What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningQuaternium-60
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantMethyl Perfluorobutyl Ether
SolventMethyl Perfluoroisobutyl Ether
SolventCocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingCellulose
Absorbent
Ceramide AP
Skin Conditioning
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Parfum
Masking
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Sodium Chloride
MaskingButylene Glycol
Humectant
Illicium Verum Fruit Extract
Perfuming
Gluconolactone
Skin Conditioning
Salicylic Acid
Masking
Glycolic Acid
Buffering
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Formic Acid
Preservative
Propanediol
Solvent
Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
Humectant
Aluminum Chloride
AstringentHydrolyzed Glycosaminoglycans
HumectantGlycerin
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Benzyl Glycol
SolventHydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningHyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Raspberry Ketone
Masking
Water, Quaternium-60, Propylene Glycol, Dipropylene Glycol, Methyl Perfluorobutyl Ether, Methyl Perfluoroisobutyl Ether, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Cellulose, Ceramide AP, 1,2-Hexanediol, Parfum, Caprylyl Glycol, Sodium Chloride, Butylene Glycol, Illicium Verum Fruit Extract, Gluconolactone, Salicylic Acid, Glycolic Acid, Lactic Acid, Formic Acid, Propanediol, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Aluminum Chloride, Hydrolyzed Glycosaminoglycans, Glycerin, Sodium Hyaluronate, Benzyl Glycol, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Ethylhexylglycerin, Hyaluronic Acid, Raspberry Ketone
Water
Skin ConditioningCocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine
Cleansing
Glycerin
Humectant
Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate
CleansingNiacinamide
Smoothing
Salicylic Acid
Masking
Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate
Cleansing
PEG-150 Pentaerythrityl Tetrastearate
Emulsifying
Gluconolactone
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate
Cleansing
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide AP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide EOP
Skin Conditioning
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingCalcium Gluconate
HumectantTriethyl Citrate
Masking
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingSodium Benzoate
Masking
Sodium Chloride
MaskingSodium Lauroyl Lactylate
EmulsifyingCholesterol
Emollient
Coconut Acid
Cleansing
Tetrasodium EDTA
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Hectorite
AbsorbentPhytosphingosine
Skin Conditioning
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingAcrylates Copolymer
Benzoic Acid
Masking
Water, Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine, Glycerin, Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate, Niacinamide, Salicylic Acid, Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate, PEG-150 Pentaerythrityl Tetrastearate, Gluconolactone, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Ceramide NP, Ceramide AP, Ceramide EOP, Carbomer, Calcium Gluconate, Triethyl Citrate, Sodium Hydroxide, Sodium Benzoate, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Cholesterol, Coconut Acid, Tetrasodium EDTA, Caprylyl Glycol, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Hectorite, Phytosphingosine, Xanthan Gum, Acrylates Copolymer, Benzoic Acid
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 GlycolCeramide AP is is a skin-identical lipid that mimics what your skin already makes naturally. Ceramides help maintain epidermal integrity and barrier function.
You'll often see this ingredient paired with other ceramides (like ceramide NP), cholesterol, or fatty acids because this combination best mimics the natural lipid mix your skin already has.
The skin's ability to produce ceramides gets disrupted in skin conditions like eczema. This in turn weakens the skin barrier and applying ceramides topically has been shown to replenish what's been lost to restore barrier function.
Most of the studies with Ceramide AP test it as part of a multi-ceramide complex; studies reinforce ceramide AP's role in rebalancing ceramides in skin and improving skin hydration.
Learn more about Ceramide APGluconolactone is a PHA. PHAs are a great gentle alternative to traditional AHAs.
When applied, Gluconolactone has the same affect on skin as AHAs such as lactic acid. It helps dissolve the dead skin cells in the top layer of your skin. This improves texture and brightens the skin.
PHAs are more gentle than AHAs due to their larger structure. They do not penetrate as deeply as AHAs and take a longer time to dissolve dead cells. Studies show PHAs do not cause as much irritation.
Gluconolactone has some interesting properties:
In a 2004 study, Gluconolactone was found to prevent UV damage in mouse skin cells and has not been found to increase sun sensitivity. However, we still recommend wearing SPF daily.
This ingredient is is an created by reacting gluconic acid with an alcohol.
Learn more about GluconolactoneGlycerin (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 GlycerinHydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid is hyaluronic acid (HA) that is broken down into lower molecular weight fragments.
It's a humectant that pulls and holds water in the skin to help with hydration, plumpness, and reduce transepidermal water loss.
Because hydrolyzed hyaluronic acid is smaller in size, it can slip past your outermost layer of skin more easily than full-sized HA.
Most formulations will combine all sizes to get the best of both worlds.
Typical usage levels range from 0.01-1%. Any percentage higher than 2% might become goopy and tacky.
Learn more about Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic AcidSalicylic Acid (also known as beta hydroxy acid or BHA) is a well-known ingredient for treating skin that struggles with acne and clogged pores. It exfoliates both the skin's surface and deep within the pores to help clear out buildup, control oil, and reduce inflammation.
Unlike AHAs (alpha hydroxy acids), salicylic acid is oil-soluble. This allows it to penetrate into pores which makes it especially effective for treating blackheads and preventing future breakouts.
Salicylic acid is also known for its soothing properties. It has a similar structure to aspirin and can calm inflamed or irritated skin, making it a good option for acne-prone skin that is also sensitive.
Concentrations of 0.5-2% are recognized by the U.S. FDA as an over-the-counter topical acne product.
It can cause irritation and/or dryness if one's skin already has a compromised moisture barrier, so it's best to focus on repairing that before introducing this ingredient into your routine.
While salicylic acid does not increase sun sensitivity, itβs still important to wear sunscreen daily to protect your skin.
If you are looking for the ingredient called BHA or Butylated Hydroxyanisole, click here.
Learn more about Salicylic AcidChances are, you eat sodium chloride every day. Sodium Chloride is also known as table salt. This ingredient has many purposes in skincare: thickener, emulsifier, and exfoliator.
You'll most likely find this ingredient in cleansers where it is used to create a gel-like texture. As an emulsifier, it also prevents ingredients from separating.
You might see people debate whether Sodium Chloride is comedogenic, but there actually haven't been any comedogenic tests done on it. Either way, the overall formulation of a product matters a lot more than any single ingredient.
You might see this ingredient used in scrubs as a primary exfoliating ingredient.
Learn more about Sodium ChlorideWater. 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
