What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Bakuchiol
Antimicrobial
Water
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
Solvent
Squalane
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Polymethylsilsesquioxane
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate
Emulsion StabilisingSorbitan Laurate
Emulsifying
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingHydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate
Silica
Abrasive
Polyglyceryl-4 Laurate
Emulsifying
Dilauryl Citrate
EmollientN-Prolyl Palmitoyl Tripeptide-56 Acetate
Skin Conditioning
Citric Acid
Buffering
Phenethyl Alcohol
MaskingCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Bakuchiol, Water, Propanediol, Squalane, Glycerin, Niacinamide, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Pentylene Glycol, Sodium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Sorbitan Laurate, Xanthan Gum, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Silica, Polyglyceryl-4 Laurate, Dilauryl Citrate, N-Prolyl Palmitoyl Tripeptide-56 Acetate, Citric Acid, Phenethyl Alcohol, Caprylyl Glycol
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
C9-12 Alkane
SolventCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Pentaerythrityl Tetracaprylate/Tetracaprate
EmollientBakuchiol
Antimicrobial
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Tocopheryl Glucoside
EmollientAcacia Senegal Gum
MaskingButylene Glycol
Humectant
Citric Acid
Buffering
Coco-Caprylate/Caprate
Emollient
Glyceryl Behenate
Emollient
Glyceryl Dibehenate
Emollient
Sodium Dilauramidoglutamide Lysine
HumectantTribehenin
Emollient
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingWater, Glycerin, Niacinamide, Pentylene Glycol, C9-12 Alkane, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Pentaerythrityl Tetracaprylate/Tetracaprate, Bakuchiol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Tocopheryl Glucoside, Acacia Senegal Gum, Butylene Glycol, Citric Acid, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Glyceryl Behenate, Glyceryl Dibehenate, Sodium Dilauramidoglutamide Lysine, Tribehenin, Xanthan Gum
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 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 NiacinamidePentylene 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 GlycolWater. 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 WaterXanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.
On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.
Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.
Learn more about Xanthan Gum
