What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningOctyldodecanol
EmollientPolyvinyl Alcohol
Methylpropanediol
SolventButylene Glycol
HumectantCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningSimmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
EmollientNiacinamide
SmoothingAlgin
MaskingPolyglyceryl-10 Oleate
Skin ConditioningPolysorbate 80
EmulsifyingPentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate
EmollientPullulan
Sphingomonas Ferment Extract
Skin ConditioningOryza Sativa Extract
AbsorbentGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientPEG-100 Stearate
Panthenol
Skin ConditioningDisteardimonium Hectorite
StabilisingSodium Polystyrene Sulfonate
Emulsion StabilisingMicrocrystalline Cellulose
AbsorbentTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningAllantoin
Skin ConditioningAdenosine
Skin ConditioningCellulose Gum
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Phytate
Tocopherol
AntioxidantCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningCitric Acid
BufferingSoluble Proteoglycan
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Rice Protein
Skin ConditioningRice Amino Acids
Skin ConditioningSilica
AbrasiveKaolin
AbrasiveWater, Octyldodecanol, Polyvinyl Alcohol, Methylpropanediol, Butylene Glycol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, 1,2-Hexanediol, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Niacinamide, Algin, Polyglyceryl-10 Oleate, Polysorbate 80, Pentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate, Pullulan, Sphingomonas Ferment Extract, Oryza Sativa Extract, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Panthenol, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Sodium Polystyrene Sulfonate, Microcrystalline Cellulose, Tocopheryl Acetate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Allantoin, Adenosine, Cellulose Gum, Sodium Phytate, Tocopherol, Ceramide NP, Citric Acid, Soluble Proteoglycan, Hydrolyzed Rice Protein, Rice Amino Acids, Silica, Kaolin
Water
Skin ConditioningPolyvinyl Alcohol
Glycerin
HumectantAgave Americana Stem Extract
Skin ConditioningNiacinamide
SmoothingSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientPolyglyceryl-10 Laurate
Skin ConditioningChlorella Vulgaris Extract
Skin ConditioningGlucose
HumectantButylene Glycol
HumectantEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningFructooligosaccharides
HumectantFructose
HumectantAdenosine
Skin ConditioningXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCynanchum Atratum Extract
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingHydrogenated Lecithin
EmulsifyingAlthaea Rosea Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
AntioxidantPancratium Maritimum Extract
BleachingCollagen Extract
Skin ConditioningSodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingWater, Polyvinyl Alcohol, Glycerin, Agave Americana Stem Extract, Niacinamide, Sodium Hyaluronate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Chlorella Vulgaris Extract, Glucose, Butylene Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Fructooligosaccharides, Fructose, Adenosine, Xanthan Gum, Cynanchum Atratum Extract, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Althaea Rosea Flower Extract, Ceramide NP, Tocopherol, Pancratium Maritimum Extract, Collagen Extract, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
1,2-Hexanediol is a synthetic liquid and another multi-functional powerhouse.
It is a:
- Humectant, drawing moisture into the skin
- Emollient, helping to soften skin
- Solvent, dispersing and stabilizing formulas
- Preservative booster, enhancing the antimicrobial activity of other preservatives
Adenosine is in every living organism. It is one of four components in nucleic acids that helps store our DNA.
Adenosine has many benefits when used. These benefits include hydrating the skin, smoothing skin, and reducing wrinkles. Once applied, adenosine increases collagen production. It also helps with improving firmness and tissue repair.
Studies have found adenosine may also help with wound healing.
In skincare products, Adenosine is usually derived from yeast.
Learn more about AdenosineButylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:
Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient that works well with other ingredients.
Though this ingredient works well with most skin types, some people with sensitive skin may experience a reaction such as allergic rashes, closed comedones, or itchiness.
Learn more about Butylene GlycolThis ingredient is a lightweight emollient, solvent, and texture enhancer. It is considered a skin-softener by helping the skin prevent moisture loss.
It helps thicken a product's formula and makes it easier to spread by dissolving clumping compounds.
Caprylic Triglyceride is made by combining glycerin with coconut oil, forming a clear liquid. Though it behaves like an oil, it is not technically one due to its chemical composition. It is very stable, resistant to oxidation, and unlikely to go rancid. In practice, that translates to a long shelf life and a consistently elegant skin feel.
While there is an assumption Caprylic Triglyceride can clog pores due to it being derived from coconut oil, there is no research supporting this. Be sure to patch test if you have concerns.
Fractionated coconut oil and MCT Oil are both listed as Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride according to INCI. This is because INCI names are based on the ingredient’s final chemical composition and not its marketing name or source.
Learn more about Caprylic/Capric TriglycerideCeramide NP (formerly known as Ceramide 3) is one of the skin's naturally occurring lipids.
Since ceramides are the major lipid components of the skin, they are crucial for maintaining skin barrier and hydration. Ceramide NP most closely mirrors the dominant kind in human skin amongst ceramide subtypes.
This ceramide works by slotting into gaps within the stratum corneum's lipid matrix to limit trans-epidermal water loss (TEWL) and shield the skin against external irritants.
A study with 312 patients found that using a ceramide-containing routine for 4 weeks reduced the severity of atopic dermatitis by over 61%.
Another clinical study in subjects aged 60 and older found that a ceramide body wash and moisturizer improved skin dryness and itchy skin in 15 days.
Overall, ceramides are considered non-irritating and safety tests have found little to no observable adverse effects from using this ingredient.
Ceramide NP is usually sourced from plants (like soybean or rice bran), or produced synthetically.
Learn more about Ceramide NPEthylhexylglycerin 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 EthylhexylglycerinNiacinamide 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 NiacinamideWe don't have a description for Polyvinyl Alcohol yet.
Tocopherol is a fat-soluble antioxidant known as Vitamin E.
You'll find this ingredient in the vast majority of skincare (for good reason). It works to neutralize free radicals, or unstable molecules generated by UV exposure, pollution, and other environmental stressors, before they can cause oxidative damage to your skin cells.
Topically applied tocopherol has been shown to protect against UV damage by ramping up the skin's own natural defense enzymes.
It also acts as a skin conditioning agent; some studies show that regular topical use can improve the skin's water-binding capacity over 2-4 weeks.
This ingredient is especially loved for being a team player. When combined with Vitamin C, the photoprotective effect of both ingredients roughly doubles and the combo also helps reduce UV-induced DNA damage.
This ingredient has some brightening potential but it's more of a prevention ingredient than spot-fader. Cell studies show it can slow down melanin production but it's worth noting that it's not the most powerful brightener out there.
In formulations, it also serves as a stabilizer that helps protect other oxidation-prone ingredients from degrading.
Concentrations usually range from 0.1-1% in most leave-on products.
Learn more about TocopherolWater. 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