What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Polyglyceryl-3 Distearate
Emulsifying
Squalane
Emollient
Cetyl Ethylhexanoate
EmollientCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Phenyl Trimethicone
Skin Conditioning
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Bakuchiol
Antimicrobial
Betaine
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Sponge
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
Antioxidant
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Glyceryl Stearate Citrate
Emollient
Hydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingHydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingTromethamine
BufferingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningAdenosine
Skin Conditioning
Disodium EDTA
Theobroma Cacao Extract
Skin ConditioningSorbitan Isostearate
Emulsifying
Dextrin
AbsorbentWater, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Polyglyceryl-3 Distearate, Squalane, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Phenyl Trimethicone, Cetearyl Alcohol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Bakuchiol, Betaine, Hydrolyzed Sponge, Tocopherol, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Hydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Tromethamine, Ethylhexylglycerin, Adenosine, Disodium EDTA, Theobroma Cacao Extract, Sorbitan Isostearate, Dextrin
Water
Skin ConditioningDipropylene Glycol
HumectantGlycerin
Humectant
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil
Emollient
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexyl Palmitate
Emollient
Sodium Polyacrylate
Absorbent
Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingPolyisobutene
Silica
Abrasive
Glycereth-26
Humectant
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningAdenosine
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Caprylyl/Capryl Glucoside
CleansingSorbitan Oleate
Emulsifying
Centella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPropolis Extract
Skin Conditioning
Asiaticoside
Antioxidant
Asiatic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Madecassic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Madecassoside
Antioxidant
Glycine
Buffering
Serine
Masking
Glutamic Acid
Humectant
Aspartic Acid
Masking
Leucine
Skin ConditioningAlanine
Masking
Lysine
Skin ConditioningArginine
Masking
Tyrosine
MaskingPhenylalanine
Masking
Proline
Skin Conditioning
Threonine
Valine
MaskingIsoleucine
Skin ConditioningHistidine
Humectant
Cysteine
Antioxidant
Methionine
Skin ConditioningWater, Dipropylene Glycol, Glycerin, Niacinamide, Butylene Glycol, Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil, 1,2-Hexanediol, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Sodium Polyacrylate, Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Polyisobutene, Silica, Glycereth-26, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Adenosine, Sodium Hyaluronate, Caprylyl/Capryl Glucoside, Sorbitan Oleate, Centella Asiatica Extract, Xanthan Gum, Propolis Extract, Asiaticoside, Asiatic Acid, Madecassic Acid, Madecassoside, Glycine, Serine, Glutamic Acid, Aspartic Acid, Leucine, Alanine, Lysine, Arginine, Tyrosine, Phenylalanine, Proline, Threonine, Valine, Isoleucine, Histidine, Cysteine, Methionine
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
Adenosine is a purine nucleoside that your body already makes in every cell. In skincare, it acts mainly as a skin conditioning and anti-aging agent.
The way it works is fairly well mapped out:
Your skin has cells called fibroblasts that build collagen (the stuff that keeps skin firm and smooth). Adenosine basically flips a switch on these cells that tells them to get to work making more collagen and other proteins. These cells slow down on their own as skin ages, so Adenosine helps give them a little nudge to keep going.
The clinical backing is pretty solid too.
A blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial of 126 women aged 45-65 tested a 0.1% cream twice daily and found real improvements in crow's feet and frown lines using a precise 3D skin-mapping technique; these changes showed up by week 3 and held at 2 months.
A later study using Adenosine-loaded dissolving microneedle patches reported gains in wrinkle depth, dermal density, elasticity, and hydration.
On concentrations, South Korea's Ministry of Food and Drug Safety has set 0.04% as the approved functional anti-wrinkle level. You'll typically see this ingredient used somewhere in the 0.04-0.1% range since it works at low doses.
This ingredient has been found safe for cosmetics with the data showing no irritation or sensitization.
Overall, this is a great ingredient for any anti-aging routine and has no photosensitizing effect, so it suits both AM and PM use.
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 GlycerinWater. 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
