What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningNiacinamide
Smoothing
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Propanediol
Solvent
Glycerin
Humectant
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Saccharide Isomerate
Humectant
Fructooligosaccharides
Humectant
Cichorium Intybus Root Oligosaccharides
Skin ConditioningBakuchiol
Antimicrobial
Ubiquinone
Antioxidant
Acetyl Hexapeptide-8
Humectant
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Caesalpinia Spinosa Gum
Skin ConditioningSodium Benzoate
Masking
Gluconolactone
Skin Conditioning
Calcium Gluconate
HumectantBeta Vulgaris Root Extract
Skin ConditioningPotassium Lactate
BufferingLactic Acid
Buffering
Phragmites Karka Extract
Skin ConditioningPoria Cocos Extract
Skin ConditioningCitric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Citrate
BufferingTetradecyl Aminobutyroylvalylaminobutyric Urea Trifluoroacetate
Skin ConditioningMagnesium Chloride
Dipeptide Diaminobutyroyl Benzylamide Diacetate
Skin Conditioning
Alteromonas Ferment Extract
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate Dimethylsilanol
HumectantSodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
Skin Conditioning
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
Humectant
Potassium Hyaluronate
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate
Polysorbate 80
Emulsifying
Retinol
Skin Conditioning
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Sclerotium Gum
Emulsion StabilisingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingTrehalose
Humectant
Urea
Buffering
Serine
Masking
Algin
Masking
Glyceryl Polyacrylate
Pullulan
Disodium Phosphate
BufferingPotassium Phosphate
BufferingCeteareth-25
CleansingCetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Behenic Acid
Cleansing
Cholesterol
Emollient
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide Ns
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide Eos
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide EOP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide AP
Skin Conditioning
Caprooyl Phytosphingosine
Skin Conditioning
Caprooyl Sphingosine
Skin ConditioningEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ascorbyl Palmitate
Antioxidant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Lecithin
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Glyceryl Oleate
Emollient
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Ethoxydiglycol
HumectantGlycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
Bleaching
Disodium EDTA
Water, Niacinamide, Panthenol, Propanediol, Glycerin, Pentylene Glycol, Saccharide Isomerate, Fructooligosaccharides, Cichorium Intybus Root Oligosaccharides, Bakuchiol, Ubiquinone, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Caprylyl Glycol, Caesalpinia Spinosa Gum, Sodium Benzoate, Gluconolactone, Calcium Gluconate, Beta Vulgaris Root Extract, Potassium Lactate, Lactic Acid, Phragmites Karka Extract, Poria Cocos Extract, Citric Acid, Sodium Citrate, Tetradecyl Aminobutyroylvalylaminobutyric Urea Trifluoroacetate, Magnesium Chloride, Dipeptide Diaminobutyroyl Benzylamide Diacetate, Alteromonas Ferment Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate Dimethylsilanol, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydroxyacetophenone, 1,2-Hexanediol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Potassium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate, Polysorbate 80, Retinol, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Sclerotium Gum, Xanthan Gum, Trehalose, Urea, Serine, Algin, Glyceryl Polyacrylate, Pullulan, Disodium Phosphate, Potassium Phosphate, Ceteareth-25, Cetyl Alcohol, Behenic Acid, Cholesterol, Ceramide NP, Ceramide Ns, Ceramide Eos, Ceramide EOP, Ceramide AP, Caprooyl Phytosphingosine, Caprooyl Sphingosine, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenoxyethanol, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Tocopherol, Lecithin, Glyceryl Stearate, Glyceryl Oleate, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Ethoxydiglycol, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Disodium EDTA
Water
Skin ConditioningNiacinamide
Smoothing
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin
MaskingXylitylglucoside
Humectant
Anhydroxylitol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Ethoxydiglycol
HumectantPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Retinol
Skin Conditioning
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingXylitol
Humectant
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Dimethicone
Emollient
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder
Skin Conditioning
Cetearyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Glucose
Humectant
Triethanolamine
BufferingDisodium EDTA
Water, Niacinamide, Polysorbate 20, Butylene Glycol, Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin, Xylitylglucoside, Anhydroxylitol, Glycerin, Ethoxydiglycol, Phenoxyethanol, Retinol, Allantoin, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Xylitol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Dimethicone, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder, Cetearyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Glucose, Triethanolamine, Disodium EDTA
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Disodium EDTA is a chelating agent. It grabs onto and deactivates metal ions that sneak into your products from water, packaging, or air.
This ingredient mainly works behind the scenes and helps with:
On top of that, this ingredient can counteract the effects of hard water by binding to the minerals in it.
One thing worth knowing is that Disodium EDTA has been shown to be a mild penetration enhancer. It can help other ingredients absorb into skin more effectively which can be a double-edged sword (great for actives, but can also make the active too strong if you have sensitive skin).
Clinical patch testing showed no significant skin irritation at typical use concentrations and minimal dermal absorption.
You'll most likely see this ingredient near the end of an ingredient list. It's typically found in concentrations less than 1%.
Learn more about Disodium EDTAEthoxydiglycol is a synthetic solvent.
Solvents are used to keep ingredients together in a product. They can help dissolve ingredients to stable bases or help evenly distribute ingredients throughout the product.
Ethoxydiglycol also helps deliver other key ingredients into the skin.
Learn more about EthoxydiglycolGlycerin (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 NiacinamidePhenoxyethanol is a preservative that has germicide, antimicrobial, and aromatic properties. Studies show that phenoxyethanol can prevent microbial growth. By itself, it has a scent that is similar to that of a rose.
It's often used in formulations along with Caprylyl Glycol to preserve the shelf life of products.
Retinol is a gold-standard ingredient for anti-aging. It is a form of Vitamin A and belongs to the class of retinoids that also includes tretinoin.
Why is retinol famous?
It has the most scientific studies backing up its skin benefits out of all the non-prescription ingredients.
Retinol is proven to:
This is why retinol is effective at removing wrinkles, fading dark spots, treating acne, and reducing the appearance of pores.
Studies show retinol is less effective when exposed to UV. Be sure to look for appropriate packaging to keep your retinol potent (similar to Vitamin C).
Using retinol or any retinoids will increase sun-sensitivity in the first few months. Though studies show retinoids increase your skin's natural SPF with continuous use, it is best to always wear sunscreen and sun-protection.
We recommend speaking with a medical professional about using this ingredient during pregnancy.
Retinol may cause irritation in some people, so be sure to patch test. Experts recommend 'ramping up' retinol use: start using this ingredient once a week and work up to using it daily.
Read about Tretinoin
Learn more about RetinolWater. 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
