What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlutathione
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate
Antioxidant
Chamomilla Vulgaris Extract
Skin ProtectingGlycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
Bleaching
Ammonium Lauryl Sulfate
Cleansing
Cocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Cocamide
Emulsifying
Diethanolamine
BufferingGlycerin
Humectant
Myristic Acid
Cleansing
Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingDecyl Glucoside
Cleansing
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Lactate
Buffering
Microcrystalline Cellulose
AbsorbentAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingCitric Acid
Buffering
Disodium EDTA
Parfum
Masking
Water, Glutathione, Niacinamide, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Chamomilla Vulgaris Extract, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Ammonium Lauryl Sulfate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Cocamide, Diethanolamine, Glycerin, Myristic Acid, Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose, Carbomer, Decyl Glucoside, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol, Allantoin, Sodium Lactate, Microcrystalline Cellulose, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Citric Acid, Disodium EDTA, Parfum
Water
Skin ConditioningCocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Polyacrylate-33
Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate
CleansingPolyquaternium-10
Azelaic Acid
Buffering
Phytic Acid
Glutathione
Alpha-Arbutin
Antioxidant
Kojic Acid
Antioxidant
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Phospholipids
Skin Conditioning
Retinol
Skin Conditioning
Illicium Verum Fruit/Seed Oil
Masking
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Saccharomyces/Xylinum/Black Tea Ferment
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Hydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingGlycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
Bleaching
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingWater, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Niacinamide, Polyacrylate-33, Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate, Polyquaternium-10, Azelaic Acid, Phytic Acid, Glutathione, Alpha-Arbutin, Kojic Acid, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Phospholipids, Retinol, Illicium Verum Fruit/Seed Oil, Phenoxyethanol, Potassium Sorbate, Saccharomyces/Xylinum/Black Tea Ferment, Glycerin, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Sodium Hydroxide
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Cocamidopropyl Betaine is a fatty acid created by mixing similar compounds in coconut oil and dimethylaminopropylamine, a compound with two amino groups.
This ingredient is a surfactant and cleanser. It helps gather the dirt, pollutants, and other impurities in your skin to be washed away. It also helps thicken a product and make the texture more creamy.
Being created from coconut oil means Cocamidopropyl Betaine is hydrating for the skin.
While Cocamidopropyl Betaine was believed to be an allergen, a study from 2012 disproved this. It found two compounds in unpure Cocamidopropyl Betaine to be the irritants: aminoamide and 3-dimethylaminopropylamine. High-grade and pure Cocamidopropyl Betaine did not induce allergic reactions during this study.
Learn more about Cocamidopropyl BetaineGlutathione is an antioxidant naturally found in our bodies. It is made up of three amino acids: glycine, cysteine, and glutamic acid.
As an antioxidant, it prevents oxidative damage to parts of our cell.
While glutathione is said to help with fading dark spots, the results from research are inconclusive. Further studies are needed. With that said, gluthatione has been shown to protect our skin from UV-B induced damage.
This ingredient is naturally occurring in plants, animals, fungi, and some bacteria.
Learn more about GlutathioneGlycerin (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 GlycerinGlycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract is an extract of the roots of Licorice. It has been found to have several benefits such as skin hydrating, conditioning, and soothing.
One component, glabridin, has extra potent antioxidant and soothing properties. It has also been found to block pigmentation from UVB rays in guinea pigs.
Licorice Root also contains a flavonoid. Flavonoids are a natural substance from in plants. Flavonoids also have antioxidant properties.
Another component, glycyrrhizin, has been found to have anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial benefits. This may make licorice root extract effective at treating acne. However, more research is needed to support this.
Liquiritin is one of the flavone compounds found in licorice. It has been found to help lighten skin by preventing tyrosinase from reacting with tyrosine. When the two react, protein is converted to melanin. Melanin is the substance in your body that gives your features pigmentation.
Learn more about Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root ExtractNiacinamide 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.
Water. 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
