What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
HumectantCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingGlycerin
HumectantButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
SolventPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningBehenyl Alcohol
EmollientRicinus Communis Seed Oil
MaskingCaprylic/Capric/Myristic/Stearic Triglyceride
EmollientCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientPanthenol
Skin ConditioningVinyldimethicone
Theobroma Cacao Extract
Skin ConditioningTheobroma Cacao Seed Extract
AntioxidantCetearyl Olivate
Ceramide NP
Skin ConditioningGlyceryl Caprylate
EmollientDipotassium Glycyrrhizate
HumectantAdenosine
Skin ConditioningHydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingC14-22 Alcohols
Emulsion StabilisingC12-16 Alcohols
Emollient1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningSorbitan Olivate
EmulsifyingPalmitic Acid
EmollientHydrogenated Lecithin
EmulsifyingAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingC12-20 Alkyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingTromethamine
BufferingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSynthetic Beeswax
Emulsion StabilisingSorbitan Isostearate
EmulsifyingDextrin
AbsorbentParfum
MaskingSodium Phytate
CI 19140
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Butylene Glycol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glycerin, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Propanediol, Pentylene Glycol, Behenyl Alcohol, Ricinus Communis Seed Oil, Caprylic/Capric/Myristic/Stearic Triglyceride, Cetearyl Alcohol, Panthenol, Vinyldimethicone, Theobroma Cacao Extract, Theobroma Cacao Seed Extract, Cetearyl Olivate, Ceramide NP, Glyceryl Caprylate, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Adenosine, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, C14-22 Alcohols, C12-16 Alcohols, 1,2-Hexanediol, Sorbitan Olivate, Palmitic Acid, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, C12-20 Alkyl Glucoside, Tromethamine, Xanthan Gum, Synthetic Beeswax, Sorbitan Isostearate, Dextrin, Parfum, Sodium Phytate, CI 19140
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
HumectantGlycerin
HumectantCyclopentasiloxane
EmollientCyclohexasiloxane
EmollientDimethicone
EmollientCaprylyl Methicone
Skin Conditioning1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningSodium Chloride
MaskingPEG-10 Dimethicone
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer
C30-45 Alkyl Cetearyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer
EmollientDimethicone/PEG-10/15 Crosspolymer
Sodium Citrate
BufferingPEG-9 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone
EmulsifyingHydrolyzed Collagen
EmollientEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningAdenosine
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantLimnanthes Alba Seed Oil
Skin ConditioningOlea Europaea Fruit Oil
MaskingHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
EmollientTheobroma Cacao Seed Extract
AntioxidantSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantCoptis Japonica Root Extract
Skin ConditioningArgania Spinosa Kernel Oil
EmollientTocopherol
AntioxidantMangifera Indica Seed Butter
Skin ConditioningHoney Extract
HumectantBeta-Glucan
Skin ConditioningFragaria Chiloensis Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningGlycine
BufferingCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingSerine
MaskingGlutamic Acid
HumectantRubus Idaeus Fruit Extract
AstringentAspartic Acid
MaskingLeucine
Skin ConditioningHydrogenated Lecithin
EmulsifyingAlanine
MaskingLysine
Skin ConditioningArginine
MaskingTyrosine
MaskingPhenylalanine
MaskingProline
Skin ConditioningThreonine
Valine
MaskingIsoleucine
Skin ConditioningHistidine
HumectantCysteine
AntioxidantMethionine
Skin ConditioningFragaria Vesca Fruit Extract
AstringentPhytosteryl/Octyldodecyl Lauroyl Glutamate
Skin ConditioningCopper Tripeptide-1
Skin ConditioningCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningWater, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Cyclopentasiloxane, Cyclohexasiloxane, Dimethicone, Caprylyl Methicone, 1,2-Hexanediol, Sodium Chloride, PEG-10 Dimethicone, Cetearyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, C30-45 Alkyl Cetearyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Dimethicone/PEG-10/15 Crosspolymer, Sodium Citrate, PEG-9 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone, Hydrolyzed Collagen, Ethylhexylglycerin, Adenosine, Disodium EDTA, Dipropylene Glycol, Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Theobroma Cacao Seed Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Coptis Japonica Root Extract, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Tocopherol, Mangifera Indica Seed Butter, Honey Extract, Beta-Glucan, Fragaria Chiloensis Fruit Extract, Glycine, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Serine, Glutamic Acid, Rubus Idaeus Fruit Extract, Aspartic Acid, Leucine, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Alanine, Lysine, Arginine, Tyrosine, Phenylalanine, Proline, Threonine, Valine, Isoleucine, Histidine, Cysteine, Methionine, Fragaria Vesca Fruit Extract, Phytosteryl/Octyldodecyl Lauroyl Glutamate, Copper Tripeptide-1, 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.
