What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Aspergillus Ferment
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
Solvent
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Saccharomyces Ferment
Skin Conditioning
Cetyl Tranexamate Mesylate
Skin ConditioningGlyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Behentrimonium Methosulfate
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Palmitic Acid
Emollient
Caprylyl Glyceryl Ether
CleansingCapryloyl Salicylic Acid
Exfoliating
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Arginine
Masking
Caprylhydroxamic Acid
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingWater, Glycerin, Aspergillus Ferment, Propanediol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Saccharomyces Ferment, Cetyl Tranexamate Mesylate, Glyceryl Stearate, Niacinamide, Behentrimonium Methosulfate, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Panthenol, Palmitic Acid, Caprylyl Glyceryl Ether, Capryloyl Salicylic Acid, Stearic Acid, Arginine, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, Sodium Hydroxide
Water
Skin ConditioningIsoamyl Laurate
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Sodium Polyacrylate Starch
AbsorbentCetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Lauroyl Lysine
Skin Conditioning
Lactobacillus/Rye Flour Ferment
Skin ConditioningLactobacillus Ferment
Skin Conditioning
Bifida Ferment Lysate
Skin Conditioning
Glucomannan
Skin ConditioningSaccharomyces Lysate
Skin Conditioning
Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate
Antimicrobial
Glycine Soja Seed Extract
Skin Conditioning
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate
Antioxidant
Acetyl Hexapeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Dipeptide-10
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide Ng
Skin Conditioning
Orbignya Oleifera Seed Oil
Emollient
Palmitoyl Proline
Skin ConditioningGlycine
Buffering
Serine
Masking
Threonine
Alanine
Masking
Valine
MaskingArginine
Masking
Proline
Skin Conditioning
Lysine Hcl
Skin Conditioning
Rubus Idaeus Fruit Extract
AstringentNiacinamide
Smoothing
Adenosine
Skin Conditioning
Lecithin
Emollient
Phytic Acid
Yeast Extract
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
Antioxidant
Sodium PCA
Humectant
Sodium Lactate
Buffering
PCA
Humectant
Magnesium Palmitoyl Glutamate
Skin ConditioningSodium Palmitoyl Sarcosinate
CleansingIsopropyl Palmitate
Emollient
Glutamic Acid
Humectant
Betaine
Humectant
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Sodium Acrylates Copolymer
Ceteth-20
CleansingSteareth-20
CleansingPolysorbate 20
Emulsifying
PEG-75 Stearate
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningWater, Isoamyl Laurate, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Sodium Polyacrylate Starch, Cetyl Alcohol, Lauroyl Lysine, Lactobacillus/Rye Flour Ferment, Lactobacillus Ferment, Bifida Ferment Lysate, Glucomannan, Saccharomyces Lysate, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Glycine Soja Seed Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Acetyl Hexapeptide-1, Palmitoyl Dipeptide-10, Ceramide Ng, Orbignya Oleifera Seed Oil, Palmitoyl Proline, Glycine, Serine, Threonine, Alanine, Valine, Arginine, Proline, Lysine Hcl, Rubus Idaeus Fruit Extract, Niacinamide, Adenosine, Lecithin, Phytic Acid, Yeast Extract, Tocopherol, Sodium PCA, Sodium Lactate, PCA, Magnesium Palmitoyl Glutamate, Sodium Palmitoyl Sarcosinate, Isopropyl Palmitate, Glutamic Acid, Betaine, Glyceryl Stearate, Hydroxyacetophenone, Sodium Acrylates Copolymer, Ceteth-20, Steareth-20, Polysorbate 20, PEG-75 Stearate, Caprylyl Glycol, Propylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin
Reviews
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 ArginineGlycerin (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 GlycerinGlyceryl Stearate is made by reacting glycerin with stearic acid (typically sourced from plant oils like palm or coconut). It's an emulsifier, emollient, and mild occlusive.
Emulsifiers help ingredients like oil and water stay mixed so your formula stays nicely blended and uniform in texture.
This ingredient is typically used in concentrations between 1-10%. Studies have found it to be non-sensitizing, non-phototoxic, and non-photoallergenic.
A close cousin of this ingredient is Glyceryl Stearate SE ("self-emulsifying"). This just has a small amount of sodium or potassium stearate added so it can emulsify without a co-emulsifier.
Since this ingredient is an ester of a C18 fatty acid, it may not be fungal acne safe. The Malassezia yeast can potentially metabolize within the C11-C24 range.
Fun fact: The human body also creates Glyceryl Stearate naturally.
Learn more about Glyceryl StearateNiacinamide 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 Water
