What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
Solvent
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Glycerin
Humectant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate
Skin Conditioning
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Glyceryl Glucoside
Humectant
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate
Emulsion StabilisingArginine
Masking
Hydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingDisodium EDTA
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningGlyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer
HumectantThiamine Hcl
MaskingPyridoxine
Skin ConditioningVitis Vinifera Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningCitrus Aurantium Dulcis Fruit Extract
MaskingMalus Domestica Fruit Extract
Antioxidant
Citrus Limon Fruit Extract
Masking
Disodium Phosphate
BufferingPolysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate
Antioxidant
Sodium Phosphate
BufferingFolic Acid
Skin ConditioningTocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Riboflavin
Cosmetic ColorantAscorbic Acid
Antioxidant
Biotin
AntiseborrhoeicRetinol
Skin Conditioning
Pyridoxine Hcl
Skin ConditioningCyanocobalamin
Skin ConditioningMenadione
MaskingBioflavonoids
Skin ConditioningGlutathione
Parfum
Masking
Water, Propanediol, Butylene Glycol, Niacinamide, Glycerin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Hydroxyacetophenone, Glyceryl Glucoside, Carbomer, Sodium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Arginine, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Disodium EDTA, Panthenol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Glyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer, Thiamine Hcl, Pyridoxine, Vitis Vinifera Fruit Extract, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Fruit Extract, Malus Domestica Fruit Extract, Citrus Limon Fruit Extract, Disodium Phosphate, Polysorbate 60, Tocopherol, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Sodium Phosphate, Folic Acid, Tocopheryl Acetate, Riboflavin, Ascorbic Acid, Biotin, Retinol, Pyridoxine Hcl, Cyanocobalamin, Menadione, Bioflavonoids, Glutathione, Parfum
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
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 GlycolGlycerin (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 GlycerinHydroxyacetophenone is antioxidant with skin conditioning and soothing properties. It also boosts the efficiency of preservatives.
Though naturally occuring in Norwegian spruce needles, this ingredient is usually synthetically created.
This ingredient is not irritating or sensitizing. Recent research also suggests it may have skin-brightening effects through tyrosinase inhibition.
Learn more about HydroxyacetophenoneNiacinamide 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 NiacinamidePanthenol 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 PanthenolWater. 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
