What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin Conditioning3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
HumectantNiacinamide
Smoothing1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantMethylpropanediol
SolventSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantCitrus Limon Fruit Extract
MaskingCitrus Nobilis Peel Extract
MaskingCitrus Paradisi Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningSodium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate
Emulsion StabilisingPanthenol
Skin ConditioningPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningDipotassium Glycyrrhizate
HumectantTromethamine
BufferingAdenosine
Skin ConditioningMadecassoside
AntioxidantSodium Phytate
Beta-Glucan
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
AntioxidantLinolenic Acid
CleansingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingWater, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Butylene Glycol, Niacinamide, 1,2-Hexanediol, Glycerin, Methylpropanediol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Citrus Limon Fruit Extract, Citrus Nobilis Peel Extract, Citrus Paradisi Fruit Extract, Sodium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Panthenol, Pentylene Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Tromethamine, Adenosine, Madecassoside, Sodium Phytate, Beta-Glucan, Tocopherol, Linolenic Acid, Xanthan Gum, Carbomer
Citrus Junos Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningCamellia Sinensis Leaf Water
MaskingButylene Glycol
HumectantWater
Skin ConditioningDipropylene Glycol
HumectantNiacinamide
Smoothing1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid
Skin ConditioningCitrus Junos Peel Oil
AstringentPanax Ginseng Root Water
MaskingPolyglyceryl-10 Myristate
Skin ConditioningCentella Asiatica Extract
CleansingSaccharum Officinarum Extract
MoisturisingTocopherol
AntioxidantHouttuynia Cordata Extract
Skin ConditioningHydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingTromethamine
BufferingSodium Polyacrylate
AbsorbentAdenosine
Skin ConditioningSodium Phytate
Sorbitan Isostearate
EmulsifyingGlycerin
HumectantChamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
MaskingPortulaca Oleracea Extract
Skin ConditioningBetula Alba Juice
AstringentSimmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
EmollientMaltodextrin
AbsorbentSaccharide Hydrolysate
HumectantEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningLimonene
PerfumingCitrus Junos Fruit Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Water, Butylene Glycol, Water, Dipropylene Glycol, Niacinamide, 1,2-Hexanediol, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Citrus Junos Peel Oil, Panax Ginseng Root Water, Polyglyceryl-10 Myristate, Centella Asiatica Extract, Saccharum Officinarum Extract, Tocopherol, Houttuynia Cordata Extract, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Ceramide NP, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Tromethamine, Sodium Polyacrylate, Adenosine, Sodium Phytate, Sorbitan Isostearate, Glycerin, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Portulaca Oleracea Extract, Betula Alba Juice, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Maltodextrin, Saccharide Hydrolysate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Limonene
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
1,2-Hexanediol is a synthetic liquid and another multi-functional powerhouse.
It is a:
- Humectant, drawing moisture into the skin
- Emollient, helping to soften skin
- Solvent, dispersing and stabilizing formulas
- Preservative booster, enhancing the antimicrobial activity of other preservatives
You might know this ingredient as Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, a more stable version of ascorbic acid.
Like other types of vitamin C, this ingredient has many benefits including reducing wrinkles, skin soothing, dark spot fading, and fighting against free radicals.
3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid interferes with the process of skin darkening, helping to reduce hyperpigmentation. It also encourages the skin to produce more collagen.
Once applied, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid is converted to Vitamin C deeper in the skin's layers. This process is slow but makes this ingredient more tolerable for skin.
The optimum pH range for this ingredient is 4 - 5.5
Learn more about 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic AcidAdenosine 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 AdenosineButylene 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 GlycolEthylhexylglycerin 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 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 NiacinamideSodium Phytate is the synthetic salt form of phytic acid. Phytic acid is an antioxidant and can be found in plant seeds.
Sodium Phytate is a chelating agent. Chelating agents help prevent metals from binding to water. This helps stabilize the ingredients and the product.
Tocopherol is a fat-soluble antioxidant known as Vitamin E.
You'll find this ingredient in the vast majority of skincare (for good reason). It works to neutralize free radicals, or unstable molecules generated by UV exposure, pollution, and other environmental stressors, before they can cause oxidative damage to your skin cells.
Topically applied tocopherol has been shown to protect against UV damage by ramping up the skin's own natural defense enzymes.
It also acts as a skin conditioning agent; some studies show that regular topical use can improve the skin's water-binding capacity over 2-4 weeks.
This ingredient is especially loved for being a team player. When combined with Vitamin C, the photoprotective effect of both ingredients roughly doubles and the combo also helps reduce UV-induced DNA damage.
This ingredient has some brightening potential but it's more of a prevention ingredient than spot-fader. Cell studies show it can slow down melanin production but it's worth noting that it's not the most powerful brightener out there.
In formulations, it also serves as a stabilizer that helps protect other oxidation-prone ingredients from degrading.
Concentrations usually range from 0.1-1% in most leave-on products.
Learn more about TocopherolTromethamine helps balance the pH and improve the texture of a product. It is synthetically created.
As an emulsifier, Tromethamine prevents oil and water ingredients from separating. This helps stabilize the product and elongate a product's shelf life. Tromethamine also makes a product thicker.
Tromethamine helps balance the pH level of a product. Normal pH level of skin is slightly acidic (~4.75-5.5). The acidity of our skin is maintained by our glands and skin biome. Being slightly acidic allows our skin to create an "acid mantle". This acid mantle is a thin barrier that protects our skin from bacteria and contaminants.
Oral Tromethanmine is an anti-inflammatory drug but plays the role of masking, adding fragrance, and/or balancing pH in skincare.
1,3-Propanediol, 2-amino-2-(hydroxymethyl)-
Learn more about TromethamineWater. 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