What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningAloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
EmollientButylene Glycol
HumectantDipropylene Glycol
HumectantPropylene Glycol
HumectantCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingOlivoyl Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein
CleansingCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientGlyceryl Oleate
EmollientGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientGlycereth-26
HumectantOrbignya Oleifera Seed Oil
EmollientHydrogenated Polydecene
EmollientHydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingBetaine
HumectantDimethicone
EmollientTriethanolamine
BufferingPEG-90m
Emulsion StabilisingRosa Canina Fruit Oil
EmollientPanax Ginseng Root Extract
EmollientCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialHoney
HumectantRosa Multiflora Fruit Extract
MaskingGardenia Florida Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningScutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract
AstringentLigustrum Japonicum Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningAcanthopanax Senticosus Root Extract
Skin ConditioningPunica Granatum Fruit Extract
AntioxidantCarthamus Tinctorius Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningGlycine Soja Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningSesamum Indicum Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningOryza Sativa Extract
AbsorbentTheobroma Cacao Extract
Skin ConditioningPanax Ginseng Berry Extract
Skin ConditioningSnail Secretion Filtrate
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Collagen
EmollientCopper Tripeptide-1
Skin ConditioningAdenosine
Skin ConditioningLeontopodium Alpinum Extract
Skin ConditioningThymus Vulgaris Extract
PerfumingMalva Sylvestris Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningBambusa Vulgaris Leaf/Stem Extract
HumectantCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningParfum
MaskingWater, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Butylene Glycol, Dipropylene Glycol, Propylene Glycol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Olivoyl Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Oleate, Glyceryl Stearate, Glycereth-26, Orbignya Oleifera Seed Oil, Hydrogenated Polydecene, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Betaine, Dimethicone, Triethanolamine, PEG-90m, Rosa Canina Fruit Oil, Panax Ginseng Root Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Honey, Rosa Multiflora Fruit Extract, Gardenia Florida Fruit Extract, Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract, Ligustrum Japonicum Fruit Extract, Acanthopanax Senticosus Root Extract, Punica Granatum Fruit Extract, Carthamus Tinctorius Flower Extract, Glycine Soja Seed Extract, Sesamum Indicum Seed Extract, Oryza Sativa Extract, Theobroma Cacao Extract, Panax Ginseng Berry Extract, Snail Secretion Filtrate, Hydrolyzed Collagen, Copper Tripeptide-1, Adenosine, Leontopodium Alpinum Extract, Thymus Vulgaris Extract, Malva Sylvestris Flower Extract, Bambusa Vulgaris Leaf/Stem Extract, Carbomer, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Parfum
Snail Secretion Filtrate 88%
Skin ConditioningNiacinamide
SmoothingCetearyl Olivate
Sorbitan Olivate
EmulsifyingCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingBetaine
HumectantCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientButylene Glycol
HumectantWater
Skin ConditioningTriethylhexanoin
MaskingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeCyclohexasiloxane
EmollientCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingEthyl Hexanediol
SolventArginine
MaskingAllantoin
Skin ConditioningSodium Polyacrylate
AbsorbentSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantDimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Skin ConditioningXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPanthenol
Skin ConditioningAdenosine
Skin Conditioning1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningCopper Tripeptide-1
Skin ConditioningPalmitoyl Pentapeptide-4
Skin ConditioningAcetyl Hexapeptide-8
HumectantPalmitoyl Tripeptide-1
Skin ConditioningPalmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Skin ConditioningSnail Secretion Filtrate 88%, Niacinamide, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Betaine, Cetearyl Alcohol, Butylene Glycol, Water, Triethylhexanoin, Phenoxyethanol, Cyclohexasiloxane, Carbomer, Ethyl Hexanediol, Arginine, Allantoin, Sodium Polyacrylate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Xanthan Gum, Panthenol, Adenosine, 1,2-Hexanediol, Copper Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Adenosine is in every living organism. It is one of four components in nucleic acids that helps store our DNA.
