What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
SolventGlycerin
HumectantAmmonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningDiheptyl Succinate
EmollientCapryloyl Glycerin/Sebacic Acid Copolymer
Skin ConditioningGlycine
BufferingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientAcetyl Hexapeptide-8
HumectantAcetyl Octapeptide-3
HumectantSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantCopper Tripeptide-1
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
AntioxidantWater, Propanediol, Glycerin, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, 1,2-Hexanediol, Diheptyl Succinate, Capryloyl Glycerin/Sebacic Acid Copolymer, Glycine, Xanthan Gum, Ethylhexylglycerin, Caprylyl Glycol, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Acetyl Octapeptide-3, Sodium Hyaluronate, Copper Tripeptide-1, Tocopherol
Water
Skin ConditioningStearic Acid
CleansingNeopentyl Glycol Diheptanoate
EmollientCetearyl Olivate
Sorbitan Olivate
EmulsifyingHydrogenated Poly(C6-14 Olefin)
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantCyclomethicone
EmollientButylene Glycol
HumectantCopper Tripeptide-1
Skin ConditioningGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientPEG-100 Stearate
SurfactantPolyacrylate-13
Polyisobutene
Polysorbate 20
EmulsifyingCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientCetearyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingDimethicone
EmollientTrehalose
HumectantTheobroma Cacao Extract
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningTropolone
Skin ConditioningAmmonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Triethanolamine
BufferingCoptis Japonica Extract
AntimicrobialAdenosine
Skin ConditioningPropylene Glycol
HumectantHydrolyzed Extensin
Skin ConditioningRubus Idaeus Fruit Extract
AstringentBeta-Glucan
Skin ConditioningBiosaccharide Gum-1
HumectantIris Florentina Root Extract
MaskingHydrolyzed Wheat Protein
Skin ConditioningPrunus Amygdalus Dulcis Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningLavandula Angustifolia Oil
MaskingDisodium EDTA
Water, Stearic Acid, Neopentyl Glycol Diheptanoate, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, Hydrogenated Poly(C6-14 Olefin), Glycerin, Cyclomethicone, Butylene Glycol, Copper Tripeptide-1, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Polyacrylate-13, Polyisobutene, Polysorbate 20, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Glucoside, Dimethicone, Trehalose, Theobroma Cacao Extract, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Tropolone, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Triethanolamine, Coptis Japonica Extract, Adenosine, Propylene Glycol, Hydrolyzed Extensin, Rubus Idaeus Fruit Extract, Beta-Glucan, Biosaccharide Gum-1, Iris Florentina Root Extract, Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Seed Extract, Lavandula Angustifolia Oil, Disodium EDTA
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer is a synthetically created polymer. It's used as a film-forming agent and used to thicken the consistency of products.
Think of it as a supportive ingredient that helps your gel-creams feel silky, "cloud cream-like", and spread evenly without being greasy.
The Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) Expert Panel evaluated it (along with 22 other acryloyldimethyltaurate polymers) and concluded it's:
Due to its large molecular size, it sits on the surface of skin rather than penetrating it.
Learn more about Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp CopolymerCaprylyl 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, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolCopper Tripeptide-1 (GHK-Cu) is a skin repairing ingredient known for its ability to boost collagen, improve firmness, and support skin regeneration.
It is a complex made up of a naturally occurring peptide (glycine-histidine-lysine) and copper, an essential trace element.
While studying wound healing, researchers noticed GHK-Cu stimulated hair follicle enlargement and growth by keeping hair in its active growth phase longer. This has made it a promising ingredient for hair regrowth treatments.
Some people have reported increased facial hair. While GHK-Cu can make your hair follicles bigger, it usually doesn’t turn soft, barely-visible facial hairs into thick, dark ones.
Anecdotal reports suggest that overusing copper peptides might lead to premature aging due to excess free copper or enzyme imbalances. This claim isn’t backed by large-scale studies.
Unfortunately, there are limited human studies for this ingredient. While early results are promising, many studies are either small, in-vitro, or not rigorously controlled.
For example, there is a 1998 study that explored the effects of copper tripeptide, vitamin C, tretinoin, and melatonin on skin repair and collagen synthesis.
After one month, increased procollagen production was seen in 7 out of 10 participants using copper tripeptide (more than those using vitamin C, melatonin, or tretinoin.
While the study was exploratory, it offers early evidence that copper tripeptide may support collagen production. Larger, well-designed trials are still needed to confirm its potential and understand individual responses.
Read more about other common types of peptides here:
Learn more about Copper Tripeptide-1Ethylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:
The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure.
Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.
Learn more about EthylhexylglycerinGlycerin (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 GlycerinWater. 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