What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantButylene Glycol
HumectantPropanediol
SolventNiacinamide
SmoothingHydrolyzed Collagen
EmollientPinus Radiata Bark Extract
AntioxidantSpirulina Platensis Extract
Skin ProtectingCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingNeopentyl Glycol Diheptanoate
EmollientHydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingPolyglyceryl-10 Laurate
Skin ConditioningHydrogenated Lecithin
EmulsifyingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingArginine
MaskingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingAdenosine
Skin Conditioning1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
Water, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Propanediol, Niacinamide, Hydrolyzed Collagen, Pinus Radiata Bark Extract, Spirulina Platensis Extract, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Neopentyl Glycol Diheptanoate, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Carbomer, Arginine, Xanthan Gum, Adenosine, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Disodium EDTA
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantNiacinamide
SmoothingButylene Glycol
Humectant1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningBetaine
HumectantPolyglyceryl-10 Laurate
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientVp/Polycarbamyl Polyglycol Ester
Ribose
HumectantAcrylates Copolymer
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingHydrolyzed Sesame Protein Pg-Propyl Methylsilanediol
Skin ConditioningPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningTromethamine
BufferingAdenosine
Skin ConditioningEucalyptus Globulus Leaf Oil
PerfumingGlyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer
HumectantAdenosine Triphosphate
Skin ConditioningAchillea Millefolium Extract
CleansingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingRicinus Communis Seed Oil
MaskingParfum
MaskingWater, Glycerin, Niacinamide, Butylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Betaine, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol, Vp/Polycarbamyl Polyglycol Ester, Ribose, Acrylates Copolymer, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Carbomer, Hydrolyzed Sesame Protein Pg-Propyl Methylsilanediol, Pentylene Glycol, Tromethamine, Adenosine, Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Oil, Glyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer, Adenosine Triphosphate, Achillea Millefolium Extract, Xanthan Gum, Ricinus Communis Seed Oil, Parfum
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.Ā
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 preservativesĀ
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 GlycolCaprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.
Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.
Because it is not a free-fatty acid or alcohol, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl 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 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 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 NiacinamidePolyglyceryl-10 Laurate is a cleansing agent and emulsifier.
It rounds up dirt, oil, and grime, so they can be rinsed off easily as a cleanser. On the emulsifier side, it keeps your formula smooth and well-mixed by playing peacekeeper for ingredients that don't naturally get along (like oil and water).
Because it has a C12 (lauric acid) fatty acid chain, this ingredient can potentially feed the Malassezia yeast that causes fungal acne. The Malassezia yeast prefers esters with C11-C24 fatty acids If you're prone to flare-ups, you might want to patch-test or skip this one.
This ingredient is an ester of lauric acid and Polyglycerin-10.
Learn more about Polyglyceryl-10 LaurateWater. 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