What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningSqualane
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Hexyldecanol
Emollient
Propanediol
Solvent
Dimethyl Isosorbide
SolventHydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingHydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Hydroxypinacolone Retinoate
Skin Conditioning
Retinol
Skin Conditioning
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialPelargonium Graveolens Flower Oil
Masking
Aniba Rosodora Wood Oil
Astringent
Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Oil
Perfuming
Santalum Album Oil
Masking
Oryza Sativa Bran Extract
Skin Conditioning
Helianthus Annuus Extract
Emollient
Cupressus Sempervirens Oil
Masking
Juniperus Virginiana Oil
Masking
Abies Sibirica Oil
Masking
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Beta-Glucan
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
BHT
Antioxidant
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Cetyl Palmitate
Emollient
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPolysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate
Hydroxystearic Acid
Cleansing
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Sorbitan Isostearate
Emulsifying
Laureth-23
Cleansing
Trideceth-6 Phosphate
EmulsifyingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingCitric Acid
Buffering
Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Benzoate
Masking
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Water, Squalane, Glycerin, Hexyldecanol, Propanediol, Dimethyl Isosorbide, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Hydroxyacetophenone, Hydroxypinacolone Retinoate, Retinol, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Pelargonium Graveolens Flower Oil, Aniba Rosodora Wood Oil, Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Oil, Santalum Album Oil, Oryza Sativa Bran Extract, Helianthus Annuus Extract, Cupressus Sempervirens Oil, Juniperus Virginiana Oil, Abies Sibirica Oil, Tocopherol, Beta-Glucan, Caprylyl Glycol, BHT, Ceramide NP, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cetyl Palmitate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Polysorbate 60, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Hydroxystearic Acid, Polysorbate 20, Sorbitan Isostearate, Laureth-23, Trideceth-6 Phosphate, Sodium Hydroxide, Citric Acid, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Sodium Benzoate, Benzyl Alcohol, Linalool
Water
Skin ConditioningDipropylene Glycol
HumectantGlycereth-26
Humectant
Betaine
Humectant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Diphenyl Dimethicone
Emollient
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Triethylhexanoin
MaskingHydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Octyldodeceth-16
EmulsifyingPolyglyceryl-10 Oleate
Skin Conditioning
Sphingomonas Ferment Extract
Skin Conditioning
Adenosine
Skin Conditioning
Disodium EDTA
Sodium Polyacrylate
Absorbent
Hydrolyzed Collagen
Emollient
Lavandula Angustifolia Oil
Masking
Phytosterols
Skin Conditioning
Anthemis Nobilis Flower Oil
Masking
Retinol
Skin Conditioning
Beta-Glucan
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Water, Dipropylene Glycol, Glycereth-26, Betaine, 1,2-Hexanediol, Glycerin, Diphenyl Dimethicone, Hydroxyacetophenone, Triethylhexanoin, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Allantoin, Octyldodeceth-16, Polyglyceryl-10 Oleate, Sphingomonas Ferment Extract, Adenosine, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Polyacrylate, Hydrolyzed Collagen, Lavandula Angustifolia Oil, Phytosterols, Anthemis Nobilis Flower Oil, Retinol, Beta-Glucan, Ceramide NP
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.Ā
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 preservativesĀ
Beta-Glucan is a soluble polysaccharide (a chain of glucose sugars) sourced from the cells walls of oats, baker's yeast, mushrooms, and seaweed.
It's a rare ingredient that pulls double-duty as a heavy-duty hydrator and skin-soothing repair agent.
On the surface, it acts as a humectant that holds water in place and reduces moisture loss for a plumper, smoother feel, while its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties make it a great pick for calming redness or sensitive skin
The more interesting story is underneath:
Despite its large molecular size, oat beta-glucan has been shown to penetrate the epidermis and reach the dermis by slipping between skin cells. Here, it interacts with fibroblasts and macrophages to nudge collagen synthesis and support wound repair.
A small 2005 split-face clinical study of 27 subjects found topical beta-glucan produced measurable reductions in wrinkle depth, height, and roughness after 8 weeks of use.
It is worth noting the trial was small and the penetration testing used frozen, irradiated skin so the anti-aging data is encouraging rather than definitive.
This ingredient gets along with pretty much everything and is typically used around 0.1-1%.
Fungal acne: This ingredient is not a food source for the Malassezia yeast because it is a glucose polysaccharide with no fatty acid or ester component.
Learn more about Beta-GlucanCeramide NP (formerly known as Ceramide 3) is one of the skin's naturally occurring lipids.
Since ceramides are the major lipid components of the skin, they are crucial for maintaining skin barrier and hydration. Ceramide NP most closely mirrors the dominant kind in human skin amongst ceramide subtypes.
This ceramide works by slotting into gaps within the stratum corneum's lipid matrix to limit trans-epidermal water loss (TEWL) and shield the skin against external irritants.
A study with 312 patients found that using a ceramide-containing routine for 4 weeks reduced the severity of atopic dermatitis by over 61%.
Another clinical study in subjects aged 60 and older found that a ceramide body wash and moisturizer improved skin dryness and itchy skin in 15 days.
Overall, ceramides are considered non-irritating and safety tests have found little to no observable adverse effects from using this ingredient.
Ceramide NP is usually sourced from plants (like soybean or rice bran), or produced synthetically.
Learn more about Ceramide NPGlycerin (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 GlycerinHydroxyacetophenone is antioxidant with skin conditioning and soothing properties. It also boosts the efficiency of preservatives.
Though naturally occuring in Norwegian spruce needles, this ingredient is usually synthetically created.
This ingredient is not irritating or sensitizing. Recent research also suggests it may have skin-brightening effects through tyrosinase inhibition.
Learn more about HydroxyacetophenoneRetinol is a gold-standard ingredient for anti-aging. It is a form of Vitamin A and belongs to the class of retinoids that also includes tretinoin.
Why is retinol famous?
It has the most scientific studies backing up its skin benefits out of all the non-prescription ingredients.
Retinol is proven to:
This is why retinol is effective at removing wrinkles, fading dark spots, treating acne, and reducing the appearance of pores.
Studies show retinol is less effective when exposed to UV. Be sure to look for appropriate packaging to keep your retinol potent (similar to Vitamin C).
Using retinol or any retinoids will increase sun-sensitivity in the first few months. Though studies show retinoids increase your skin's natural SPF with continuous use, it is best to always wear sunscreen and sun-protection.
We recommend speaking with a medical professional about using this ingredient during pregnancy.
Retinol may cause irritation in some people, so be sure to patch test. Experts recommend 'ramping up' retinol use: start using this ingredient once a week and work up to using it daily.
Read about Tretinoin
Learn more about RetinolWater. 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
