What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Methylpropanediol
SolventPentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Glycine Soja Seed Extract
Skin Conditioning
Niacinamide
Smoothing
3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Polyglyceryl-10 Oleate
Skin Conditioning
Vaccinium Myrtillus Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningPolyglyceryl-6 Laurate
Emulsifying
Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate
Antimicrobial
Sorbitan Palmitate
Emulsifying
PPG-26-Buteth-26
Skin Conditioning4-Butylresorcinol
Antioxidant
Lecithin
Emollient
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSaccharum Officinarum Extract
MoisturisingPEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Arginine
Masking
Sodium Dna
Skin Conditioning
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Fruit Extract
MaskingCitrus Limon Fruit Extract
Masking
Hydroxyresveratrol
BleachingAcer Saccharum Extract
Skin ConditioningPaeonia Officinalis Flower Extract
TonicGlycereth-6 Tricocoate
Emollient
Hexanoyl Dipeptide-3 Norleucine Acetate
Skin Conditioning
Tetrapeptide-30
Skin Conditioning
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Disodium EDTA
Water, Glycerin, Methylpropanediol, Pentylene Glycol, Glycine Soja Seed Extract, Niacinamide, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Polyglyceryl-10 Oleate, Vaccinium Myrtillus Fruit Extract, Polyglyceryl-6 Laurate, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Sorbitan Palmitate, PPG-26-Buteth-26, 4-Butylresorcinol, Lecithin, Xanthan Gum, Saccharum Officinarum Extract, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Arginine, Sodium Dna, Tocopheryl Acetate, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Fruit Extract, Citrus Limon Fruit Extract, Hydroxyresveratrol, Acer Saccharum Extract, Paeonia Officinalis Flower Extract, Glycereth-6 Tricocoate, Hexanoyl Dipeptide-3 Norleucine Acetate, Tetrapeptide-30, Phenoxyethanol, Disodium EDTA
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Arginine is a semi-essential amino acid. This just means our bodies can product a bit on its own, but sometimes needs a little boost from food sources.
It is a part of your skin's natural moisturizing factor (NMF), or the water-loving molecules in your outermost layer of skin (stratum corneum) that keeps everything hydrated and happy.
Here's an interesting thing about Arginine: your skin converts it into urea through the Krebs-Henseleit urea cycle. Urea is one of the most effective humectants your skin naturally produces.
A clinical study showed applying 2.5% arginine hydrochloride to atopic dermatitis skin showed significant urea levels in the stratum corneum and improved moisture in just four weeks.
Arginine is also a precursor to nitric oxide; nitric oxide improves microcirculation and supports wound healing and collagen synthesis.
One study found that an amino acid complex containing Arginine reduced skin irritation, improved hydration, and accelerated skin repair in clinical / in-vivo studies.
Arginine itself is an amino acid and not a fatty acid, oil, or ester. On its own, it's not a direct food source for Malassezia, or the yeast that causes fungal acne.
Learn more about ArginineCitrus Aurantium Dulcis Fruit Extract is more commonly known as the bitter orange. Native to Southeast Asia, this extract is commonly found in both cosmetics and foods.
The bitter orange possesses antibacterial and antioxidant properties.
It can also be mildly exfoliating due to the citric acid, an AHA.
Citrus fruits are rich in flavonoids, alkaloids, and vitamin C.
Learn more about Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Fruit ExtractGlycerin (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 NiacinamidePEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil is an emulsifier derived from castor oil.
As an emulsifying agent, it helps other ingredients like fragrances and fat-soluble vitamins dissolve cohesively.
Due to its large molecule size, it doesn't penetrate beyond the skin's surface.
This ingredient has a solid regulatory track record; the CIR Expert Panel first concluded it was safe for use in cosmetics at concentrations up to 100% in 1997. A 2012 reassessment reaffirmed that finding. Safety studies have also found no irritation or evidence of toxicity.
A 2019 study did find this ingredient to grow Malassezia, so this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor OilTocopheryl Acetate is AKA Vitamin E. It is an antioxidant and protects your skin from free radicals. Free radicals damage the skin by breaking down collagen.
One study found using Tocopheryl Acetate with Vitamin C decreased the number of sunburned cells.
Tocopheryl Acetate is commonly found in both skincare and dietary supplements.
Learn more about Tocopheryl AcetateWater. 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