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 preservatives
Adenosine is a purine nucleoside that your body already makes in every cell. In skincare, it acts mainly as a skin conditioning and anti-aging agent.
The way it works is fairly well mapped out:
Your skin has cells called fibroblasts that build collagen (the stuff that keeps skin firm and smooth). Adenosine basically flips a switch on these cells that tells them to get to work making more collagen and other proteins. These cells slow down on their own as skin ages, so Adenosine helps give them a little nudge to keep going.
The clinical backing is pretty solid too.
A blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial of 126 women aged 45-65 tested a 0.1% cream twice daily and found real improvements in crow's feet and frown lines using a precise 3D skin-mapping technique; these changes showed up by week 3 and held at 2 months.
A later study using Adenosine-loaded dissolving microneedle patches reported gains in wrinkle depth, dermal density, elasticity, and hydration.
On concentrations, South Korea's Ministry of Food and Drug Safety has set 0.04% as the approved functional anti-wrinkle level. You'll typically see this ingredient used somewhere in the 0.04-0.1% range since it works at low doses.
This ingredient has been found safe for cosmetics with the data showing no irritation or sensitization.
Overall, this is a great ingredient for any anti-aging routine and has no photosensitizing effect, so it suits both AM and PM use.
Learn more about AdenosineButylene 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 GlycolCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride (aka MCT Oil) is a lightweight emollient, solvent, and texture enhancer. It is considered a skin-softener by helping to prevent moisture loss.
Though it behaves like an oil, it is not technically one due to its chemical composition. One perk of this ingredient is that it is very stable, resistant to oxidation, and unlikely to go rancid.
In practice, that translates to a long shelf life and a consistently elegant skin feel.
While there is an assumption Caprylic Triglyceride can clog pores due to it being derived from coconut oil, there is no research supporting this. Just patch test if you have concerns.
Fractionated coconut oil and MCT Oil are both listed as Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride according to INCI. This is because INCI names are based on the ingredient’s final chemical composition and not its marketing name or source.
This ingredient is treated as the gold standard fungal acne safe oil. Even though it is coconut derived, the problematic lauric acid is stripped out.
This leaves just caprylic (C8) and capric (C10) acid. These chain lengths actually trend antifungal; a 2020 study found caprylic acid was enough to disrupt Malassezia furfur cell membrane, with a caprylic acid derivative damaging membrane structures at concentrations as low as 0.2%.
Learn more about Caprylic/Capric TriglycerideCeramide 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 GlycerinHydrogenated Lecithin is a more stable version of lecithin.
It's made by taking lecithin (a phospholipid commonly found in soybeans and egg yolks) and hydrogenating it. This just means the unsaturated fatty acids are turned into saturated ones so they don't go bad as easily.
This ingredient is an emollient, emulsifier, and penetration enhancer. As an emollient, it helps soften and hydrate skin by trapping moisture within. As an emulsifier, it prevents oil and water ingredients from separating.
Hydrogenated Lecithin can form tiny spherical structures made of phospholipid bilayers called liposomes. These liposomes are able to capture compounds inside their structure and deliver them through the skin barrier.
Because phospholipids are a natural component of our cell membranes, this ingredient is inherently compatible with skin.
A 2021 study found lecithin-based surfactants were less harsh and more tolerable comared to Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS).
Learn more about Hydrogenated LecithinTheobroma Cacao Seed Extract comes from the Theobroma cacoa, or Cacao tree. Cacao trees are native to tropical landscapes.
Cacao seed extract contains antioxidants known as polyphenols.
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 Water