What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningDimethicone
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantSilica
AbrasiveAcrylamide/Sodium Acryloyldimethyltaurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingPrunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil
MaskingIsohexadecane
EmollientDimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Skin ConditioningHydroxypropyl Tetrahydropyrantriol
Skin ConditioningPropylene Glycol
HumectantCI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingChlorphenesin
AntimicrobialMica
Cosmetic ColorantTriethanolamine
BufferingPolysorbate 80
EmulsifyingCaffeine
Skin ConditioningAscorbyl Glucoside
AntioxidantDimethiconol
EmollientAdenosine
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
AntioxidantHydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
HumectantHydroxyethylpiperazine Ethane Sulfonic Acid
BufferingDisodium EDTA
Sorbitan Oleate
EmulsifyingTin Oxide
AbrasiveWater, Dimethicone, Glycerin, Silica, Acrylamide/Sodium Acryloyldimethyltaurate Copolymer, Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil, Isohexadecane, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Hydroxypropyl Tetrahydropyrantriol, Propylene Glycol, CI 77891, Phenoxyethanol, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Chlorphenesin, Mica, Triethanolamine, Polysorbate 80, Caffeine, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Dimethiconol, Adenosine, Tocopherol, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Hydroxyethylpiperazine Ethane Sulfonic Acid, Disodium EDTA, Sorbitan Oleate, Tin Oxide
Water
Skin ConditioningDimethicone
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantAlcohol Denat.
AntimicrobialPEG-8
HumectantDipropylene Glycol
HumectantSaccharomyces/Xylinum/Black Tea Ferment
Skin ConditioningPropylene Glycol
HumectantPolysilicone-11
Bis-PEG-18 Methyl Ether Dimethyl Silane
EmollientTuber Aestivum Extract
Skin ProtectingTuber Melanosporum Extract
HumectantAdenosine
Skin ConditioningCapryloyl Salicylic Acid
ExfoliatingNeohesperidin Dihydrochalcone
MaskingSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantTrisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Tocopherol
AntioxidantOctyldodecanol
EmollientSqualane
EmollientAmmonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate
Emulsion StabilisingBiosaccharide Gum-4
Skin ConditioningBiotin
AntiseborrhoeicCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientCitric Acid
BufferingHydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingPEG-20 Methyl Glucose Sesquistearate
EmulsifyingSodium Citrate
BufferingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingBis-PEG/PPG-16/16 PEG/PPG-16/16 Dimethicone
EmollientCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingBenzyl Alcohol
PerfumingHexyl Cinnamal
PerfumingHydroxycitronellal
PerfumingCI 14700
Cosmetic ColorantCI 19140
Cosmetic ColorantPentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
AntioxidantPhenoxyethanol
PreservativePotassium Sorbate
PreservativeSodium Benzoate
MaskingSodium Salicylate
PreservativeParfum
MaskingWater, Dimethicone, Glycerin, Alcohol Denat., PEG-8, Dipropylene Glycol, Saccharomyces/Xylinum/Black Tea Ferment, Propylene Glycol, Polysilicone-11, Bis-PEG-18 Methyl Ether Dimethyl Silane, Tuber Aestivum Extract, Tuber Melanosporum Extract, Adenosine, Capryloyl Salicylic Acid, Neohesperidin Dihydrochalcone, Sodium Hyaluronate, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Tocopherol, Octyldodecanol, Squalane, Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Biosaccharide Gum-4, Biotin, Caprylyl Glycol, Citric Acid, Hydroxyethylcellulose, PEG-20 Methyl Glucose Sesquistearate, Sodium Citrate, Xanthan Gum, Bis-PEG/PPG-16/16 PEG/PPG-16/16 Dimethicone, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Benzyl Alcohol, Hexyl Cinnamal, Hydroxycitronellal, CI 14700, CI 19140, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Phenoxyethanol, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Sodium Salicylate, Parfum
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Adenosine is in every living organism. It is one of four components in nucleic acids that helps store our DNA.
Adenosine has many benefits when used. These benefits include hydrating the skin, smoothing skin, and reducing wrinkles. Once applied, adenosine increases collagen production. It also helps with improving firmness and tissue repair.
Studies have found adenosine may also help with wound healing.
In skincare products, Adenosine is usually derived from yeast.
Learn more about AdenosineDimethicone is a type of synthetic silicone created from natural materials such as quartz. It is also known as polydimethylsiloxane.
What it does:
Dimethicone comes in different viscosities:
Depending on the viscosity, dimethicone has different properties.
Ingredients lists don't always show which type is used, so we recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about the viscosity.
This ingredient is unlikely to cause irritation because it does not get absorbed into skin. However, people with silicone allergies should be careful about using this ingredient.
Note: Dimethicone may contribute to pilling. This is because it is not oil or water soluble, so pilling may occur when layered with products. When mixed with heavy oils in a formula, the outcome is also quite greasy.
Learn more about DimethiconeGlycerin (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 GlycerinPhenoxyethanol 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.
Propylene Glycol is a synthetic, colorless, odorless liquid that has been a staple in cosmetics for decades. It is a skin conditioning agent, humectant, and solvent.
As a humectant, it draw water to the skin to reduce flaking and restore suppleness. It's also a solvent that helps dissolve other actives and keeps formulas stable across temperature changes.
The CIR Expert Panel has confirmed this ingredient to be nontoxic and clinical studies show no sensitization at cosmetic use concentrations.
True allergic reactions are quite rare: a 15-year retrospective study of 6,751 patients found only 0.31% had a positive reaction (and less than half were considered clinically relevant).
It seemed that when sensitization does occur, it's most commonly linked to topical medication (like corticosteroids) and not cosmetics. Allergic contact dermatitis also appears largely limited to individuals with underlying skin conditions.
Overall, propylene glycol is a well-studied ingredient that most people can tolerate without issue.
Learn more about Propylene GlycolTocopherol 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