What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Shea Butter Ethyl Esters
Emollient
Olive Oil Decyl Esters
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Polyglyceryl-6 Palmitate/Succinate
Emulsifying
Squalane
Emollient
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Hydrogenated Coco-Glycerides
Emollient
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Bakuchiol
Antimicrobial
Ubiquinone
Antioxidant
Jojoba Esters
Emollient
N-Prolyl Palmitoyl Tripeptide-56 Acetate
Skin Conditioning
Sphingolipids
Emollient
Phospholipids
Skin Conditioning
Sorbitan Isostearate
Emulsifying
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingSqualene
Emollient
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Glycine Soja Oil
Emollient
Beta-Sitosterol
Emulsion Stabilising
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPolysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Water, Glycerin, Glyceryl Stearate, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Niacinamide, Shea Butter Ethyl Esters, Olive Oil Decyl Esters, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetyl Alcohol, Polyglyceryl-6 Palmitate/Succinate, Squalane, Tocopheryl Acetate, Hydrogenated Coco-Glycerides, Sodium Hyaluronate, Bakuchiol, Ubiquinone, Jojoba Esters, N-Prolyl Palmitoyl Tripeptide-56 Acetate, Sphingolipids, Phospholipids, Sorbitan Isostearate, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Squalene, Xanthan Gum, Pentylene Glycol, Tocopherol, Glycine Soja Oil, Beta-Sitosterol, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Polysorbate 60, Caprylyl Glycol
Water
Skin ConditioningAcetyl Hexapeptide-8
Humectant
Xylitylglucoside
Humectant
Argania Spinosa Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningPrunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin Conditioning
Copper Tripeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Coco-Caprylate/Caprate
Emollient
Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil
Emollient
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cetearyl Glucoside
Emulsifying
Anhydroxylitol
Humectant
Polysilicone-11
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Dimethicone
Emollient
Xylitol
Humectant
Laureth-12
EmulsifyingSaccharide Isomerate
Humectant
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingLevulinic Acid
Perfuming
P-Anisic Acid
Masking
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Lecithin
Emollient
Pelargonium Roseum Leaf Oil
Perfuming
Cananga Odorata Flower Oil
Masking
Lavandula Angustifolia Oil
Masking
Mentha Piperita Oil
Masking
Isomalt
HumectantArgania Spinosa Sprout Cell Extract
Skin ConditioningSodium Benzoate
Masking
Water, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Xylitylglucoside, Argania Spinosa Leaf Extract, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Copper Tripeptide-1, Glyceryl Stearate, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Sodium Hyaluronate, Cetyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Glucoside, Anhydroxylitol, Polysilicone-11, Niacinamide, Dimethicone, Xylitol, Laureth-12, Saccharide Isomerate, Xanthan Gum, Levulinic Acid, P-Anisic Acid, Tocopherol, Lecithin, Pelargonium Roseum Leaf Oil, Cananga Odorata Flower Oil, Lavandula Angustifolia Oil, Mentha Piperita Oil, Isomalt, Argania Spinosa Sprout Cell Extract, Sodium Benzoate
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Cetyl Alcohol is a fatty alcohol. Fatty Alcohols are most often used as an emollient or to thicken a product.
Its main roles are:
Though it has "alcohol" in the name, it is not related to denatured alcohol or ethyl alcohol.
The FDA allows products labeled "alcohol-free" to have fatty alcohols.
Learn more about Cetyl AlcoholGlyceryl Stearate is made by reacting glycerin with stearic acid (typically sourced from plant oils like palm or coconut). It's an emulsifier, emollient, and mild occlusive.
Emulsifiers help ingredients like oil and water stay mixed so your formula stays nicely blended and uniform in texture.
This ingredient is typically used in concentrations between 1-10%. Studies have found it to be non-sensitizing, non-phototoxic, and non-photoallergenic.
A close cousin of this ingredient is Glyceryl Stearate SE ("self-emulsifying"). This just has a small amount of sodium or potassium stearate added so it can emulsify without a co-emulsifier.
Since this ingredient is an ester of a C18 fatty acid, it may not be fungal acne safe. The Malassezia yeast can potentially metabolize within the C11-C24 range.
Fun fact: The human body also creates Glyceryl Stearate naturally.
Learn more about Glyceryl StearateNiacinamide 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 NiacinamideSodium Hyaluronate is the salt form of hyaluronic acid. It is a long sugar chain that is naturally found in your skin, joints, and connective tissue that maintains hydration and elasticity.
In skincare, it works as a humectant. It pulls water from the environment and deeper layers of skin and binds it to the surface.
Interestingly, the size of the molecule affects its behavior:
Some clinical evidence links low molecular weight versions to improved wrinkle depth, elasticity, anti-inflammatory effects, and barrier repair.
Many serums use a blend of both weights so you can get surface hydration plus longer-lasting and deeper effects.
You'll typically see concentrations between 0.1-2% for this ingredient.
Learn more about Sodium HyaluronateTocopherol 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 WaterXanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.
On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.
Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.
Learn more about Xanthan Gum
