What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningDimethicone
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Silica
Abrasive
Acrylamide/Sodium Acryloyldimethyltaurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingPrunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil
Masking
Isohexadecane
EmollientDimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Skin Conditioning
Hydroxypropyl Tetrahydropyrantriol
Skin ConditioningPropylene Glycol
Humectant
CI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingChlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Mica
Cosmetic ColorantTriethanolamine
BufferingPolysorbate 80
Emulsifying
Caffeine
Skin Conditioning
Ascorbyl Glucoside
Antioxidant
Dimethiconol
Emollient
Adenosine
Skin Conditioning
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Hydroxyethylpiperazine Ethane Sulfonic Acid
BufferingDisodium EDTA
Sorbitan Oleate
Emulsifying
Tin Oxide
Abrasive
Water, 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 ConditioningIsocetyl Stearate
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Octyldodecanol
Emollient
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Dimethicone
Emollient
Acrylamide/Sodium Acryloyldimethyltaurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Skin Conditioning
Caffeine
Skin Conditioning
Isohexadecane
EmollientSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingRetinol
Skin Conditioning
Retinyl Linoleate
Skin Conditioning
Adenosine
Skin Conditioning
Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate
Emulsion StabilisingCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Citric Acid
Buffering
Polysilicone-8
Polysorbate 80
Emulsifying
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Water, Isocetyl Stearate, Glycerin, Octyldodecanol, Propylene Glycol, Pentylene Glycol, Dimethicone, Acrylamide/Sodium Acryloyldimethyltaurate Copolymer, Cetearyl Alcohol, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Caffeine, Isohexadecane, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Hydroxide, Retinol, Retinyl Linoleate, Adenosine, Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Caprylyl Glycol, Citric Acid, Polysilicone-8, Polysorbate 80, Phenoxyethanol
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
This ingredient is a synthetic polymer used to stabilize formulas and give products a "gel-cream" feel.
When applied, this ingredient mostly stays on the surface of skin. Safety reviews have found these polymers safe in cosmetics when made to proper quality standards. Testing also shows they’re unlikely to cause irritation or sensitization at normal use levels.
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 AdenosineCaffeine 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 CaffeineDimethicone 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 DimethiconeThis ingredient is a silicone elastomer that works as a texture enhancer, adds a silky slip, and also helps absorb excess oil.
Because it's a large macromolecule that's insoluble in water and chemically inert, it's not expected to penetrate or be absorbed into skin.
Human patch tests with a facial lotion containing 1% of this ingredient found no sensitization.
Learn more about Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone CrosspolymerGlycerin (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 GlycerinIsohexadecane is added to enhance texture, emulsify, and to help cleanse. It is an isoparrafin. It is a component of petrolatum.
Due to its large size, Isohexadecane is not absorbed by the skin. Instead, it sits on top and acts as an emollient. Emollients help keep your skin soft and smooth by trapping moisture within.
Isohexadecane is often used in products designed to help oily skin. It is lightweight and non-greasy while helping to moisturize. When mixed with silicones, it gives a product a silky feel.
Learn more about IsohexadecanePhenoxyethanol 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.
Polysorbate 80 is a surfactant and emulsifier. It is used to keep ingredients together, and prevent oils and waters from separating.
It is made from polyethoxylated sorbitan and oleic acid. This ingredient can be found in cosmetics, foods, and medicine. It is water-soluble.
Polysorbate 80 may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Polysorbate 80Propylene 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 GlycolWater. 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
