What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Polyvinyl Alcohol
Glycerin
HumectantButylene Glycol
HumectantNiacinamide
Smoothing1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantIsopentyldiol
HumectantCurcuma Longa Root Extract
MaskingPolyglyceryl-10 Laurate
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
SolventGlyceryl Glucoside
HumectantEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingAdenosine
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
Glucose
HumectantKojic Acid
AntioxidantAscorbic Acid
AntioxidantGlycine Soja Oil
EmollientCollagen Extract
Skin ConditioningRetinol
Skin ConditioningPolyvinyl Alcohol, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Niacinamide, 1,2-Hexanediol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Isopentyldiol, Curcuma Longa Root Extract, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Propanediol, Glyceryl Glucoside, Ethylhexylglycerin, Xanthan Gum, Adenosine, Disodium EDTA, Glucose, Kojic Acid, Ascorbic Acid, Glycine Soja Oil, Collagen Extract, Retinol
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantAcrylates Copolymer
Niacinamide
SmoothingCeratonia Siliqua Gum
EmollientChondrus Crispus Extract
Skin ConditioningDipropylene Glycol
HumectantBetaine
HumectantAlgin
Masking1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningHydroxyacetophenone
AntioxidantButylene Glycol
HumectantPotassium Chloride
Agar
MaskingCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientSucrose
HumectantAllantoin
Skin ConditioningPolyglyceryl-10 Laurate
Skin ConditioningEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningGalactomyces Ferment Filtrate
HumectantAdenosine
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
Pyrus Communis Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningRosa Damascena Flower Water
MaskingCollagen Extract
Skin ConditioningIris Florentina Root Extract
MaskingCucumis Melo Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningHedera Helix Leaf/Stem Extract
AntimicrobialDipotassium Glycyrrhizate
HumectantHydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
HumectantLactobacillus Ferment
Skin ConditioningBifida Ferment Filtrate
Skin ConditioningLactobacillus Ferment Lysate
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
AntioxidantWater, Glycerin, Acrylates Copolymer, Niacinamide, Ceratonia Siliqua Gum, Chondrus Crispus Extract, Dipropylene Glycol, Betaine, Algin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Hydroxyacetophenone, Butylene Glycol, Potassium Chloride, Agar, Caprylyl Glycol, Sucrose, Allantoin, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Galactomyces Ferment Filtrate, Adenosine, Disodium EDTA, Pyrus Communis Fruit Extract, Rosa Damascena Flower Water, Collagen Extract, Iris Florentina Root Extract, Cucumis Melo Fruit Extract, Hedera Helix Leaf/Stem Extract, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Lactobacillus Ferment, Bifida Ferment Filtrate, Lactobacillus Ferment Lysate, Tocopherol
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
1,2-Hexanediol is a synthetic liquid and another multi-functional powerhouse.
It is a:
- Humectant, drawing moisture into the skin
- Emollient, helping to soften skin
- Solvent, dispersing and stabilizing formulas
- Preservative booster, enhancing the antimicrobial activity of other preservatives
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 AdenosineButylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:
Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient that works well with other ingredients.
Though this ingredient works well with most skin types, some people with sensitive skin may experience a reaction such as allergic rashes, closed comedones, or itchiness.
Learn more about Butylene GlycolCollagen extract is derived from parts of animals. It has skin conditioning properties and is mostly comprised of glycine, proline, and hydroxypoline. These are amino acids.
While our skin does have collagen, this ingredient is not used by the skin for anti-aging. Applying collagen topically has not been linked to helping with collagen loss in skin. All the benefits of collagen are related to hydration.
This ingredient will not increase sun sensitivity, but you should always wear sunscreen during the day.
Learn more about Collagen ExtractDisodium 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 EDTAEthylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:
The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure.
Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.
Learn more about EthylhexylglycerinGlycerin (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 NiacinamidePolyglyceryl-10 Laurate is a cleansing agent and emulsifier.
It rounds up dirt, oil, and grime, so they can be rinsed off easily as a cleanser. On the emulsifier side, it keeps your formula smooth and well-mixed by playing peacekeeper for ingredients that don't naturally get along (like oil and water).
Because it has a C12 (lauric acid) fatty acid chain, this ingredient can potentially feed the Malassezia yeast that causes fungal acne. The Malassezia yeast prefers esters with C11-C24 fatty acids If you're prone to flare-ups, you might want to patch-test or skip this one.
This ingredient is an ester of lauric acid and Polyglycerin-10.
Learn more about Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate