What's inside

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Show highlights for:

Water

Skin Conditioning

Dibutyl Adipate

Emollient

Propanediol

Solvent
Helps hydrate Dry Skin Icon

Ethylhexyl Triazone

UV Absorber
UV Protection IconChemical UV Filter Icon

Terephthalylidene Dicamphor Sulfonic Acid

UV Absorber
UV Protection IconChemical UV Filter Icon

Niacinamide

Smoothing
Niacinamide IconHelps fight Acne IconHelps with Anti-Aging IconHelps brighten skin IconHelps reduce irritation IconGood for Oily Skin IconGood for Minimizing Pores IconHelps reduce Skin Redness IconGood for Scar Healing IconGood for Dark Spots IconGood for Barrier Repair Icon

Tromethamine

Buffering

Polyglyceryl-3 Distearate

Emulsifying
Not safe for Fungal Acne Icon

1,2-Hexanediol

Skin Conditioning
Helps hydrate Dry Skin Icon

Pentylene Glycol

Skin Conditioning

Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate

UV Filter
Chemical UV Filter Icon

Cetearyl Alcohol

Emollient
2 / 1 Fatty Alcohol IconBad for Acne Prone Skin IconMay worsen Oily Skin IconNot safe for Fungal Acne Icon

Caprylyl Methicone

Skin Conditioning
Silicon Icon

Polysilicone-15

UV Filter
Silicon Icon

Sea Water

Humectant

Sodium Hyaluronate

Humectant
0 / 0 Hyaluronic Acid IconHelps hydrate Dry Skin IconGood for Barrier Repair Icon

Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate

Humectant
Hyaluronic Acid Icon

Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid

Humectant
Hyaluronic Acid IconHelps with Anti-Aging IconHelps hydrate Dry Skin IconHelps brighten skin IconGood for Scar Healing Icon

Butylene Glycol

Humectant
1 / 0 Helps hydrate Dry Skin Icon

Salix Alba Bark Extract

Astringent
Helps reduce irritation IconGood for Oily Skin Icon

Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract

Antimicrobial
Antioxidant IconHelps with Anti-Aging IconHelps hydrate Dry Skin IconHelps reduce irritation IconGood for Minimizing Pores IconHelps reduce Skin Redness Icon

Centella Asiatica Leaf Extract

Skin Conditioning
Helps with Anti-Aging IconHelps reduce irritation IconHelps reduce Skin Redness IconGood for Barrier Repair Icon

Pinus Densiflora Leaf Extract

Antimicrobial
Antioxidant Icon

Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Leaf Extract

Astringent

Coffea Arabica Seed Extract

Masking
Helps with Anti-Aging IconHelps hydrate Dry Skin IconHelps reduce irritation IconGood for Barrier Repair Icon

Cladosiphon Okamuranus Extract

Skin Conditioning

Panthenol

Skin Conditioning
0 / 0 Helps hydrate Dry Skin IconHelps reduce irritation IconHelps reduce Skin Redness IconGood for Scar Healing IconGood for Barrier Repair Icon

Betaine

Humectant
Helps hydrate Dry Skin IconHelps reduce irritation IconGood for Dark Spots IconGood for Barrier Repair Icon

Allantoin

Skin Conditioning
0 / 0 Helps hydrate Dry Skin IconHelps reduce irritation IconHelps reduce Skin Redness IconGood for Scar Healing IconGood for Barrier Repair Icon

Ethylhexylglycerin

Skin Conditioning

Adenosine

Skin Conditioning
Helps with Anti-Aging IconHelps hydrate Dry Skin IconHelps reduce irritation IconGood for Minimizing Pores IconGood for Scar Healing IconGood for Barrier Repair Icon

Polymethylsilsesquioxane

Silicon Icon

Propylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate

Emollient
1 / 0

Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer

Skin Conditioning
Silicon Icon

Glyceryl Stearate

Emollient
1 / 0 Not safe for Fungal Acne Icon

Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine

Skin Conditioning
UV Protection IconChemical UV Filter Icon

Potassium Cetyl Phosphate

Emulsifying

Methylpropanediol

Solvent

Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer

Emulsion Stabilising

Glyceryl Stearate Citrate

Emollient
Not safe for Fungal Acne Icon

Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer

Silica

Abrasive
Exfoliant IconMay worsen Eczema IconMay worsen Rosacea Icon

Polyether-1

Biosaccharide Gum-1

Humectant
Helps hydrate Dry Skin Icon

Decyl Glucoside

Cleansing

Tocopherol

Antioxidant
0-3 / 0-3 Vitamin E IconAntioxidant IconHelps with Anti-Aging IconHelps hydrate Dry Skin IconGood for Scar Healing IconGood for Barrier Repair Icon

Carbomer

Emulsion Stabilising
1 / 0

Reviews

5.00
Overall rating
5
4
3
2
1
What people say
Absorbs Well 100% Great Value 100% Hydrating 100%
4.17
Overall rating
5
4
3
2
1
What people say
No Scent 80% Absorbs Well 80% Works Well 60%

Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.

Humectant, Masking, Skin Conditioning

Butylene 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 Glycol
Antimicrobial, Antioxidant, Astringent

Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract is derived from the leaves of the tea plant. Black tea, green tea, and oolong tea are all harvested from this plant.

