What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil
Masking
Glycereth-7 Trimethyl Ether
Skin ConditioningNiacinamide
Smoothing
Silica
Abrasive
Ethyl Linoleate
Emollient
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Polyacrylate-13
C12-16 Alcohols
EmollientPoria Cocos Extract
Skin ConditioningPolyisobutene
Hydrogenated Phosphatidylcholine
Emulsifying
Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6
Emulsion StabilisingPolysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Hordenine
Skin ProtectingPalmitic Acid
Emollient
Sodium Dehydroacetate
Preservative
Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate
Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate
Antioxidant
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Silicon
Abrasive
Arginine
Masking
Glycine
Buffering
Citric Acid
Buffering
Water, Glycerin, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil, Glycereth-7 Trimethyl Ether, Niacinamide, Silica, Ethyl Linoleate, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Hydroxyacetophenone, Polyacrylate-13, C12-16 Alcohols, Poria Cocos Extract, Polyisobutene, Hydrogenated Phosphatidylcholine, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Polysorbate 20, Hordenine, Palmitic Acid, Sodium Dehydroacetate, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Silicon, Arginine, Glycine, Citric Acid
Water
Skin ConditioningParaffinum Liquidum
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
PEG-12
HumectantOenothera Biennis Oil
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
PEG-100 Stearate
Polyacrylate-13
Aquaphilus Dolomiae Extract
Skin Conditioning
Arginine
Masking
Citric Acid
Buffering
Evening Primrose Oil/Palm Oil Aminopropanediol Esters
Skin Conditioning
Glycine
Buffering
Polyisobutene
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Sodium Acetate
BufferingSorbitan Isostearate
Emulsifying
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Water, Paraffinum Liquidum, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, PEG-12, Oenothera Biennis Oil, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Polyacrylate-13, Aquaphilus Dolomiae Extract, Arginine, Citric Acid, Evening Primrose Oil/Palm Oil Aminopropanediol Esters, Glycine, Polyisobutene, Polysorbate 20, Sodium Acetate, Sorbitan Isostearate, Tocopherol
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 ArginineCitric Acid is an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) naturally found in citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, and limes.
Like other AHAs, citric acid can exfoliate skin by breaking down the bonds that hold dead skin cells together. This helps reveal smoother and brighter skin underneath.
However, this exfoliating effect only happens at high concentrations (20%) which can be hard to find in cosmetic products.
Due to this, citric acid is usually included in small amounts as a pH adjuster. This helps keep products slightly more acidic and compatible with skin's natural pH.
In skincare formulas, citric acid can:
While it can provide some skin benefits, research shows lactic acid and glycolic acid are generally more effective and less irritating exfoliants.
Most citric acid used in skincare today is made by fermenting sugars (usually from molasses). This synthetic version is identical to the natural citrus form but easier to stabilize and use in formulations.
Read more about some other popular AHA's here:
Learn more about Citric AcidGlycerin (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 GlycerinGlycine is the smallest amino acid and a key building block of collagen. It's part if 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.
A study from 2022 found that an amino acid complex featuring taurine, arginine, and glycine significantly reduced skin irritation, improved redness, and accelerated the skin repair process.
Polyacrylate-13 is a type of acrylate polymer. Acrylate polymers are commonly used as adhesives in cosmetics.
Polyacrylate-13 creates a film to protect the skin. It is also used to thicken and stabilize a product. It works by making water a gel-like consistency. This gel consistency helps suspend particles.
Polyacrylate-13 is a copolymer of acrylic acid, acrylamide, sodium acrylate, sodium acryloyldimethyltaurate monomers
Learn more about Polyacrylate-13Polyisobutene is a synthetic polymer made from isobutene.
It is a film-forming agent and helps bind ingredients together.
Polyisobutene is not absorbed by the skin.
Learn more about PolyisobutenePolysorbate 20 is a gentle, water-soluble emulsifier and mild surfactant. It stops oil and water from separating to keep your formulas blended and stable.
It also acts as a mild penetration enhancer by helping active ingredients absorb slightly better.
The common safety discussion around this ingredient involves a manufacturing byproduct called 1,4-dioxane.
Trace amounts can form during production but the EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety has concluded that levels at/below 10 ppm in finished products are safe (commercial products consistently fall within acceptable margins).
True allergic reactions are uncommon and the CIR Expert Panel has confirmed this ingredient to be safe as used in cosmetics.
Because it is derived from lauric acid, it may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Polysorbate 20Water. 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
