What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantIsopropyl Myristate
EmollientNiacinamide
SmoothingOctyldodecanol
EmollientDipropylene Glycol
HumectantSodium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate
Emulsion StabilisingHydrogenated Polydecene
EmollientHydroxyacetophenone
AntioxidantAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingHydrogenated Lecithin
EmulsifyingCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningTromethamine
BufferingTrideceth-10
CleansingAdenosine
Skin ConditioningParfum
MaskingDisodium EDTA
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningDipotassium Glycyrrhizate
HumectantHyaluronic Acid
HumectantCyanocobalamin
Skin ConditioningEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningWater, Glycerin, Isopropyl Myristate, Niacinamide, Octyldodecanol, Dipropylene Glycol, Sodium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Hydrogenated Polydecene, Hydroxyacetophenone, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Caprylyl Glycol, Ceramide NP, Tromethamine, Trideceth-10, Adenosine, Parfum, Disodium EDTA, 1,2-Hexanediol, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Hyaluronic Acid, Cyanocobalamin, Ethylhexylglycerin
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantButylene Glycol
HumectantIsononyl Isononanoate
EmollientDimethicone
EmollientDipropylene Glycol
HumectantBis-Ethoxydiglycol Cyclohexane 1,4-Dicarboxylate
EmollientPanthenol
Skin ConditioningTrehalose
HumectantXylitylglucoside
HumectantAmmonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
EmollientPEG-20 Methyl Glucose Sesquistearate
EmulsifyingAnhydroxylitol
HumectantPolyacrylate-13
Phenoxyethanol
PreservativeXylitol
HumectantAdenosine
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientPolyisobutene
Dimethiconol
EmollientSynthetic Fluorphlogopite
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPolysorbate 20
EmulsifyingSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantSorbitan Isostearate
EmulsifyingBiosaccharide Gum-1
HumectantDisodium EDTA
Undaria Pinnatifida Extract
Skin ConditioningCrithmum Maritimum Callus Culture Filtrate
Skin ProtectingPalmitoyl Tripeptide-5
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
AntioxidantPseudanabaena Galeata Extract
Skin ConditioningCaramel
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Isononyl Isononanoate, Dimethicone, Dipropylene Glycol, Bis-Ethoxydiglycol Cyclohexane 1,4-Dicarboxylate, Panthenol, Trehalose, Xylitylglucoside, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, PEG-20 Methyl Glucose Sesquistearate, Anhydroxylitol, Polyacrylate-13, Phenoxyethanol, Xylitol, Adenosine, Caprylyl Glycol, Polyisobutene, Dimethiconol, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Ethylhexylglycerin, Polysorbate 20, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sorbitan Isostearate, Biosaccharide Gum-1, Disodium EDTA, Undaria Pinnatifida Extract, Crithmum Maritimum Callus Culture Filtrate, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5, Tocopherol, Pseudanabaena Galeata Extract, Caramel, CI 77891
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Adenosine is a purine nucleoside that your body already makes in every cell. In skincare, it acts mainly as a skin conditioning and anti-aging agent.
The way it works is fairly well mapped out:
Your skin has cells called fibroblasts that build collagen (the stuff that keeps skin firm and smooth). Adenosine basically flips a switch on these cells that tells them to get to work making more collagen and other proteins. These cells slow down on their own as skin ages, so Adenosine helps give them a little nudge to keep going.
The clinical backing is pretty solid too.
A blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial of 126 women aged 45-65 tested a 0.1% cream twice daily and found real improvements in crow's feet and frown lines using a precise 3D skin-mapping technique; these changes showed up by week 3 and held at 2 months.
A later study using Adenosine-loaded dissolving microneedle patches reported gains in wrinkle depth, dermal density, elasticity, and hydration.
On concentrations, South Korea's Ministry of Food and Drug Safety has set 0.04% as the approved functional anti-wrinkle level. You'll typically see this ingredient used somewhere in the 0.04-0.1% range since it works at low doses.
This ingredient has been found safe for cosmetics with the data showing no irritation or sensitization.
Overall, this is a great ingredient for any anti-aging routine and has no photosensitizing effect, so it suits both AM and PM use.
Learn more about AdenosineCaprylyl 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 GlycolDipropylene Glycol is a synthetically created humectant, stabilizer, and solvent.
This ingredient helps:
Dipropylene glycol is technically an alcohol, but it belongs to the glycol family (often considered part of the ‘good’ alcohols). This means it is hydrating and gentle on skin unlike drying solvent alcohols like denatured alcohol.
As a masking agent, Dipropylene Glycol can be used to cover the smell of other ingredients. However, it does not have a scent.
Studies show Dipropylene Glycol is considered safe to use in skincare.
Learn more about Dipropylene GlycolDisodium EDTA is a chelating agent. It grabs onto and deactivates metal ions that sneak into your products from water, packaging, or air.
This ingredient mainly works behind the scenes and helps with:
On top of that, this ingredient can counteract the effects of hard water by binding to the minerals in it.
One thing worth knowing is that Disodium EDTA has been shown to be a mild penetration enhancer. It can help other ingredients absorb into skin more effectively which can be a double-edged sword (great for actives, but can also make the active too strong if you have sensitive skin).
Clinical patch testing showed no significant skin irritation at typical use concentrations and minimal dermal absorption.
You'll most likely see this ingredient near the end of an ingredient list. It's typically found in concentrations less than 1%.
Learn more about Disodium EDTAEthylhexylglycerin 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