What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Propanediol
Solvent
Coco-Caprylate/Caprate
Emollient
Hydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate
C14-22 Alcohols
Emulsion Stabilising
Squalane
Emollient
C12-20 Alkyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingLecithin
Emollient
Sodium Palmitoyl Proline
Skin ConditioningNymphaea Alba Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningCaprylhydroxamic Acid
Glyceryl Caprylate
EmollientGlycerin
Humectant
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Ethyl Ferulate
Antioxidant
Humulus Lupulus Extract
AntimicrobialBakuchiol
Antimicrobial
Glycine Soja Oil
Emollient
Retinol
Skin Conditioning
Retinyl Sunflowerseedate
Skin ConditioningXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingRosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Propanediol, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Hydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate, C14-22 Alcohols, Squalane, C12-20 Alkyl Glucoside, Lecithin, Sodium Palmitoyl Proline, Nymphaea Alba Flower Extract, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, Glyceryl Caprylate, Glycerin, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Tocopherol, Ethyl Ferulate, Humulus Lupulus Extract, Bakuchiol, Glycine Soja Oil, Retinol, Retinyl Sunflowerseedate, Xanthan Gum, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
C9-12 Alkane
SolventCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Pentaerythrityl Tetracaprylate/Tetracaprate
EmollientBakuchiol
Antimicrobial
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Tocopheryl Glucoside
EmollientAcacia Senegal Gum
MaskingButylene Glycol
Humectant
Citric Acid
Buffering
Coco-Caprylate/Caprate
Emollient
Glyceryl Behenate
Emollient
Glyceryl Dibehenate
Emollient
Sodium Dilauramidoglutamide Lysine
HumectantTribehenin
Emollient
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingWater, Glycerin, Niacinamide, Pentylene Glycol, C9-12 Alkane, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Pentaerythrityl Tetracaprylate/Tetracaprate, Bakuchiol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Tocopheryl Glucoside, Acacia Senegal Gum, Butylene Glycol, Citric Acid, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Glyceryl Behenate, Glyceryl Dibehenate, Sodium Dilauramidoglutamide Lysine, Tribehenin, Xanthan Gum
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Bakuchiol is a plant-derived antioxidant from the seeds of the Psoralea corylifolia plant. It has antimicrobial, emollient, skin conditioning, and antioxidant properties.
You'll likely see it called a "retinol replacement" but the two are technically not related. This is because bakuchiol is able to flip many of the same switches in your skin cells to tell them to:
1) produce more collagen (type I, III, and IV)
2) activate the same genes retinoids do
Unlike retinoids, this ingredient will not increase photosensitivity and is safe to use during pregnancy (but please still check in with your doctor!).
The flagship clinical trial from Dhaliwal et al. 2019 found 0.5% bakuchiol (twice daily) and 0.5% retinol (once daily) reduced wrinkles and hyperpigmentation equally, but bakuchiol had significantly less irritation.
Systematic reviews also back this up:
Bakuchiol is comparable to retinol for photoaging but with better tolerability. It also has mild antibacterial properties against Cutibacterium acnes and antifungal activity in vitro against Candida and dermatophytes.
The reason bakuchiol works well is due to its structure; it is a meroterpene phenol, or a hybrid molecule. The phenol half acts as an antioxidant while the terpene half is fat-loving. This helps the molecule slip through the skin barrier.
This ingredient is usually used between 0.5-2%. Only one case of contact dermatitis has ever been reported for this ingredient.
Learn more about BakuchiolCoco-Caprylate/Caprate is a lightweight ester created from coconut oil fatty acids, caprylic acid, and capric acid.
It is an emollient that helps soften skin and reduce transepidermal water loss (TEWL). What sets it apart from heavier emollients is its ultralight, non-greasy feel.
Once applied, this ingredient dries down quickly and leaves a dry, silky finish behind. This also helps improve spreadability and texture.
This ingredient has an excellent safety-record and is non-irritating.
Typical concentrations for cosmetics range from 0.5-62%.
Research on Malassezia growth found no growth on fatty acid esters with chain lengths shorter than 12 carbons (it prefers C11-24).
Since Coco-Caprylate/Caprate is built on C8 and C10 fatty acids, it is out of the range that Malassezia metabolizes, and therefore safe for fungal acne.
Learn more about Coco-Caprylate/CaprateGlycerin (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 GlycerinXanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.
On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.
Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.
Learn more about Xanthan Gum
