What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Squalane
Emollient
Dicaprylyl Ether
Emollient
Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate
Absorbent
Sodium Acrylates Copolymer
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Isopentyldiol
Humectant
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Lecithin
Emollient
Parfum
Masking
Maltodextrin
Absorbent
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Lactobacillus Ferment
Skin Conditioning
Trifolium Pratense Extract
Skin ConditioningPantolactone
Humectant
Citric Acid
Buffering
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Water, Glycerin, Squalane, Dicaprylyl Ether, Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate, Sodium Acrylates Copolymer, Panthenol, Isopentyldiol, Caprylyl Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Lecithin, Parfum, Maltodextrin, Tocopheryl Acetate, Lactobacillus Ferment, Trifolium Pratense Extract, Pantolactone, Citric Acid, Tocopherol
Water
Skin ConditioningSqualane
Emollient
Propanediol
Solvent
Glyceryl Glucoside
Humectant
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Betaine
Humectant
Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate
Emulsion StabilisingMaltodextrin
Absorbent
Inulin
Skin Conditioning
Swertia Chirata Extract
HumectantArtemisia Annua Extract
MaskingBenzylsulfonyl D-Seryl Homophenylalanine Amidinobenzamide Acetate
Skin ConditioningTrehalose
Humectant
Lactobacillus Ferment
Skin Conditioning
Tremella Fuciformis Sporocarp Extract
Antioxidant
Acetyl Heptapeptide-4
Humectant
Alpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide
Cleansing
Xylitylglucoside
Humectant
Anhydroxylitol
Humectant
Xylitol
Humectant
Bifida Ferment Lysate
Skin Conditioning
Polyglutamic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Caprylhydroxamic Acid
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Water, Squalane, Propanediol, Glyceryl Glucoside, Niacinamide, Betaine, Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Maltodextrin, Inulin, Swertia Chirata Extract, Artemisia Annua Extract, Benzylsulfonyl D-Seryl Homophenylalanine Amidinobenzamide Acetate, Trehalose, Lactobacillus Ferment, Tremella Fuciformis Sporocarp Extract, Acetyl Heptapeptide-4, Alpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide, Xylitylglucoside, Anhydroxylitol, Xylitol, Bifida Ferment Lysate, Polyglutamic Acid, Panthenol, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Tocopheryl Acetate
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 GlycolThis ingredient is made when the Lactobacillus bacteria (the same kind that makes yogurt and kimchi) are allowed to ferment a nutrient medium.
As it ferments, it collects lactic acid, peptides, enzymes, and other bioactive metabolites to provide:
A 2023 review noted that probiotic fermentation ingredients like this one can enhance antioxidant capacity, reduce UV-induced oxidative damage, and support barrier function.
One clinical study from the same year showed a Lactobacillus ferment lysate significantly reduced transepidermal water loss and improved skin hydration.
Another review highlighted that topical Lactobacillus-based preparations can improve ceramide levels in the stratum corneum, support barrier integrity, and even help reduce S. aureus colonization in atopic dermatitis.
Why is this so cool?
Basically, your skin's outer layer works as a brick wall; skin cells are bricks and ceramides are the mortar holding it together. Moisture escapes, irritants get in, and your skin gets dry and reactive when ceramide levels drop. On top of that, "bad" skin bacteria S. aureus loves to move in when your barrier is weak to make inflammation and irritation worse.
So Lactobacillus ferment is basically patching the wall and evicting the troublemaker when it boosts ceramide production and help keep S. aureus in check.
On top of all this, it also acts as a mild antimicrobial preservative booster.
Just so you know, most studies focus on specific strains or the lysate form rather than this generic "Lactobacillus Ferment", so results can vary.
Though it's a promising ingredient, it doesn't have decades of robust clinical data behind it just yet.
Lactobacillus Ferment is generally considered safe for fungal-acne prone skin. The key thing to understand is that it comes from bacteria, not yeast or fungus.
