What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningSnail Secretion Filtrate
Skin ConditioningNiacinamide
SmoothingButylene Glycol
HumectantCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingCetearyl Olivate
Glycerin
HumectantSorbitan Olivate
EmulsifyingMicrocrystalline Wax
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Polyacrylate
AbsorbentCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingHydroxyacetophenone
AntioxidantBenzyl Glycol
SolventArginine
MaskingCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningGlyceryl Starch
AbsorbentPolyacrylate-2
Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingRaspberry Ketone
MaskingIsohexadecane
EmollientDisodium EDTA
Butoxydiglycol
MaskingPolysorbate 80
EmulsifyingSorbitan Oleate
EmulsifyingAdenosine
Skin ConditioningBHT
AntioxidantParfum
MaskingWater, Snail Secretion Filtrate, Niacinamide, Butylene Glycol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cetearyl Olivate, Glycerin, Sorbitan Olivate, Microcrystalline Wax, Sodium Polyacrylate, Carbomer, Hydroxyacetophenone, Benzyl Glycol, Arginine, Caprylyl Glycol, Pentylene Glycol, Glyceryl Starch, Polyacrylate-2, Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Raspberry Ketone, Isohexadecane, Disodium EDTA, Butoxydiglycol, Polysorbate 80, Sorbitan Oleate, Adenosine, BHT, Parfum
Water
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientCetyl Ethylhexanoate
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantButylene Glycol Oleate
EmollientPropanediol
SolventSorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningDimethicone
EmollientBetaine
HumectantPolyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate
EmulsifyingArginine
MaskingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingAllantoin
Skin ConditioningPanthenol
Skin ConditioningXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantOlea Europaea Fruit Oil
MaskingSimmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
EmollientPersea Gratissima Oil
Skin ConditioningVegetable Oil
Skin ConditioningBakuchiol
AntimicrobialRetinyl Palmitate
Skin ConditioningRetinol
Skin ConditioningArachis Hypogaea Oil
Skin ConditioningAscorbyl Glucoside
AntioxidantAscorbic Acid
AntioxidantTocopherol
AntioxidantPolyglyceryl-10 Laurate
Skin ConditioningPalmitoyl Tripeptide-1
Skin ConditioningCopper Tripeptide-1
Skin ConditioningOlea Europaea Leaf Extract
PerfumingZinc PCA
HumectantCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
Polysorbate 20
EmulsifyingBHT
AntioxidantBHA
AntioxidantWater, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol Oleate, Propanediol, Sorbitan Olivate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Dimethicone, Betaine, Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate, Arginine, Carbomer, Allantoin, Panthenol, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Hyaluronate, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Persea Gratissima Oil, Vegetable Oil, Bakuchiol, Retinyl Palmitate, Retinol, Arachis Hypogaea Oil, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Ascorbic Acid, Tocopherol, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Copper Tripeptide-1, Olea Europaea Leaf Extract, Zinc PCA, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Disodium EDTA, Polysorbate 20, BHT, BHA
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Arginine is a semi-essential amino acid. This just means our bodies can product a bit on its own, but sometimes needs a little boost from food sources.
It is a part of your skin's natural moisturizing factor (NMF), or the water-loving molecules in your outermost layer of skin (stratum corneum) that keeps everything hydrated and happy.
Here's an interesting thing about Arginine: your skin converts it into urea through the Krebs-Henseleit urea cycle. Urea is one of the most effective humectants your skin naturally produces.
A clinical study showed applying 2.5% arginine hydrochloride to atopic dermatitis skin showed significant urea levels in the stratum corneum and improved moisture in just four weeks.
Arginine is also a precursor to nitric oxide; nitric oxide improves microcirculation and supports wound healing and collagen synthesis.
One study found that an amino acid complex containing Arginine reduced skin irritation, improved hydration, and accelerated skin repair in clinical / in-vivo studies.
Arginine itself is an amino acid and not a fatty acid, oil, or ester. On its own, it's not a direct food source for Malassezia, or the yeast that causes fungal acne.
Learn more about ArginineBHT is a synthetic antioxidant and preservative.
As an antioxidant, it helps your body fight off free-radicals. Free-radicals are molecules that may damage your skin cells.
As a preservative, it is used to stabilize products and prevent them from degrading. Specifically, BHT prevents degradation from oxidation.
The concerns related to BHT come from oral studies; this ingredient is currently allowed for use by both the FDA and EU.
However, it was recently restricted for use in the UK as of April 2024.
Learn more about BHTCaprylyl 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 GlycolCarbomer is a high-molecular weight polymer of acrylic acid. It is used to form gels and thicken formulas.
Due to its large molecular size, carbomer has minimal skin penetration and is considered an inert ingredient.
A high amount of carbomer can cause pilling or balling up of products. Don't worry, most products contain 1% or less of carbomer.
Learn more about CarbomerDisodium EDTA is a chelating agent. It grabs onto and deactivates metal ions that sneak into your products from water, packaging, or air.
This ingredient mainly works behind the scenes and helps with:
On top of that, this ingredient can counteract the effects of hard water by binding to the minerals in it.
One thing worth knowing is that Disodium EDTA has been shown to be a mild penetration enhancer. It can help other ingredients absorb into skin more effectively which can be a double-edged sword (great for actives, but can also make the active too strong if you have sensitive skin).
Clinical patch testing showed no significant skin irritation at typical use concentrations and minimal dermal absorption.
You'll most likely see this ingredient near the end of an ingredient list. It's typically found in concentrations less than 1%.
Learn more about Disodium EDTAGlycerin (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 GlycerinSorbitan Olivate is created from the fatty acids in olive oil and sorbitol.
This ingredient is an oil in water emulsifier. It helps stabilize a product by preventing oils and waters from separating. Sorbitan Olivate also helps hydrate the skin.
This ingredient is also known as part of Olivem 1000, with Cetearyl Olivate being the other part.
According to a manufacturer, this ingredient helps preserve the natural microbiome of skin. Having a healthy microbiome helps keep our skin healthy and protects against harmful bacteria.
Please note, having a healthy microbiome is different from fungal acne; a healthy microbiome includes small amounts of yeast that normally live on your skin without causing problems.
Fungal acne happens when one type of yeast (Malassezia) grows out of control. This is usually because it's feeding on certain oils or fatty acids. Due to the olive oil base, this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Sorbitan OlivateWater. 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