What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantOlea Europaea Fruit Oil
MaskingCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingPropanediol
SolventSqualane
Emollient1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningHydrogenated Lecithin
EmulsifyingPanthenol
Skin ConditioningSilica
AbrasiveArachidyl Alcohol
EmollientAlanyl Glutamine
HumectantBehenyl Alcohol
EmollientHydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingArachidyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingHydrogenated Olive Oil Unsaponifiables
EmollientBakuchiol
AntimicrobialCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingStearyl Glycyrrhetinate
Skin ConditioningAllantoin
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
AntioxidantArginine
MaskingCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingGlycine Soja Oil
EmollientButylene Glycol
HumectantBeta-Glucan
Skin ConditioningGlucose
HumectantAchillea Millefolium Extract
CleansingCalendula Officinalis Flower Extract
MaskingLavandula Angustifolia Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract
MaskingSalvia Officinalis Extract
AntimicrobialWater, Glycerin, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Propanediol, Squalane, 1,2-Hexanediol, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Panthenol, Silica, Arachidyl Alcohol, Alanyl Glutamine, Behenyl Alcohol, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Arachidyl Glucoside, Hydrogenated Olive Oil Unsaponifiables, Bakuchiol, Carbomer, Stearyl Glycyrrhetinate, Allantoin, Tocopherol, Arginine, Ceramide NP, Xanthan Gum, Glycine Soja Oil, Butylene Glycol, Beta-Glucan, Glucose, Achillea Millefolium Extract, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract, Lavandula Angustifolia Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract, Salvia Officinalis Extract
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
HumectantGlycerin
Humectant1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningAluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate
AbsorbentBakuchiol
AntimicrobialHydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantHyaluronic Acid
HumectantSodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
HumectantPotassium Hyaluronate
Skin ConditioningHydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
HumectantSodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
HumectantRosa Damascena Flower Water
MaskingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingTromethamine
BufferingCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingAdenosine
Skin ConditioningGlyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer
HumectantHydrogenated Lecithin
EmulsifyingDisodium EDTA
Methyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer
Retinol
Skin ConditioningInulin Lauryl Carbamate
Emulsion StabilisingHydroxydecyl Ubiquinone
AntioxidantCholesterol
EmollientTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantBHT
AntioxidantVigna Radiata Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningAvena Sativa Kernel Extract
AbrasiveWater, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate, Bakuchiol, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Potassium Hyaluronate, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Rosa Damascena Flower Water, Xanthan Gum, Tromethamine, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Carbomer, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Adenosine, Glyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Disodium EDTA, Methyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer, Retinol, Inulin Lauryl Carbamate, Hydroxydecyl Ubiquinone, Cholesterol, Tocopheryl Acetate, BHT, Vigna Radiata Seed Extract, Avena Sativa Kernel Extract
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
Bakuchiol is a plant-derived antioxidant from the seeds of the Psoralea corylifolia plant. It has antimicrobial, emollient, skin conditioning, and antioxidant properties.
You'll likely see it called a "retinol replacement" but the two are technically not related. This is because bakuchiol is able to flip many of the same switches in your skin cells to tell them to:
1) produce more collagen (type I, III, and IV)
2) activate the same genes retinoids do
Unlike retinoids, this ingredient will not increase photosensitivity and is safe to use during pregnancy (but please still check in with your doctor!).
The flagship clinical trial from Dhaliwal et al. 2019 found 0.5% bakuchiol (twice daily) and 0.5% retinol (once daily) reduced wrinkles and hyperpigmentation equally, but bakuchiol had significantly less irritation.
Systematic reviews also back this up:
Bakuchiol is comparable to retinol for photoaging but with better tolerability. It also has mild antibacterial properties against Cutibacterium acnes and antifungal activity in vitro against Candida and dermatophytes.
The reason bakuchiol works well is due to its structure; it is a meroterpene phenol, or a hybrid molecule. The phenol half acts as an antioxidant while the terpene half is fat-loving. This helps the molecule slip through the skin barrier.
This ingredient is usually used between 0.5-2%. Only one case of contact dermatitis has ever been reported for this ingredient.
Learn more about BakuchiolButylene 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 GlycolThis ingredient is a lightweight emollient, solvent, and texture enhancer. It is considered a skin-softener by helping the skin prevent moisture loss.
It helps thicken a product's formula and makes it easier to spread by dissolving clumping compounds.
Caprylic Triglyceride is made by combining glycerin with coconut oil, forming a clear liquid. Though it behaves like an oil, it is not technically one due to its chemical composition. 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. Be sure to 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.
Learn more about Caprylic/Capric TriglycerideCarbomer 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 CarbomerGlycerin (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 LecithinWater. 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 WaterXanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.
On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.
Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.
Learn more about Xanthan Gum