What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantButylene Glycol
HumectantNiacinamide
Smoothing1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningCetyl Ethylhexanoate
EmollientCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingCetearyl Olivate
Hydroxyacetophenone
AntioxidantSorbitan Olivate
EmulsifyingTromethamine
BufferingCalcium Gluconate
HumectantEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Sponge
Skin ConditioningAdenosine
Skin ConditioningCyanocobalamin
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningTremella Fuciformis Extract
HumectantTabebuia Impetiginosa Bark Extract
Skin ConditioningCoffea Arabica Seed Extract
MaskingHydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
HumectantHydrolyzed Extensin
Skin ConditioningCollagen Extract
Skin ConditioningWater, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Niacinamide, 1,2-Hexanediol, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Carbomer, Cetearyl Olivate, Hydroxyacetophenone, Sorbitan Olivate, Tromethamine, Calcium Gluconate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Hydrolyzed Sponge, Adenosine, Cyanocobalamin, Disodium EDTA, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Fruit Extract, Tremella Fuciformis Extract, Tabebuia Impetiginosa Bark Extract, Coffea Arabica Seed Extract, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Hydrolyzed Extensin, Collagen Extract
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
HumectantGlycerin
HumectantCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingCalcium Aluminum Borosilicate
Dimethicone
EmollientNiacinamide
SmoothingButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningPanthenol
Skin ConditioningC14-22 Alcohols
Emulsion StabilisingCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientTocopherol
AntioxidantTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantPolyglyceryl-3 Distearate
EmulsifyingGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
EmollientPalmitic Acid
EmollientStearic Acid
CleansingGlycine Soja Oil
EmollientC12-20 Alkyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingDimethyl Isosorbide
SolventCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Sulfite
PreservativeDaucus Carota Sativa Root Extract
Skin ConditioningAllantoin
Skin ConditioningGlyceryl Caprylate
EmollientTromethamine
BufferingPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningSodium Metaphosphate
BufferingKojyl Methylenedioxycinnamate
AntioxidantEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningAdenosine
Skin ConditioningRetinol
Skin ConditioningGlyceryl Stearate Citrate
EmollientHydroxypinacolone Retinoate
Skin ConditioningBeta-Carotene
Skin ConditioningAcacia Senegal Gum
MaskingBHT
AntioxidantPropylene Glycol Alginate
Water, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Calcium Aluminum Borosilicate, Dimethicone, Niacinamide, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Panthenol, C14-22 Alcohols, Cetearyl Alcohol, Tocopherol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Polyglyceryl-3 Distearate, Glyceryl Stearate, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Palmitic Acid, Stearic Acid, Glycine Soja Oil, C12-20 Alkyl Glucoside, Dimethyl Isosorbide, Carbomer, Sodium Sulfite, Daucus Carota Sativa Root Extract, Allantoin, Glyceryl Caprylate, Tromethamine, Pentylene Glycol, Sodium Metaphosphate, Kojyl Methylenedioxycinnamate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Adenosine, Retinol, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Hydroxypinacolone Retinoate, Beta-Carotene, Acacia Senegal Gum, BHT, Propylene Glycol Alginate
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 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 GlycolCarbomer is a high-molecular weight polymer of acrylic acid. It is used to form gels and thicken formulas.
Due to its large molecular size, carbomer has minimal skin penetration and is considered an inert ingredient.
A high amount of carbomer can cause pilling or balling up of products. Don't worry, most products contain 1% or less of carbomer.
Learn more about CarbomerEthylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:
The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure.
Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.
Learn more about EthylhexylglycerinGlycerin (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 GlycerinNiacinamide 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 NiacinamideTromethamine helps balance the pH and improve the texture of a product. It is synthetically created.
As an emulsifier, Tromethamine prevents oil and water ingredients from separating. This helps stabilize the product and elongate a product's shelf life. Tromethamine also makes a product thicker.
Tromethamine helps balance the pH level of a product. Normal pH level of skin is slightly acidic (~4.75-5.5). The acidity of our skin is maintained by our glands and skin biome. Being slightly acidic allows our skin to create an "acid mantle". This acid mantle is a thin barrier that protects our skin from bacteria and contaminants.
Oral Tromethanmine is an anti-inflammatory drug but plays the role of masking, adding fragrance, and/or balancing pH in skincare.
1,3-Propanediol, 2-amino-2-(hydroxymethyl)-
Learn more about TromethamineWater. 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