What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningParaffinum Liquidum
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantNiacinamide
SmoothingButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningCanola Oil
EmollientHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
EmollientSqualane
EmollientCetyl Alcohol
EmollientDimethicone
EmollientGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientPEG-100 Stearate
Sorbitan Stearate
EmulsifyingPalmitamide Mea
PEG-20 Methyl Glucose Sesquistearate
EmulsifyingTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantPanthenol
Skin ConditioningAllantoin
Skin ConditioningXylitol
HumectantZinc Gluconate
Skin ConditioningAlpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide
CleansingPolymnia Sonchifolia Root Juice
Skin ConditioningMaltodextrin
AbsorbentLactobacillus
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
SolventRhamnose
HumectantGlucose
HumectantGlucuronic Acid
BufferingSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientSodium Lauroyl Lactylate
EmulsifyingCeramide EOP
Skin ConditioningCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningCholesterol
EmollientPhytosphingosine
Skin ConditioningMagnesium Aluminum Silicate
AbsorbentXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingBenzyl Alcohol
PerfumingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeTetrasodium EDTA
Water, Paraffinum Liquidum, Glycerin, Niacinamide, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Canola Oil, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Squalane, Cetyl Alcohol, Dimethicone, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Sorbitan Stearate, Palmitamide Mea, PEG-20 Methyl Glucose Sesquistearate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Panthenol, Allantoin, Xylitol, Zinc Gluconate, Alpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide, Polymnia Sonchifolia Root Juice, Maltodextrin, Lactobacillus, Propanediol, Rhamnose, Glucose, Glucuronic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate, Caprylyl Glycol, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Ceramide EOP, Ceramide NP, Cholesterol, Phytosphingosine, Magnesium Aluminum Silicate, Xanthan Gum, Benzyl Alcohol, Phenoxyethanol, Tetrasodium EDTA
Water
Skin ConditioningParaffinum Liquidum
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantBrassica Campestris Seed Oil
Skin ConditioningSodium Polyacrylate
AbsorbentPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Citrate
BufferingXylitol
HumectantCetearyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingMannitol
HumectantTocopherol
AntioxidantRhamnose
HumectantXylitylglucoside
HumectantHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
EmollientAnhydroxylitol
HumectantNiacinamide
SmoothingGlucose
HumectantFructooligosaccharides
HumectantCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingLaminaria Ochroleuca Extract
Skin ConditioningWater, Paraffinum Liquidum, Glycerin, Brassica Campestris Seed Oil, Sodium Polyacrylate, Pentylene Glycol, Cetearyl Alcohol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Sodium Citrate, Xylitol, Cetearyl Glucoside, Mannitol, Tocopherol, Rhamnose, Xylitylglucoside, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Anhydroxylitol, Niacinamide, Glucose, Fructooligosaccharides, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Laminaria Ochroleuca Extract
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Caprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.
Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.
Because it is not a free-fatty acid or alcohol, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolGlucose is a simple sugar (a monosaccharide). In skincare, it is mostly a humectant and skin conditioning agent.
Mechanistically, it has multiple hydroxyl groups that hydrogen-bond to water. This pulls moisture into the upper layers of skin to keep the surface soft and hydrated.
It's worth knowing sugars are already a natural component of the skin's NMF (natural moisturizing factor) so it's a molecule that your stratum corneum is well-acquainted with.
Just so you know, glucose is hydrophilic (water-loving) and the stratum corneum is a strong barrier to hydrophilic compounds. This just means penetration is slow and most of the action is happening on the surface.
Gram-to-gram, glucose is not as efficient as a humectant as glycerin. This is why you'll likely see glycose paired with stronger humectants for a bigger hydration payoff.
In skincare, glucose is typically derived from corn or other starch sources.
Learn more about GlucoseGlycerin (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 GlycerinHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil is a plant oil derived from the seeds of a sunflower.
It is rich in fatty acids, primarily linoleic acid and oleic acid. This gives it emollient and skin conditioning properties.
The reason this ingredient is so effective is because it forms a thin film on the skin that reduces transepidermal water loss (TEWL) while supplying linoleic acid to the stratum corneum to improve barrier strength.
The high linoleic acid content is particularly noteworthy for acne-prone skin.
Research suggests that acne-prone skin tends to be deficient in linoleic acid in sebum. Topical application may help replenish this to support a healthier follicular environment and less comedone-promoting sebum.
One randomized study found sunflower seed oil preserved skin barrier integrity in adult volunteers with and without atopic dermatitis (outperforming olive oil).
This ingredient is well-studied, gentle, and an effective emollient suitable for most skin types.
On fungal acne: This ingredient may not be Fungal acne (Malassezia folliculitis) safe. This is because it contains fatty acids with carbon chain lengths in the C11-C24 range.
Learn more about Helianthus Annuus Seed OilNiacinamide 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 NiacinamideParaffinum Liquidum is a highly-refined cosmetic-grade mineral oil. It is also known as liquid paraffin.
Despite its controversial reputation, the science is pretty clear: it's one of the most well-studied and effective moisturizing ingredients out there.
As an occlusive, it forms a protective layer on the skin that locks in moisture and prevents transepidermal water loss (TEWL). This makes it especially great for compromised skin barriers.
The "it clogs your pores" myth has been around for decades; a study found that industrial-grade mineral oil may be comedogenic but cosmetic-grade mineral oil is not (these two are very, very different).
A 2017 review concluded that cosmetic use of mineral oils and waxes does not present a risk to consumers due to absorption.
Mineral oil got a bad rap from the old rabbit ear studies. When tested on actual human skin, cosmetic-grade mineral oil showed no comedogenic activity. The rating of 0 is a correction of outdated science.
Mineral oil is an inert substance with no fatty acids so there's nothing to feed Malassezia. This ingredient is fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Paraffinum LiquidumWe don't have a description for Rhamnose yet.
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 WaterXylitol is a humectant and prebiotic. It can help with dry skin.
In studies, xylitol has been shown to improve dry skin. It decreased transepidermal water loss, or when water passes through the skin and evaporates. Xylitol also showed to help improve the biomechanical properties of the skin barrier.
The prebiotic property of xylitol may also help reinforce our skin's natural microbiome. Having a healthy microbiome prevents infection by bad bacteria and helps with hydration.
As a humectant, Xylitol helps draw moisture from both the air and from deeper skin layers. This helps keep skin hydrated.
Xylitol is a sugar alcohol and commonly used as a sugar substitute. It is naturally occurring in plants such as strawberries and pumpkin.
Learn more about Xylitol