What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningTheobroma Cacao Seed Butter
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantDimethicone
EmollientIsohexadecane
EmollientPropanediol
SolventGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientPEG-20 Stearate
EmulsifyingNiacinamide
SmoothingPEG/PPG/Polybutylene Glycol-8/5/3 Glycerin
HumectantHydroxyproline
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Soy Protein
HumectantStearic Acid
CleansingPEG-100 Stearate
SurfactantPalmitic Acid
EmollientGlycine
BufferingOctyldodecanol
EmollientPolyacrylamide
Silica Silylate
EmollientButylene Glycol
HumectantPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeCaffeine
Skin ConditioningC13-14 Isoparaffin
EmollientPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningCI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantTocopherol
AntioxidantHydrolyzed Rice Protein
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingMica
Cosmetic ColorantLaureth-7
EmulsifyingPanax Ginseng Root Extract
EmollientSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantProline
Skin ConditioningAlanine
MaskingCapryloyl Salicylic Acid
ExfoliatingTrisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Myristic Acid
CleansingPentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
AntioxidantCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningAdenosine
Skin ConditioningSodium Lactate
BufferingHydroxypalmitoyl Sphinganine
Skin ConditioningPolysorbate 20
EmulsifyingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingCI 77491
Cosmetic ColorantTin Oxide
AbrasivePalmitoyl Tripeptide-1
Skin ConditioningPalmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Skin ConditioningWater, Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter, Glycerin, Dimethicone, Isohexadecane, Propanediol, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-20 Stearate, Niacinamide, PEG/PPG/Polybutylene Glycol-8/5/3 Glycerin, Hydroxyproline, Hydrolyzed Soy Protein, Stearic Acid, PEG-100 Stearate, Palmitic Acid, Glycine, Octyldodecanol, Polyacrylamide, Silica Silylate, Butylene Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Caffeine, C13-14 Isoparaffin, Pentylene Glycol, CI 77891, Tocopherol, Hydrolyzed Rice Protein, Caprylyl Glycol, Carbomer, Mica, Laureth-7, Panax Ginseng Root Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Proline, Alanine, Capryloyl Salicylic Acid, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Myristic Acid, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Ceramide NP, Adenosine, Sodium Lactate, Hydroxypalmitoyl Sphinganine, Polysorbate 20, Sodium Hydroxide, CI 77491, Tin Oxide, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Water
Skin ConditioningAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin ConditioningIsoamyl Cocoate
Propanediol
SolventCetyl Esters
EmollientCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientSucrose
HumectantSqualane
EmollientNiacinamide
SmoothingButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningCoco-Caprylate
EmollientPersea Gratissima Oil
Skin ConditioningArgania Spinosa Kernel Oil
EmollientHydrolyzed Jojoba Esters
Skin ConditioningSodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingGlyceryl Caprylate
EmollientGlyceryl Undecylenate
EmollientOenothera Biennis Oil
EmollientTocopherol
AntioxidantRetinyl Palmitate
Skin ConditioningLecithin
EmollientArbutin
AntioxidantLinolenic Acid
CleansingLinoleic Acid
CleansingAscorbyl Palmitate
AntioxidantGlutathione
N-Hydroxysuccinimide
Skin ConditioningChrysin
Skin ConditioningPalmitoyl Tripeptide-1
Skin ConditioningPalmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Skin ConditioningHesperidin Methyl Chalcone
AntioxidantDipeptide-2
Skin ConditioningPalmitoyl Oligopeptide
CleansingOctyldodecyl Oleate
EmollientOctyldodecyl Stearoyl Stearate
EmollientPolyhydroxystearic Acid
EmulsifyingOctyldodecanol
EmollientOlea Europaea Leaf Extract
PerfumingLaminaria Saccharina Extract
Skin ProtectingAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingWater, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Isoamyl Cocoate, Propanediol, Cetyl Esters, Cetearyl Alcohol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glyceryl Stearate, Sucrose, Squalane, Niacinamide, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Coco-Caprylate, Persea Gratissima Oil, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Hydrolyzed Jojoba Esters, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Glyceryl Caprylate, Glyceryl Undecylenate, Oenothera Biennis Oil, Tocopherol, Retinyl Palmitate, Lecithin, Arbutin, Linolenic Acid, Linoleic Acid, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Glutathione, N-Hydroxysuccinimide, Chrysin, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Hesperidin Methyl Chalcone, Dipeptide-2, Palmitoyl Oligopeptide, Octyldodecyl Oleate, Octyldodecyl Stearoyl Stearate, Polyhydroxystearic Acid, Octyldodecanol, Olea Europaea Leaf Extract, Laminaria Saccharina Extract, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Glyceryl 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 NiacinamideOctyldodecanol is a fatty alcohol sourced from plant oils like coconut or palm (or made synthetically).
It is:
You'll likely see this in many BHA products because this is the go-to solvent for salicylic acid.
This ingredient is typically used at levels between 2-20%.
Regarding fungal acne:
In 2019, this ingredient was tested against multiple Malassezia species (the yeast that causes fungal acne) and showed no growth.
Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7 (formerly Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-3) is a synthetic peptide. Its main job is to fight what researchers call "inflammaging".
"Inflammaging" is the slow, low-grade chronic inflammation that quietly breaks down collagen as we age.
This ingredient calms down a specific inflammation signal in your skin cells (called IL-6). When left unchecked, this signal triggers enzymes that break down collagen and elastin.
Clinical testing showed statistically significant improvements in:
Studies also found the more of this ingredient used, the more your skin produces Collagen I, fibronectin, and hyaluronic acid.
You'll likely see this ingredient paired with Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1 in the well-known Matrixyl 3000 complex for enhanced anti-aging effects.
A 3% concentration applied twice daily for two months showed meaningful skin rejuvenation results in clinical panels.
Fungal acne note:
Usually a palmitic acid component can feed Malassezia in unbound form, but here is is covalently bonded to the peptide. This means it is very difficult for Malassezia to access, and therefore very unlikely to cause fungal acne.
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1 (aka Pal-GHK) is a synthetic signal peptide made of three amino acids attached to palmitic acid.
That fatty acid attachment is the key: it boosts the peptide's ability to penetrate the skin barrier. This puts it closer to the dermal cells where it can actually make a difference.
Once there, it acts as a matrikine, a signaling peptide that prompts fibroblasts to produce more collagen, fibronectin, and hyaluronic acid.
In vitro studies show it can boost collagen production in skin cells even when UV-damaged skin samples were treated with it at a tiny concentration (it almost fully restored dermal collagen at 5ppm). It achieved this at 100x lower concentration than retinoic acid, which needed 500 ppm to do the same thing.
Human clinical data is promising, but modest:
A study of 23 female volunteers found a small but statistically significant increase (~4%) in skin thickness after treatment at 4 ppm.
A separate small trial of 15 women showed statistically significant reductions in wrinkle length, depth, and skin roughness after applying it twice daily for four weeks.
You'll likely see Pal-GHK paired with Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7 as part of the Matrixyl 3000 complex.
Fungal acne note:
Usually a palmitic acid component can feed Malassezia in unbound form, but here is is covalently bonded to the peptide. This means it is very difficult for Malassezia to access, and therefore very unlikely to cause fungal acne.
Propanediol is an all-star ingredient. It softens, hydrates, and smooths the skin.Â
It’s often used to:
Propanediol is not likely to cause sensitivity and considered safe to use. It is derived from corn or petroleum with a clear color and no scent.
Learn more about PropanediolTocopherol 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