What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningPerfluorohexane
SolventPerfluoroperhydrophenanthrene
Skin ConditioningButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Perfluorodecalin
Skin ConditioningC12-16 Alcohols
EmollientButylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate
EmollientPolymethyl Methacrylate
Sodium Acrylates Copolymer
Glycerin
Humectant
Isopropyl Palmitate
Emollient
Methyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer
Adenosine
Skin Conditioning
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Ricinus Communis Seed Oil
Masking
Lavandula Angustifolia Flower Extract
Cleansing
Anthemis Nobilis Flower Oil
Masking
Magnesium Gluconate
Skin ConditioningProlinamidoethyl Imidazole
Skin ProtectingButylene Glycol
Humectant
Glutamylamidoethyl Imidazole
Palmitoyl Hexapeptide-52
Skin Conditioning
Polyvinyl Alcohol
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Glycolic Acid
Buffering
Palmitoyl Heptapeptide-18
Skin Conditioning
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Palmitic Acid
Emollient
Sodium Cocoyl Glutamate
Cleansing
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Lecithin
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningSodium Hydroxide
BufferingGlyceryl Caprylate
EmollientMenthone Glycerin Acetal
Refreshing
P-Anisic Acid
Masking
Citric Acid
Buffering
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingHydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Sodium Phytate
Silanediol Salicylate
EmollientTromethamine
BufferingMethylpropanediol
SolventLinalool
Perfuming
Water, Perfluorohexane, Perfluoroperhydrophenanthrene, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Perfluorodecalin, C12-16 Alcohols, Butylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate, Polymethyl Methacrylate, Sodium Acrylates Copolymer, Glycerin, Isopropyl Palmitate, Methyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer, Adenosine, Tocopherol, Ricinus Communis Seed Oil, Lavandula Angustifolia Flower Extract, Anthemis Nobilis Flower Oil, Magnesium Gluconate, Prolinamidoethyl Imidazole, Butylene Glycol, Glutamylamidoethyl Imidazole, Palmitoyl Hexapeptide-52, Polyvinyl Alcohol, Lactic Acid, Glycolic Acid, Palmitoyl Heptapeptide-18, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Palmitic Acid, Sodium Cocoyl Glutamate, Glyceryl Stearate, Stearic Acid, Cetearyl Alcohol, Lecithin, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Hydroxide, Glyceryl Caprylate, Menthone Glycerin Acetal, P-Anisic Acid, Citric Acid, Xanthan Gum, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Chlorphenesin, Sodium Phytate, Silanediol Salicylate, Tromethamine, Methylpropanediol, Linalool
Water
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
Solvent
Ethyl Oleate
Emollient
Silica
Abrasive
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Pullulan
Arachidyl Alcohol
Emollient
Hydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate
Behenyl Alcohol
Emollient
Magnesium Aluminum Silicate
Absorbent
Acetyl Hexapeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Adenosine
Skin Conditioning
Arachidyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingCaesalpinia Spinosa Fruit Extract
Skin ProtectingCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Kappaphycus Alvarezii Extract
Skin ConditioningLevulinic Acid
Perfuming
Magnesium Gluconate
Skin ConditioningMenthyl Lactate
Masking
Punica Granatum Pericarp Extract
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Sodium Levulinate
Skin ConditioningSodium Phytate
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSodium Benzoate
Masking
Water, Propanediol, Ethyl Oleate, Silica, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Pullulan, Arachidyl Alcohol, Hydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate, Behenyl Alcohol, Magnesium Aluminum Silicate, Acetyl Hexapeptide-1, Adenosine, Arachidyl Glucoside, Caesalpinia Spinosa Fruit Extract, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Caprylyl Glycol, Glycerin, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Kappaphycus Alvarezii Extract, Levulinic Acid, Magnesium Gluconate, Menthyl Lactate, Punica Granatum Pericarp Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Levulinate, Sodium Phytate, Tocopherol, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Benzoate
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Adenosine is in every living organism. It is one of four components in nucleic acids that helps store our DNA.
Adenosine has many benefits when used. These benefits include hydrating the skin, smoothing skin, and reducing wrinkles. Once applied, adenosine increases collagen production. It also helps with improving firmness and tissue repair.
Studies have found adenosine may also help with wound healing.
In skincare products, Adenosine is usually derived from yeast.
Learn more about AdenosineThis ingredient is also known as shea butter. It is a plant-derived extract from the nuts of the Africa shea tree and one of the most well-studied emollients.
Because it has a high concentration of fatty acids (primarily oleic, stearic, and linoleic) it is able to form a protective barrier on the skin's surface. This helps seal in moisture and prevents transepidermal water loss (TEWL).
In vitro research found an increase in skin hydration by 58% and a decrease in TEWL by 37.8% after 24 hours of applying this ingredient (pretty impressive for a single ingredient!).
Besides hydration, shea butter also contains triterpenes that have anti-inflammatory potential. In particule, lupeol cinnamate has shown the highest anti-inflammatory activity in vivo.
Shea butter also contains vitamins A and E which may contribute to antioxidant activity.
While Shea Butter has an SPF rating of about 3-4, it is not a sunscreen replacement.
This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe because its fatty acids fall within the C11-C24 range that the Malassezia yeast can metabolize.
Learn more about Butyrospermum Parkii ButterGlycerin (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 OilWe don't have a description for Magnesium Gluconate yet.
Sodium Phytate is the synthetic salt form of phytic acid. Phytic acid is an antioxidant and can be found in plant seeds.
Sodium Phytate is a chelating agent. Chelating agents help prevent metals from binding to water. This helps stabilize the ingredients and the product.
Tocopherol is a fat-soluble antioxidant known as Vitamin E.
You'll find this ingredient in the vast majority of skincare (for good reason). It works to neutralize free radicals, or unstable molecules generated by UV exposure, pollution, and other environmental stressors, before they can cause oxidative damage to your skin cells.
Topically applied tocopherol has been shown to protect against UV damage by ramping up the skin's own natural defense enzymes.
It also acts as a skin conditioning agent; some studies show that regular topical use can improve the skin's water-binding capacity over 2-4 weeks.
This ingredient is especially loved for being a team player. When combined with Vitamin C, the photoprotective effect of both ingredients roughly doubles and the combo also helps reduce UV-induced DNA damage.
This ingredient has some brightening potential but it's more of a prevention ingredient than spot-fader. Cell studies show it can slow down melanin production but it's worth noting that it's not the most powerful brightener out there.
In formulations, it also serves as a stabilizer that helps protect other oxidation-prone ingredients from degrading.
Concentrations usually range from 0.1-1% in most leave-on products.
Learn more about TocopherolWater. 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 WaterXanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.
On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.
Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.
Learn more about Xanthan Gum