This ingredient has many skin benefits:

This ingredient contains polyphenols, a strong antioxidant. Antioxidants help fight off molecules that damage skin cells.

On top of that, the antioxidants in green tea neutralize free-radicals from the sun. This gives the skin some extra UV protection, but should not replace sunscreen.

Many components of tea have anti-inflammatory properties.

Polyphenols and L-theanine help soothe the skin and reduce irritation. The caffeine in Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract helps calm inflamed blood vessels.

Other compounds found in tea include: Vitamin Bs, linoleic acid, magnesium, calcium, iron, and zinc.

Research has shown both drinking Camellia Sinensis Leaf Tea and applying it to the skin can help boost skin elasticity and hydration. Studies also show using tea extract may reduce sebum, or oil, production.

Learn more about Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Emollient, Emulsifying, Emulsion Stabilising

Cetearyl alcohol is a mixture of two fatty alcohols: cetyl alcohol and stearyl alcohol. It is mainly used as an emulsifier. Emulsifiers help prevent the separation of oils and products. Due to its composition, it can also be used to thicken a product or help create foam.

Cetearyl alcohol is an emollient. Emollients help soothe and hydrate the skin by trapping moisture.

Studies show Cetearyl alcohol is non-toxic and non-irritating. The FDA allows products labeled "alcohol-free" to have fatty alcohols.

This ingredient is usually derived from plant oils such as palm, vegetable, or coconut oils. There is debate on whether this ingredient will cause acne.

Due to the fatty acid base, this ingredient may not be Malassezia folliculitis safe.

Learn more about Cetearyl Alcohol
Cleansing, Emulsion Stabilising

Decyl Glucoside is a glucose-based surfactant and emulsion stabilizer. It is created by reacting glucose with the fatty acids from plants.

Surfactants help clean the skin by trapping oil, sebum, and dirt to be washed away. As an emulsion stabilizer, it stabilizes the ingredients in a product by preventing them from separating.

This ingredient is biodegradable and non-toxic. This ingredient is commonly found in baby shampoos.

Decyl Glucoside is sometimes used to stabilize the UV filter Tinosorb.

Learn more about Decyl Glucoside

Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate (DHHB) is a chemical UV-A absorber. It is formulated for high UVA protection (320-400 nm).

DHHB is well-liked for:

DHHB has been approved by the EU, Japan, Taiwan, and South America for use up to 10%. Unfortunately, it has not been approved for use in the US or Canada due to slow regulatory processes.

This ingredient is soluble in oils, fats, and lipids.

Learn more about Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate
Skin Conditioning

Ethylhexylglycerin (we can't pronounce this either) is commonly used as a preservative and skin softener. It is derived from glyceryl.

You might see Ethylhexylglycerin often paired with other preservatives such as phenoxyethanol. Ethylhexylglycerin has been found to increase the effectiveness of these other preservatives.

Emollient, Emulsifying

Glyceryl Stearate is a mix of glycerin and stearic acid.

It is used to stabilize the mixing of water and oil ingredients. By preventing these ingredients from separating, it can help elongate shelf life. It can also help thicken the product's texture.

As an emollient, it helps soften skin and supports barrier-replenishing ingredients.

In cosmetics, Glyceryl Stearate is often made from vegetable oils or synthetically produced.

This ingredient may not be fungal-acne safe

Fun fact: The human body also creates Glyceryl Stearate naturally.

Learn more about Glyceryl Stearate
Smoothing

Niacinamide 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 Niacinamide

Polymethylsilsesquioxane is a silicone used as a film forming agent.

When applied to the skin, this ingredient creates an invisible film on the surface. This film still allows oxygen to pass through, but prevents moisture from escaping. This can help condition and hydrate the skin. It also leaves a silky feel when applied.

Polymethylsilsesquioxane has not been shown to clog pores. It has been deemed safe to use up to 55%, but most cosmetics use much less.

If you have concerns about using this ingredient, we recommend speaking with a professional.

Learn more about Polymethylsilsesquioxane
Solvent

Propanediol is an all-star ingredient. It softens, hydrates, and smooths the skin. 

It’s often used to:

Propanediol is not likely to cause sensitivity and considered safe to use. It is derived from corn or petroleum with a clear color and no scent.

Learn more about Propanediol
Abrasive, Absorbent

Silica, also known as silicon dioxide, is a naturally occurring mineral. It is used as a fine, spherical, and porous powder in cosmetics.

Though it has exfoliant properties, the function of silica varies depending on the product.

The unique structure of silica enhances the spreadability and adds smoothness, making it a great texture enhancer.

It is also used as an active carrier, emulsifier, and mattifier due to its ability to absorb excess oil.

In some products, tiny microneedles called spicules are made from silica or hydrolyzed sponge. When you rub them in, they lightly polish away dead skin layers and enhance the penetration of active ingredients.

Learn more about Silica
Humectant, Skin Conditioning

Sodium Hyaluronate is hyaluronic acid's salt form. It is commonly derived from the sodium salt of hyaluronic acid.

Like hyaluronic acid, it is great at holding water and acts as a humectant. This makes it a great skin hydrating ingredient.

Sodium Hyaluronate is naturally occurring in our bodies and is mostly found in eye fluid and joints.

These are some other common types of Hyaluronic Acid:

Learn more about Sodium Hyaluronate
Skin Conditioning, Solvent

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. Stay hydrated!

Learn more about Water

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