What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantSimmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
EmollientPropanediol
SolventPentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate
EmollientPolyglyceryl-2 Stearate
EmulsifyingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingCaffeine
Skin ConditioningMyristyl Alcohol
EmollientBisabolol
AntioxidantMethylparaben
PreservativeSodium Hydroxide
BufferingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingMica
Cosmetic ColorantEthylparaben
PreservativeDisodium EDTA
Avena Sativa Kernel Extract
AbrasiveCitric Acid
BufferingCI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantFarnesol
PerfumingSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantCI 16035
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Glycerin, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Propanediol, Pentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate, Polyglyceryl-2 Stearate, Phenoxyethanol, Carbomer, Caffeine, Myristyl Alcohol, Bisabolol, Methylparaben, Sodium Hydroxide, Xanthan Gum, Mica, Ethylparaben, Disodium EDTA, Avena Sativa Kernel Extract, Citric Acid, CI 77891, Farnesol, Sodium Hyaluronate, CI 16035
Water
Skin ConditioningDimethicone
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantC12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialShorea Robusta Seed Butter
EmollientStearic Acid
CleansingPalmitic Acid
EmollientPEG-100 Stearate
SurfactantGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientPEG-20 Stearate
EmulsifyingStearyl Alcohol
EmollientParaffin
Skin ConditioningGlycine Soja Protein
EmulsifyingTriethanolamine
BufferingCaffeine
Skin ConditioningIsohexadecane
EmollientPhenethyl Alcohol
MaskingHydrolyzed Soy Protein
HumectantAcetyl Trifluoromethylphenyl Valylglycine
Skin ConditioningYeast Extract
Skin ConditioningPolysorbate 80
EmulsifyingAcrylamide/Sodium Acryloyldimethyltaurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingAcrylates Copolymer
Cetyl Alcohol
EmollientRetinyl Palmitate
Skin ConditioningPotassium Sorbate
PreservativeMethylparaben
PreservativeSodium Benzoate
MaskingChlorhexidine Digluconate
AntimicrobialEthylparaben
PreservativePhenoxyethanol
PreservativeWater, Dimethicone, Glycerin, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Shorea Robusta Seed Butter, Stearic Acid, Palmitic Acid, PEG-100 Stearate, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-20 Stearate, Stearyl Alcohol, Paraffin, Glycine Soja Protein, Triethanolamine, Caffeine, Isohexadecane, Phenethyl Alcohol, Hydrolyzed Soy Protein, Acetyl Trifluoromethylphenyl Valylglycine, Yeast Extract, Polysorbate 80, Acrylamide/Sodium Acryloyldimethyltaurate Copolymer, Acrylates Copolymer, Cetyl Alcohol, Retinyl Palmitate, Potassium Sorbate, Methylparaben, Sodium Benzoate, Chlorhexidine Digluconate, Ethylparaben, Phenoxyethanol
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Caffeine is a naturally occurring plant compound found in coffee beans, tea leaves, cocoa pods, and guarana.
As an antioxidant, caffeine protects your skin from free radical damage caused by UV exposure and envionrmnetal stressors.
Early research also shows that caffeine can help calm redness, soothe irritated skin, and support hair growth by stimulating microcirculation in the scalp.
You might have seen eye creams marketing caffeine as a depuffing ingredient. This is because it is a vasoconstrictor meaning it can temporarily constrict blood vessels, though clinical evidence for this specific use is still limited.
Most skincare products contain this ingredient at concentrations between 1-6%. It is able to penetrate skin easily regardless of skin type or thickness.
Just so you know, a very small number of case reports describe caffeine-induced allergy. This ingredient is generally well-tolerated, non-irritating, and non-sensitizing for the majority of people.
Learn more about CaffeineEthylparaben is a preservative, is a paraben, and is not reef safe.
Glycerin (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 GlycerinMethylparaben is a synthetic preservative and one of the most widely used in the world. It has a simple, but important job: prevent your products from going bad by stopping bacteria, yeast, and mold from growing.
Typical use levels are low, often 0.1-0.3%.
This is also one of the most heavily studied preservatives out there and major regulatory bodies have repeatedly given it the green light.
In 2023, the EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (SCCS) confirmed that this ingredient is safe up to 0.4% on its own, of up to 0.8% when mixed with other paraben esters.
Here's the science behind the noise behind parabens/hormones as well:
Methylparaben shows very weak estrogen-like activity in vitro tests (more than 1,000x weaker than your body's own estradiol). In vivo (live-organism) studies don't support a meaningful endocrine-disrupting effect either.
You get a stronger estrogenic effect from eating tofu, actually.
It's also a low sensitizer and allergic reactions are uncommon; they usually happen on damage or broken skin.
There is a caveat: France has proposed to formally re-examine its endocrine classification in 2025 so the regulatory conversation isn't fully closed as of yet.
But as it stands today, this ingredient is considered safe at permitted levels.
Learn more about MethylparabenPhenoxyethanol 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