Yeast-derived ferments (like galactomyces) have been shown to activate a protein that's linked to Malassezia-related skin issues whereas lactobacillus doesn't have that problem.
Its byproducts also don't contain the types of fatty acids (C11-24 chain lengths) that Malassezia feeds on.
Learn more about Lactobacillus FermentMaltodextrin is a polysaccharide. It is derived from starch such as rice, corn, wheat, or potato starch.
In food, Maltodextrin is used to improve the texture and thicken a product. Due to its structure, it can help create a gel texture. As an emulsion stabilizer, it helps keep the ingredients in a product together.
As a polysaccharide, Maltodextrin has moisturizing properties. Polysaccharides are a type of carbohydrate. The top layer of skin uses polysaccharides to retain water, keeping the skin hydrated.
Maltodextrin is water soluble and has a sweet taste.
Learn more about MaltodextrinPanthenol is a common ingredient that helps hydrate and soothe the skin. It is found naturally in our skin and hair.
There are two forms of panthenol: D and L.
D-panthenol is also known as dexpanthenol. Most cosmetics use dexpanthenol or a mixture of D and L-panthenol.
Panthenol is famous due to its ability to go deeper into the skin's layers. Using this ingredient has numerous pros (and no cons):
Like hyaluronic acid, panthenol is a humectant. Humectants are able to bind and hold large amounts of water to keep skin hydrated.
This ingredient works well for wound healing. It works by increasing tissue in the wound and helps close open wounds.
Once oxidized, panthenol converts to pantothenic acid. Panthothenic acid is found in all living cells.
This ingredient is also referred to as pro-vitamin B5.
Learn more about PanthenolSqualane is the hydrogenated and shelf-stable form of squalene (a lipid that naturally occurs in human sebum).
It is an emollient and skin conditioning agent that is able to integrate seamlessly into the skin's lipid barrier without clogging pores.
This is due to how structurally similar it is to what your skin already produces.
Though it is mostly an emollient that helps soften and hydrate skin, it also has some humectant and occlusive action. Humectants help the skin retain moisture while occlusives seal it in, making squalane a triple-threat moisturizer.
Research shows it has antioxidant capabilities that help protect against stressors like UV exposure, specifically UVA induced oxidative stress. This study also found that it supports collagen biosynthesis in human dermal fibroblasts.
No clinical study has reported significant adverse effects and irritation reactions are very rare from this ingredient (even at 100% concentration).
Overall, it's a fantastic ingredient for hydration and is suitable for all skin types.
This depends on the source. Squalane can be derived from both plants and animals. Most squalane used in skincare comes from plants.
Please note: the source of squalane is only known if disclosed by the brand. We recommend reaching out to the brand if you have any questions about their squalane.
Read more about squalene with an "e".
Though squalane is often called an oil, it’s technically not one. It is a hydrocarbon, meaning it is only made of carbon and hydrogen. True oils are triglycerides and made of fatty acids and glycerol.
The term “oil-free” isn’t regulated so companies can define it however they want. Some exclude all oils, while others just avoid mineral oil or comedogenic oils.
Squalane has a comedogenic rating of 1 from the original 1972 study that tested raw ingredients under occlusion on rabbit ears. This system is not standardized or peer-reviewed, and using the raw ingredients is very different from how diluted cosmetic formulations are used on human skin.
A comedogenic rating of 1 means it is "unlikely to clog pores" according to the original rating system.
The overall formula of a product matters more than the individual ingredients on whether or not it will cause clogged pores.
Learn more about SqualaneTocopheryl Acetate is AKA Vitamin E. It is an antioxidant and protects your skin from free radicals. Free radicals damage the skin by breaking down collagen.
One study found using Tocopheryl Acetate with Vitamin C decreased the number of sunburned cells.
Tocopheryl Acetate is commonly found in both skincare and dietary supplements.
Learn more about Tocopheryl AcetateWater. 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
