What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
HumectantDipropylene Glycol
Humectant1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningNiacinamide
SmoothingHippophae Rhamnoides Water
MaskingHippophae Rhamnoides Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantMethyl Gluceth-20
HumectantBetaine
HumectantPanthenol
Skin Conditioning3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid
Skin ConditioningAllantoin
Skin ConditioningArginine
MaskingAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingDisodium EDTA
Citric Acid
BufferingTranexamic Acid
AstringentDipotassium Glycyrrhizate
HumectantHydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingUndaria Pinnatifida Extract
Skin ConditioningPerilla Ocymoides Seed Extract
AntioxidantAscorbic Acid
AntioxidantPropanediol
SolventCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientCamellia Japonica Flower Extract
EmollientWater, Butylene Glycol, Dipropylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Niacinamide, Hippophae Rhamnoides Water, Hippophae Rhamnoides Fruit Extract, Glycerin, Methyl Gluceth-20, Betaine, Panthenol, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Allantoin, Arginine, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Disodium EDTA, Citric Acid, Tranexamic Acid, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Undaria Pinnatifida Extract, Perilla Ocymoides Seed Extract, Ascorbic Acid, Propanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Camellia Japonica Flower Extract
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
HumectantGlycerin
Humectant1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningNiacinamide
SmoothingHippophae Rhamnoides Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantTrehalose
HumectantHydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingThuja Orientalis Leaf Extract
AntioxidantPolygonum Cuspidatum Root Extract
AntioxidantPerilla Frutescens Leaf Extract
MaskingZanthoxylum Schinifolium Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningCommiphora Myrrha Resin Extract
Skin ConditioningAspalathus Linearis Extract
Skin ConditioningPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningWater, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Niacinamide, Hippophae Rhamnoides Fruit Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Trehalose, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Thuja Orientalis Leaf Extract, Polygonum Cuspidatum Root Extract, Perilla Frutescens Leaf Extract, Zanthoxylum Schinifolium Leaf Extract, Commiphora Myrrha Resin Extract, Aspalathus Linearis Extract, Pentylene Glycol, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin
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
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 GlycolCaprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.
Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.
Because it is not a free-fatty acid, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl 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 GlycerinHippophae Rhamnoides Fruit Extract comes from the seabuckthorn berry. This berry is native to Asia and has been used in traditional medicine for centuries.
The seabuckthorn fruit contains carotenoids, palmitic acid, palmitoleic acid, Vitamin C, linoleic acid, and vitamin E.
The nutritious content of seabuckthorn fruit helps hydrate and nourish the skin. A study from 2018 found seabuckthorn may help with alleviating UV damage due to its anti-inflammatory property. However, it should not replace your sunscreen.
Due to its antioxidant properties, seabuckthorn fruit may help reduce the signs of aging. Antioxidants help fight unstable free-radical molecules, or molecules that may damage your skin cells.
Learn more about Hippophae Rhamnoides Fruit ExtractHydroxyethylcellulose is used to improve the texture of products. It is created from a chemical reaction involving ethylene oxide and alkali-cellulose. Cellulose is a sugar found in plant cell walls and help give plants structure.
This ingredient helps stabilize products by preventing ingredients from separating. It can also help thicken the texture of a product.
This ingredient can also be found in pill medicines to help our bodies digest other ingredients.
Learn more about HydroxyethylcelluloseNiacinamide 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 NiacinamideWater. 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