What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningNiacinamide
SmoothingButylene Glycol
HumectantPropylene Glycol
HumectantGlycerin
HumectantSilanediol Salicylate
EmollientAllantoin
Skin ConditioningPEG-30 Castor Oil
EmulsifyingLysine Carboxymethyl Cysteinate
Skin ConditioningAcrylates Crosspolymer
AbsorbentPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeDipotassium Glycyrrhizate
HumectantSodium Hydroxide
BufferingTriethanolamine
BufferingSuccinic Acid
BufferingHydroxypropyl Methylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingLysine Thiazolidine Carboxylate
Skin ConditioningTetrasodium EDTA
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningSulfur
AntiseborrhoeicBoswellia Serrata Extract
Skin ConditioningHoney Extract
HumectantOryza Sativa Extract
AbsorbentSodium Benzoate
MaskingSodium Methylparaben
PreservativeSodium Chloride
MaskingAloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
EmollientOligopeptide-10
AntimicrobialBenzoic Acid
MaskingPropylparaben
PreservativeWater, Niacinamide, Butylene Glycol, Propylene Glycol, Glycerin, Silanediol Salicylate, Allantoin, PEG-30 Castor Oil, Lysine Carboxymethyl Cysteinate, Acrylates Crosspolymer, Phenoxyethanol, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Sodium Hydroxide, Triethanolamine, Succinic Acid, Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose, Lysine Thiazolidine Carboxylate, Tetrasodium EDTA, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sulfur, Boswellia Serrata Extract, Honey Extract, Oryza Sativa Extract, Sodium Benzoate, Sodium Methylparaben, Sodium Chloride, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Oligopeptide-10, Benzoic Acid, Propylparaben
Water
Skin ConditioningPropylene Glycol
HumectantNiacinamide
SmoothingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingTriethanolamine
BufferingGlycerin
HumectantButylene Glycol
HumectantMethylene Glycol
AntimicrobialDisodium EDTA
Sodium Hyaluronate
HumectantLactobacillus/(Lemon/Orange) Peel Extract Ferment Filtrate
Skin Conditioning1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientTranexamic Acid
AstringentNicotinoyl Dipeptide-22
Skin ConditioningTranexamoyl Dipeptide-22
BleachingWater, Propylene Glycol, Niacinamide, Phenoxyethanol, Carbomer, Triethanolamine, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Methylene Glycol, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Hyaluronate, Lactobacillus/(Lemon/Orange) Peel Extract Ferment Filtrate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Tranexamic Acid, Nicotinoyl Dipeptide-22, Tranexamoyl Dipeptide-22
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Butylene 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 GlycolGlycerin (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 GlycerinNiacinamide 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 NiacinamidePhenoxyethanol is a preservative that has germicide, antimicrobial, and aromatic properties. Studies show that phenoxyethanol can prevent microbial growth. By itself, it has a scent that is similar to that of a rose.
It's often used in formulations along with Caprylyl Glycol to preserve the shelf life of products.
Propylene Glycol is a synthetic, colorless, odorless liquid that has been a staple in cosmetics for decades. It is a skin conditioning agent, humectant, and solvent.
As a humectant, it draw water to the skin to reduce flaking and restore suppleness. It's also a solvent that helps dissolve other actives and keeps formulas stable across temperature changes.
The CIR Expert Panel has confirmed this ingredient to be nontoxic and clinical studies show no sensitization at cosmetic use concentrations.
True allergic reactions are quite rare: a 15-year retrospective study of 6,751 patients found only 0.31% had a positive reaction (and less than half were considered clinically relevant).
It seemed that when sensitization does occur, it's most commonly linked to topical medication (like corticosteroids) and not cosmetics. Allergic contact dermatitis also appears largely limited to individuals with underlying skin conditions.
Overall, propylene glycol is a well-studied ingredient that most people can tolerate without issue.
Learn more about Propylene GlycolTriethanolamine (TEA) is an emulsifier and pH adjuster. It is created using ethylene oxide and ammonia. This gives Triethanolamine a nitrogen core and a similar scent to ammonia.
As an emulsifier, it prevents ingredients from separating and enhances texture by adding volume to a product.
PH adjusters are common in cosmetic products. The pH of a product can affect the effectiveness of other ingredients. A product with a high pH may also irritate the skin.
If you are looking for the tea leaf ingredient, click here.
Learn more about TriethanolamineWater. 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