Adenosine has many benefits when used. These benefits include hydrating the skin, smoothing skin, and reducing wrinkles. Once applied, adenosine increases collagen production. It also helps with improving firmness and tissue repair.
Studies have found adenosine may also help with wound healing.
In skincare products, Adenosine is usually derived from yeast.
Learn more about AdenosineBetaine is a humectant. Like hyaluronic acid, it helps attract and retain moisture in the skin. It’s known for being gentle and for helping the skin maintain balanced hydration.
Betaine is mainly used to improve hydration and support calmer skin. It helps skin cells regulate water balance because it functions as an osmolyte.
Some studies suggest betaine may support making skin tone more even.
Fun fact: Betaine naturally exists in the skin and the body. In cosmetic products, it can be either plant-derived (most commonly from sugar beets) or synthetically produced for consistency and stability.
Betaine is also known as trimethylglycine.
Learn more about BetaineButylene 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 TriglycerideCarbomer is a high-molecular weight polymer of acrylic acid. It is used to form gels and thicken formulas.
Due to its large molecular size, carbomer has minimal skin penetration and is considered an inert ingredient.
A high amount of carbomer can cause pilling or balling up of products. Don't worry, most products contain 1% or less of carbomer.
Learn more about CarbomerCetearyl 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.
A 2019 study has also observed Malassezia growth in the presence of this ingredient, confirming it to be not-fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Cetearyl AlcoholCopper Tripeptide-1 (GHK-Cu) is a skin repairing ingredient known for its ability to boost collagen, improve firmness, and support skin regeneration.
It is a complex made up of a naturally occurring peptide (glycine-histidine-lysine) and copper, an essential trace element.
While studying wound healing, researchers noticed GHK-Cu stimulated hair follicle enlargement and growth by keeping hair in its active growth phase longer. This has made it a promising ingredient for hair regrowth treatments.
Some people have reported increased facial hair. While GHK-Cu can make your hair follicles bigger, it usually doesn’t turn soft, barely-visible facial hairs into thick, dark ones.
Anecdotal reports suggest that overusing copper peptides might lead to premature aging due to excess free copper or enzyme imbalances. This claim isn’t backed by large-scale studies.
Unfortunately, there are limited human studies for this ingredient. While early results are promising, many studies are either small, in-vitro, or not rigorously controlled.
For example, there is a 1998 study that explored the effects of copper tripeptide, vitamin C, tretinoin, and melatonin on skin repair and collagen synthesis.
After one month, increased procollagen production was seen in 7 out of 10 participants using copper tripeptide (more than those using vitamin C, melatonin, or tretinoin.
While the study was exploratory, it offers early evidence that copper tripeptide may support collagen production. Larger, well-designed trials are still needed to confirm its potential and understand individual responses.
Read more about other common types of peptides here:
Learn more about Copper Tripeptide-1Phenoxyethanol 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.
Snail Secretion Filtrate is the excretion from snails. It is an effective moisturizer and promotes collagen production.
A popular nickname for this ingredient is 'Snail Mucin'.
Snail mucin has numerous skin benefits:
On top of this, Snail Secretion Filtrate contains a variety of vitamins and minerals. These include copper peptides, Vitamin A, and Vitamin E. Vitamins A and E are antioxidants. Antioxidants help fight free-radicals that damage skin cells.
Being cruelty-free means a brand does not experiment on animals.
If you're worried about the well-being of the snails, we recommend looking more into the company of the product. Many brands have developed humane methods to collect snail mucin.
There is much debate on this subject. On one hand, this ingredient comes from an animal. On the other hand, many will argue the ingredient is naturally secreted (like a natural by-product) and therefore vegan. If you have reservations, you can look into Galactomyces Ferment Filtrate or Centella Asiatica Extract as alternatives.
Learn more about Snail Secretion FiltrateWater. 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