What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Algae Extract
EmollientWater
Skin ConditioningDimethicone
Emollient
Isododecane
EmollientGlycerin
Humectant
Hydrogenated Polyisobutene
EmollientTrisiloxane
Skin Conditioning
Caprylic/Capric/Myristic/Stearic Triglyceride
EmollientVinyl Dimethicone/Methicone Silsesquioxane Crosspolymer
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Maris Sal
Skin ConditioningFaex Extract
Skin ConditioningHelichrysum Arenarium Extract
AntiseborrhoeicSesamum Indicum Seed Oil
Emollient
Medicago Sativa Seed Powder
Skin ConditioningHelianthus Annuus Seedcake
Abrasive
Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Seed Meal
Abrasive
Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Oil
Perfuming
Sodium Gluconate
Skin ConditioningCopper Gluconate
Skin Conditioning
Calcium Gluconate
HumectantMagnesium Gluconate
Skin ConditioningZinc Gluconate
Skin Conditioning
Tocopheryl Succinate
Antioxidant
Niacin
SmoothingSesamum Indicum Seed Powder
Skin ConditioningAsparagopsis Armata Extract
Skin ProtectingLaminaria Digitata Extract
Skin Protecting
Molasses Extract
Skin ConditioningPhytosphingosine
Skin Conditioning
Ecklonia Cava Extract
Skin ConditioningCorallina Officinalis Extract
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Sigesbeckia Orientalis Extract
Skin ConditioningPolygonum Fagopyrum Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningBrassica Campestris Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Polyglyceryl-3 Diisostearate
Emulsifying
Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
Bleaching
Ascophyllum Nodosum Extract
Skin ConditioningCitrus Aurantifolia Peel Extract
Cleansing
Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract
Emollient
Acetyl Hexapeptide-8
Humectant
Althaea Officinalis Root Extract
Skin Conditioning
Oryza Sativa Bran Extract
Skin Conditioning
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Saccharomyces Lysate Extract
Humectant
Macadamia Integrifolia Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Dipeptide-2
Skin Conditioning
Glyceryl Triacetyl Ricinoleate
Emollient
Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Skin Conditioning
Caffeine
Skin Conditioning
Tetraacetylphytosphingosine
Skin ConditioningWhey Protein
Skin ConditioningAcetyl Glucosamine
Skin Conditioning
Triethylhexanoin
MaskingSorbitol
Humectant
Hordeum Vulgare Extract
EmollientGlycine Soja Protein
EmulsifyingCholesterol
Emollient
Hydrolyzed Yeast Protein
Skin ConditioningIsononyl Isononanoate
EmollientPropylene Glycol Dicaprate
EmollientCetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone
Emulsifying
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Sucrose
Humectant
Polysilicone-11
Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Emulsion Stabilising
Dimethicone Crosspolymer-3
Skin Conditioning
Silica
Abrasive
Nylon-12
Trimethylsiloxysilicate
Emollient
Steareth-20
CleansingCalcium Chloride
AstringentHesperidin Methyl Chalcone
Antioxidant
PEG/PPG-18/18 Dimethicone
Emulsifying
Alumina
Abrasive
Triethoxycaprylylsilane
Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil
Emollient
Alcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Propanediol
Solvent
Parfum
Masking
BHT
Antioxidant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Chlorhexidine Digluconate
Antimicrobial
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Mica
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantAlgae Extract, Water, Dimethicone, Isododecane, Glycerin, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Trisiloxane, Caprylic/Capric/Myristic/Stearic Triglyceride, Vinyl Dimethicone/Methicone Silsesquioxane Crosspolymer, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Maris Sal, Faex Extract, Helichrysum Arenarium Extract, Sesamum Indicum Seed Oil, Medicago Sativa Seed Powder, Helianthus Annuus Seedcake, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Seed Meal, Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Oil, Sodium Gluconate, Copper Gluconate, Calcium Gluconate, Magnesium Gluconate, Zinc Gluconate, Tocopheryl Succinate, Niacin, Sesamum Indicum Seed Powder, Asparagopsis Armata Extract, Laminaria Digitata Extract, Molasses Extract, Phytosphingosine, Ecklonia Cava Extract, Corallina Officinalis Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sigesbeckia Orientalis Extract, Polygonum Fagopyrum Seed Extract, Brassica Campestris Seed Oil, Polyglyceryl-3 Diisostearate, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Ascophyllum Nodosum Extract, Citrus Aurantifolia Peel Extract, Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Althaea Officinalis Root Extract, Oryza Sativa Bran Extract, Tocopheryl Acetate, Saccharomyces Lysate Extract, Macadamia Integrifolia Seed Oil, Dipeptide-2, Glyceryl Triacetyl Ricinoleate, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Caffeine, Tetraacetylphytosphingosine, Whey Protein, Acetyl Glucosamine, Triethylhexanoin, Sorbitol, Hordeum Vulgare Extract, Glycine Soja Protein, Cholesterol, Hydrolyzed Yeast Protein, Isononyl Isononanoate, Propylene Glycol Dicaprate, Cetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone, Caprylyl Glycol, Sucrose, Polysilicone-11, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Dimethicone Crosspolymer-3, Silica, Nylon-12, Trimethylsiloxysilicate, Steareth-20, Calcium Chloride, Hesperidin Methyl Chalcone, PEG/PPG-18/18 Dimethicone, Alumina, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil, Alcohol Denat., Propanediol, Parfum, BHT, Phenoxyethanol, Potassium Sorbate, Chlorhexidine Digluconate, Sodium Benzoate, Mica, CI 77891
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
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 CaffeineCaprylyl 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 GlycolDimethicone 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 one of the most widely used preservatives in skincare (and for good reason!).
It has a large spectrum of antimicrobial activity and especially effective bacteria, yeast, and mold while only having a weak effect on your skin's natural microbiome.
On a cellular level, it disrupts the cell membranes of microbes by poking holes that make the cell leak. This shuts down the chemical reactions the microbe needs to make energy so it can no longer survive.
Another perk of this ingredient is that it stays functional across a wide pH range (3-10).
You'll often see it paired with boosters like Ethylhexylglycerin; one study showed that a 1:9 ratio of Ethylhexylglycerin to Phenoxyethanol damages bacterial membranes as effectively as doubling the Phenoxyethanol concentration on its own.
Typical use concentrations range from 0.3-1% depending on the formula, and this ingredient is capped at 1% int the EU.
Safety-wise, the fear mongering does not hold up to the evidence. The EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety and FDA consider it safe as a preservative at up to 1%, including for children of all ages.
Adverse systemic effects only showed up in animal studies at exposures roughly 200x higher than what people get from cosmetics. And despite its very widespread use, this ingredient is a rare sensitizer and allergic reactions are uncommon.
Learn more about PhenoxyethanolSodium Hyaluronate is the salt form of hyaluronic acid. It is a long sugar chain that is naturally found in your skin, joints, and connective tissue that maintains hydration and elasticity.
In skincare, it works as a humectant. It pulls water from the environment and deeper layers of skin and binds it to the surface.
Interestingly, the size of the molecule affects its behavior:
Some clinical evidence links low molecular weight versions to improved wrinkle depth, elasticity, anti-inflammatory effects, and barrier repair.
Many serums use a blend of both weights so you can get surface hydration plus longer-lasting and deeper effects.
You'll typically see concentrations between 0.1-2% for this ingredient.
Learn more about Sodium HyaluronateWater. 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
