What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantCyclohexasiloxane
EmollientAlcohol Denat.
AntimicrobialPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningNiacinamide
SmoothingDimethicone
EmollientGlycine Soja Oil
EmollientPPG-6-Decyltetradeceth-30
EmulsifyingSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantRetinol
Skin ConditioningAdenosine
Skin ConditioningAmmonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate
Emulsion StabilisingCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientCitric Acid
BufferingTrisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPolysilicone-11
Retinyl Palmitate
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
AntioxidantPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeParfum
MaskingWater, Glycerin, Cyclohexasiloxane, Alcohol Denat., Pentylene Glycol, Niacinamide, Dimethicone, Glycine Soja Oil, PPG-6-Decyltetradeceth-30, Sodium Hyaluronate, Retinol, Adenosine, Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Caprylyl Glycol, Citric Acid, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Xanthan Gum, Polysilicone-11, Retinyl Palmitate, Tocopherol, Phenoxyethanol, Parfum
Water
Skin ConditioningNiacinamide
SmoothingPropanediol
SolventDicaprylyl Ether
EmollientCoco-Caprylate
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingAlpha-Arbutin
AntioxidantRosa Moschata Seed Oil
EmollientTranexamic Acid
AstringentHydroxyacetophenone
AntioxidantBidens Pilosa Extract
HumectantTocopherol
AntioxidantCetearyl Olivate
Sorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningLinum Usitatissimum Seed Oil
PerfumingElaeis Guineensis Oil
EmollientGossypium Herbaceum Seed Oil
Skin ConditioningAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Acrylates Copolymer
Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
BleachingDecyl Glucoside
CleansingLecithin
EmollientSodium Gluconate
Skin ConditioningCitric Acid
BufferingGlyceryl Caprylate
EmollientLauryl Glucoside
CleansingGlyceryl Undecylenate
EmollientTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantAscorbyl Palmitate
AntioxidantWater, Niacinamide, Propanediol, Dicaprylyl Ether, Coco-Caprylate, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Alpha-Arbutin, Rosa Moschata Seed Oil, Tranexamic Acid, Hydroxyacetophenone, Bidens Pilosa Extract, Tocopherol, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Linum Usitatissimum Seed Oil, Elaeis Guineensis Oil, Gossypium Herbaceum Seed Oil, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Sodium Acrylates Copolymer, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Decyl Glucoside, Lecithin, Sodium Gluconate, Citric Acid, Glyceryl Caprylate, Lauryl Glucoside, Glyceryl Undecylenate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Ascorbyl Palmitate
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Caprylyl 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 or alcohol, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolCitric Acid is an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) naturally found in citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, and limes.
Like other AHAs, citric acid can exfoliate skin by breaking down the bonds that hold dead skin cells together. This helps reveal smoother and brighter skin underneath.
However, this exfoliating effect only happens at high concentrations (20%) which can be hard to find in cosmetic products.
Due to this, citric acid is usually included in small amounts as a pH adjuster. This helps keep products slightly more acidic and compatible with skin's natural pH.
In skincare formulas, citric acid can:
While it can provide some skin benefits, research shows lactic acid and glycolic acid are generally more effective and less irritating exfoliants.
Most citric acid used in skincare today is made by fermenting sugars (usually from molasses). This synthetic version is identical to the natural citrus form but easier to stabilize and use in formulations.
Read more about some other popular AHA's here:
Learn more about Citric AcidGlycerin (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 NiacinamideTocopherol 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