might have noticed Vitamin E + C often paired together. This is because it is great at stabilizing Vitamin C. Using the two together helps increase the effectiveness of both ingredients.
There are often claims that Vitamin E can reduce/prevent scarring, but these claims haven't been confirmed by scientific research.
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 WaterZinc gluconate has antibacterial and wound healing properties. It is particularly effective against fighting inflammatory acne.
This ingredient is the zinc salt of the PHA gluconic acid. PHAs are gentle cousins to AHAs.