What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
EmollientCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientHydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate
Glycolic Acid
BufferingCeteareth-20
CleansingPropylene Glycol
HumectantSalicylic Acid
MaskingHydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingHydrogenated Polyisobutene
EmollientPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeAllantoin
Skin ConditioningNiacinamide
SmoothingDipotassium Glycyrrhizate
HumectantBenzyl Alcohol
PerfumingChlorphenesin
AntimicrobialTocopherol
AntioxidantSodium Salicylate
PreservativeSodium Hydroxide
BufferingCI 19140
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Glycerin, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Cetearyl Alcohol, Hydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate, Glycolic Acid, Ceteareth-20, Propylene Glycol, Salicylic Acid, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Phenoxyethanol, Allantoin, Niacinamide, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Benzyl Alcohol, Chlorphenesin, Tocopherol, Sodium Salicylate, Sodium Hydroxide, CI 19140
Water
Skin ConditioningSqualane
EmollientPropanediol
SolventNiacinamide
SmoothingOlive Oil Glycereth-8 Esters
EmollientCoconut Alkanes
EmollientCocos Nucifera Water
MaskingSimmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
EmollientAmmonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Glycerin
HumectantMannitol
HumectantSclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil
HumectantSclerocarya Birrea Seed Butter
EmollientSodium PCA
HumectantOpuntia Tuna Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningLinum Usitatissimum Seed Oil
PerfumingSorbitol
HumectantQuercetin
AntioxidantTrehalose
HumectantZea Mays Oil
EmulsifyingCetyl Alcohol
EmollientSucrose
HumectantCreatine
Skin ConditioningInositol
HumectantPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningFerulic Acid
AntimicrobialHydroxytyrosol
BleachingBehenic Acid
CleansingLinoleic Acid
CleansingCholesterol
EmollientCeramide Ns
Skin ConditioningCeramide AP
Skin ConditioningCeramide Eos
Skin ConditioningCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningCeramide EOP
Skin ConditioningPhospholipids
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
HumectantMagnesium PCA
HumectantMicrocrystalline Cellulose
AbsorbentAdenosine
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCaprooyl Phytosphingosine
Skin ConditioningAscorbyl Palmitate
AntioxidantHydroxypropyl Methylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingCaprooyl Sphingosine
Skin ConditioningCoco-Caprylate/Caprate
EmollientCeteareth-25
CleansingCitric Acid
BufferingGlyceryl Caprylate
EmollientPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientSodium Benzoate
MaskingTocopherol
AntioxidantChlorphenesin
AntimicrobialPotassium Sorbate
PreservativeEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningWater, Squalane, Propanediol, Niacinamide, Olive Oil Glycereth-8 Esters, Coconut Alkanes, Cocos Nucifera Water, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Glycerin, Mannitol, Sclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil, Sclerocarya Birrea Seed Butter, Sodium PCA, Opuntia Tuna Fruit Extract, Linum Usitatissimum Seed Oil, Sorbitol, Quercetin, Trehalose, Zea Mays Oil, Cetyl Alcohol, Sucrose, Creatine, Inositol, Pentylene Glycol, Ferulic Acid, Hydroxytyrosol, Behenic Acid, Linoleic Acid, Cholesterol, Ceramide Ns, Ceramide AP, Ceramide Eos, Ceramide NP, Ceramide EOP, Phospholipids, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Magnesium PCA, Microcrystalline Cellulose, Adenosine, Sodium Hyaluronate, Xanthan Gum, Caprooyl Phytosphingosine, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose, Caprooyl Sphingosine, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Ceteareth-25, Citric Acid, Glyceryl Caprylate, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol, Sodium Benzoate, Tocopherol, Chlorphenesin, Potassium Sorbate, 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.
Chlorphenesin is a synthetic preservative. It helps protect a product against bacteria in order to extend shelf life. In most cases, Chlorphenesin is paired with other preservatives such as phenoxyethanol and caprylyl glycol.
Chlorphenesin is a biocide. This means it is able to help fight the microorganisms on our skin. It is also able to fight odor-releasing bacteria.
Chlorphenesin is soluble in both water and glycerin.
Studies show Chlorphenesin is easily absorbed by our skin. You should speak with a skincare professional if you have concerns about using Chlorphenesin.
Learn more about ChlorphenesinGlycerin (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.
Tocopherol 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