What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningNiacinamide
SmoothingButylene Glycol
HumectantDimethicone
EmollientCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingTranexamic Acid
AstringentIsopropyl Palmitate
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientHydroxyacetophenone
AntioxidantAmmonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningPolyacrylate-13
Allantoin
Skin ConditioningPolyisobutene
Portulaca Oleracea Extract
Skin ConditioningPolysorbate 20
EmulsifyingSorbitan Isostearate
EmulsifyingPhenylethyl Resorcinol
AntioxidantNonapeptide-1
Skin ConditioningSilica
AbrasiveWater, Niacinamide, Butylene Glycol, Dimethicone, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Tranexamic Acid, Isopropyl Palmitate, Glycerin, Cetearyl Alcohol, Hydroxyacetophenone, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, 1,2-Hexanediol, Polyacrylate-13, Allantoin, Polyisobutene, Portulaca Oleracea Extract, Polysorbate 20, Sorbitan Isostearate, Phenylethyl Resorcinol, Nonapeptide-1, Silica
Water
Skin ConditioningNiacinamide
SmoothingPropanediol
SolventPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningPanthenol
Skin ConditioningC15-19 Alkane
SolventDimethicone
EmollientCyclopentasiloxane
EmollientDipropylene Glycol
HumectantTranexamic Acid
AstringentSodium Dna
Skin ConditioningPhellodendron Amurense Bark Extract
Skin ConditioningCyanocobalamin
Skin Conditioning1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningCyclohexasiloxane
EmollientEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
HumectantHydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingDisodium EDTA
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingHydroxyacetophenone
AntioxidantAmmonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Beheneth-25 Methacrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingAroma
CI 17200
Cosmetic ColorantCI 16035
Cosmetic ColorantCI 19140
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Niacinamide, Propanediol, Pentylene Glycol, Panthenol, C15-19 Alkane, Dimethicone, Cyclopentasiloxane, Dipropylene Glycol, Tranexamic Acid, Sodium Dna, Phellodendron Amurense Bark Extract, Cyanocobalamin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Cyclohexasiloxane, Ethylhexylglycerin, Butylene Glycol, Hydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate, Carbomer, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Hydroxide, Hydroxyacetophenone, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Beheneth-25 Methacrylate Crosspolymer, Aroma, CI 17200, CI 16035, CI 19140
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 GlycolDimethicone is a type of synthetic silicone created from natural materials such as quartz. It is also known as polydimethylsiloxane.
What it does:
Dimethicone comes in different viscosities:
Depending on the viscosity, dimethicone has different properties.
Ingredients lists don't always show which type is used, so we recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about the viscosity.
This ingredient is unlikely to cause irritation because it does not get absorbed into skin. However, people with silicone allergies should be careful about using this ingredient.
Note: Dimethicone may contribute to pilling. This is because it is not oil or water soluble, so pilling may occur when layered with products. When mixed with heavy oils in a formula, the outcome is also quite greasy.
Learn more about DimethiconeHydroxyacetophenone 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 NiacinamideTranexamic Acid (TXA) is a synthetic lysine derivative that is becoming one of the most exciting brightening ingredients in skincare.
Originally used in medicine as an anti-hemorrhagic agent, its skin brightening potential was discovered by accident; patients taking it orally started noticing their melasma was fading.
Unlike most brighteners that target tyrosinase (the enzyme that synthesizes melanin), TXA works further upstream. It basically blocks your cells from receiving the signal to produce pigment.
This makes it one of the rare actives that works on three pathways at once:
This makes it effective for treating melasma, post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH), and sun-induced dark spots.
The most effective cosmetic concentration sits between 2-5% and going higher doesn't boost results.
Side effects are generally mild; occasional irritation, flaking, or dryness have been reported at the start of use. Overall, this ingredient is pretty well tolerated, even by sensitive skin types.
Another perk of this ingredient is that it does not cause photosensitivity, so it's safe to use in the AM and PM.
Learn more about Tranexamic AcidWater. 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