What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Candelilla/Jojoba/Rice Bran Polyglyceryl-3 Esters
Emulsifying
Mangifera Indica Seed Butter
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Magnesium Aluminum Silicate
Absorbent
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Caffeine
Skin Conditioning
Oenothera Biennis Oil
Emollient
C15-19 Alkane
SolventAcetyl Hexapeptide-8
Humectant
Rosa Canina Fruit Oil
Emollient
Malpighia Glabra Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningPhyllanthus Emblica Extract
Skin ConditioningEuterpe Oleracea Fruit Extract
Cocos Nucifera Oil
Masking
Oryza Sativa Extract
Absorbent
Superoxide Dismutase
Antioxidant
Soybean Peroxidase
Antioxidant
Maltodextrin
Absorbent
Lactobacillus Ferment
Skin Conditioning
Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate
Antimicrobial
Leuconostoc Ferment Filtrate
AntimicrobialXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningIsoamyl Cocoate
Sodium Stearoyl Lactylate
EmulsifyingIsoamyl Laurate
Emollient
Citric Acid
Buffering
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Water, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Candelilla/Jojoba/Rice Bran Polyglyceryl-3 Esters, Mangifera Indica Seed Butter, Glycerin, Magnesium Aluminum Silicate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, Caffeine, Oenothera Biennis Oil, C15-19 Alkane, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Rosa Canina Fruit Oil, Malpighia Glabra Fruit Extract, Phyllanthus Emblica Extract, Euterpe Oleracea Fruit Extract, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Oryza Sativa Extract, Superoxide Dismutase, Soybean Peroxidase, Maltodextrin, Lactobacillus Ferment, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Leuconostoc Ferment Filtrate, Xanthan Gum, Ethylhexylglycerin, Isoamyl Cocoate, Sodium Stearoyl Lactylate, Isoamyl Laurate, Citric Acid, Phenoxyethanol
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Dicaprylyl Carbonate
EmollientPropanediol
Solvent
Polyglyceryl-6 Distearate
Emulsifying
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glyceryl Behenate
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingJojoba Esters
Emollient
Albizia Julibrissin Bark Extract
MaskingSqualane
Emollient
Caffeine
Skin Conditioning
Polyglyceryl-3 Beeswax
Emulsifying
Phospholipids
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingGlycine Soja Oil
Emollient
Polysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Sodium Phytate
Glycolipids
Skin ConditioningSorbitan Isostearate
Emulsifying
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Citric Acid
Buffering
Glycine Soja Sterols
Emollient
Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate
Antimicrobial
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingDarutoside
Skin ConditioningSodium Lactate
Buffering
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Water, Glycerin, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Propanediol, Polyglyceryl-6 Distearate, Cetyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Behenate, Phenoxyethanol, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Jojoba Esters, Albizia Julibrissin Bark Extract, Squalane, Caffeine, Polyglyceryl-3 Beeswax, Phospholipids, Ethylhexylglycerin, Xanthan Gum, Glycine Soja Oil, Polysorbate 60, Sodium Phytate, Glycolipids, Sorbitan Isostearate, Butylene Glycol, Citric Acid, Glycine Soja Sterols, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Benzoate, Tocopherol, Carbomer, Darutoside, Sodium Lactate, Polysorbate 20, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Caffeine is a naturally occurring plant compound found in coffee beans, tea leaves, cocoa pods, and guarana.
As an antioxidant, caffeine protects your skin from free radical damage caused by UV exposure and envionrmnetal stressors.
Early research also shows that caffeine can help calm redness, soothe irritated skin, and support hair growth by stimulating microcirculation in the scalp.
You might have seen eye creams marketing caffeine as a depuffing ingredient. This is because it is a vasoconstrictor meaning it can temporarily constrict blood vessels, though clinical evidence for this specific use is still limited.
Most skincare products contain this ingredient at concentrations between 1-6%. It is able to penetrate skin easily regardless of skin type or thickness.
Just so you know, a very small number of case reports describe caffeine-induced allergy. This ingredient is generally well-tolerated, non-irritating, and non-sensitizing for the majority of people.
Learn more about CaffeineCitric 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 AcidEthylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:
The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure.
Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.
Learn more about EthylhexylglycerinGlycerin (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 GlycerinLeuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate is a natural preservative. It comes from fermenting radish roots with a bacteria called leuconostoc. The trade name for this ingredient is Leucidal.
Leuconostoc comes from lactic acid.
This ingredient has antimicrobial properties and helps prevent the growth of bacteria in a product.
Leuconostoc is used to make the traditional Korean side-dish, kimchi. It is also used to make sourdough bread (both incredibly yummy foods).
Learn more about Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment FiltratePhenoxyethanol 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.
Water. 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
