What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantAlcohol
AntimicrobialDipropylene Glycol
HumectantButylene Glycol
HumectantPEG/PPG/Polybutylene Glycol-8/5/3 Glycerin
HumectantNiacinamide
SmoothingHydroxyethylpiperazine Ethane Sulfonic Acid
BufferingBis-PEG-18 Methyl Ether Dimethyl Silane
Emollient3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid
Skin ConditioningIsononyl Isononanoate
EmollientBHT
AntioxidantLinalool
PerfumingGeraniol
PerfumingParfum
MaskingSalicylic Acid
MaskingSodium Citrate
BufferingSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantPhenoxyethanol
PreservativePhenylethyl Resorcinol
AntioxidantAdenosine
Skin ConditioningAmmonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate
Emulsion StabilisingTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantDisodium EDTA
Limonene
PerfumingHydrogenated Lecithin
EmulsifyingCitric Acid
BufferingCitrus Limon Fruit Extract
MaskingCitrus Junos Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingMaltodextrin
AbsorbentAcetyl Trifluoromethylphenyl Valylglycine
Skin ConditioningOxothiazolidinecarboxylic Acid
Skin ConditioningBenzyl Salicylate
PerfumingBenzyl Alcohol
PerfumingWater, Glycerin, Alcohol, Dipropylene Glycol, Butylene Glycol, PEG/PPG/Polybutylene Glycol-8/5/3 Glycerin, Niacinamide, Hydroxyethylpiperazine Ethane Sulfonic Acid, Bis-PEG-18 Methyl Ether Dimethyl Silane, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Isononyl Isononanoate, BHT, Linalool, Geraniol, Parfum, Salicylic Acid, Sodium Citrate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Phenoxyethanol, Phenylethyl Resorcinol, Adenosine, Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Disodium EDTA, Limonene, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Citric Acid, Citrus Limon Fruit Extract, Citrus Junos Fruit Extract, Xanthan Gum, Maltodextrin, Acetyl Trifluoromethylphenyl Valylglycine, Oxothiazolidinecarboxylic Acid, Benzyl Salicylate, Benzyl Alcohol
Glycerin
Humectant3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
HumectantPolyglutamic Acid
Skin ConditioningCorn Gluten Amino Acids
Skin ConditioningXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingNiacinamide
SmoothingDextran
Hydrolyzed Silk
HumectantFolic Acid
Skin ConditioningAloe Barbadensis Extract
Skin ConditioningYeast Extract
Skin ConditioningAllantoin
Skin ConditioningPanthenol
Skin ConditioningHexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingWater
Skin Conditioning
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
You might know this ingredient as Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, a more stable version of ascorbic acid.
Like other types of vitamin C, this ingredient has many benefits including reducing wrinkles, skin soothing, dark spot fading, and fighting against free radicals.
3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid interferes with the process of skin darkening, helping to reduce hyperpigmentation. It also encourages the skin to produce more collagen.
Once applied, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid is converted to Vitamin C deeper in the skin's layers. This process is slow but makes this ingredient more tolerable for skin.
The optimum pH range for this ingredient is 4 - 5.5
Learn more about 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic AcidButylene 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 GlycolGlycerin (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 NiacinamideWater. 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