What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Methyl Gluceth-20
Humectant
PEG-150
HumectantPEG-6 Caprylic/Capric Glycerides
EmulsifyingAcacia Senegal Gum
MaskingPEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Saccharomyces/Xylinum/Black Tea Ferment
Skin Conditioning
Rubus Fruticosus Leaf Extract
MaskingLonicera Japonica Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningLitchi Chinensis Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Acetyl Dipeptide-1 Cetyl Ester
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Skin Conditioning
PEG-90
HumectantSqualane
Emollient
Lecithin
Emollient
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingSorbitan Laurate
Emulsifying
Sorbitol
Humectant
Parfum
Masking
Sodium Acrylates Copolymer
Rhizobian Gum
Hydrolyzed Jojoba Esters
Skin Conditioning
Maltodextrin
Absorbent
Algin
Masking
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPolyquaternium-51
Skin Conditioning
Adenosine
Skin Conditioning
Hydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingPolyvinyl Alcohol
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Cellulose Gum
Emulsion StabilisingPotassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Linalool
Perfuming
Citronellol
Perfuming
Geraniol
Perfuming
Water, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Pentylene Glycol, Methyl Gluceth-20, PEG-150, PEG-6 Caprylic/Capric Glycerides, Acacia Senegal Gum, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Saccharomyces/Xylinum/Black Tea Ferment, Rubus Fruticosus Leaf Extract, Lonicera Japonica Leaf Extract, Litchi Chinensis Seed Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Tocopheryl Acetate, Acetyl Dipeptide-1 Cetyl Ester, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, PEG-90, Squalane, Lecithin, Carbomer, Sorbitan Laurate, Sorbitol, Parfum, Sodium Acrylates Copolymer, Rhizobian Gum, Hydrolyzed Jojoba Esters, Maltodextrin, Algin, Sodium Hydroxide, Xanthan Gum, Polyquaternium-51, Adenosine, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Polyvinyl Alcohol, Lactic Acid, Cellulose Gum, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Phenoxyethanol, Linalool, Citronellol, Geraniol
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
PEG-8 Dimethicone
Emulsifying
Tripeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Hexapeptide-12
Skin Conditioning
Myristoyl Hexapeptide-16
Skin Conditioning
Myristoyl Pentapeptide-17
Skin Conditioning
Hexanoyl Dipeptide-3 Norleucine Acetate
Skin Conditioning
Azelaoyl Bis-Dipeptide-10
Skin Conditioning
Glycoproteins
Skin Conditioning
Phospholipids
Skin Conditioning
Adenosine
Skin Conditioning
Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Humectant
Arginine
Masking
Valine
MaskingGlycine
Buffering
Alanine
Masking
Glutamic Acid
Humectant
Serine
Masking
Threonine
Yeast Extract
Skin ConditioningIsoleucine
Skin ConditioningProline
Skin Conditioning
Histidine
Humectant
Phenylalanine
Masking
PCA
Humectant
Phytic Acid
Panax Ginseng Root Extract
Emollient
Sodium PCA
Humectant
Psidium Guajava Fruit Extract
AstringentEuterpe Oleracea Fruit Extract
Ahnfeltiopsis Concinna Extract
Skin Conditioning
Dextran
Hydrolyzed Silk
Humectant
Lecithin
Emollient
Glyceryl Polymethacrylate
C12-16 Pareth-9
EmulsifyingTrideceth-12
EmulsifyingSodium Lactate
Buffering
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingAspartic Acid
Masking
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
PEG-8
HumectantC11-15 Pareth-7
EmulsifyingGuar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride
Skin ConditioningPhytosteryl/Octyldodecyl Lauroyl Glutamate
Skin ConditioningEctoin
Skin Conditioning
Citrate Buffer
Trimethylsiloxyamodimethicone
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningWater, Glycerin, PEG-8 Dimethicone, Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Palmitoyl Hexapeptide-12, Myristoyl Hexapeptide-16, Myristoyl Pentapeptide-17, Hexanoyl Dipeptide-3 Norleucine Acetate, Azelaoyl Bis-Dipeptide-10, Glycoproteins, Phospholipids, Adenosine, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Arginine, Valine, Glycine, Alanine, Glutamic Acid, Serine, Threonine, Yeast Extract, Isoleucine, Proline, Histidine, Phenylalanine, PCA, Phytic Acid, Panax Ginseng Root Extract, Sodium PCA, Psidium Guajava Fruit Extract, Euterpe Oleracea Fruit Extract, Ahnfeltiopsis Concinna Extract, Dextran, Hydrolyzed Silk, Lecithin, Glyceryl Polymethacrylate, C12-16 Pareth-9, Trideceth-12, Sodium Lactate, Carbomer, Aspartic Acid, Polysorbate 20, Butylene Glycol, Caprylyl Glycol, PEG-8, C11-15 Pareth-7, Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Phytosteryl/Octyldodecyl Lauroyl Glutamate, Ectoin, Citrate Buffer, Trimethylsiloxyamodimethicone, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Hydroxide, Ethylhexylglycerin
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
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 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 GlycerinLecithin is a term for a group of substances found in the cell membranes of plants, animals, and humans. They are made up of phospholipids.
Thanks to its amphiphilic structure (water-loving head and oil-loving tail), it is a true multitasker:
It plays well with most ingredients and is typically used at 0.1-1%. However, concentrations up to 50% have been reported in moisturizers.
Learn more about LecithinPalmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7 (formerly Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-3) is a synthetic peptide. Its main job is to fight what researchers call "inflammaging".
"Inflammaging" is the slow, low-grade chronic inflammation that quietly breaks down collagen as we age.
This ingredient calms down a specific inflammation signal in your skin cells (called IL-6). When left unchecked, this signal triggers enzymes that break down collagen and elastin.
Clinical testing showed statistically significant improvements in:
Studies also found the more of this ingredient used, the more your skin produces Collagen I, fibronectin, and hyaluronic acid.
You'll likely see this ingredient paired with Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1 in the well-known Matrixyl 3000 complex for enhanced anti-aging effects.
A 3% concentration applied twice daily for two months showed meaningful skin rejuvenation results in clinical panels.
Fungal acne note:
Usually a palmitic acid component can feed Malassezia in unbound form, but here is is covalently bonded to the peptide. This means it is very difficult for Malassezia to access, and therefore very unlikely to cause fungal acne.
Phenoxyethanol 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.
Sodium Hydroxide is also known as lye or caustic soda. It is used to adjust the pH of products; many ingredients require a specific pH to be effective.
In small amounts, sodium hydroxide is considered safe to use. However, large amounts may cause chemical burns due to its high alkaline.
Your skin has a natural pH and acid mantle. This acid mantle helps prevent harmful bacteria from breaking through. The acid mantle also helps keep your skin hydrated.
"Alkaline" refers to a high pH level. A low pH level would be considered acidic.
Learn more about Sodium HydroxideWater. 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
