What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningPropylene Glycol
Humectant
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Azelaic Acid
Buffering
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialGlycerin
Humectant
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingCentella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Avena Sativa Kernel Extract
Abrasive
Hydrolyzed Oat Protein
Skin ConditioningPotassium Palmitoyl Hydrolyzed Oat Protein
Skin ConditioningCeramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Dehydroacetic Acid
Preservative
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingWater, Propylene Glycol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Azelaic Acid, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Glycerin, Niacinamide, Panthenol, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Centella Asiatica Extract, Tocopherol, Avena Sativa Kernel Extract, Hydrolyzed Oat Protein, Potassium Palmitoyl Hydrolyzed Oat Protein, Ceramide NP, Phenoxyethanol, Dehydroacetic Acid, Benzyl Alcohol, Sodium Hydroxide
Water
Skin ConditioningAzelaic Acid
Buffering
Glycerin
Humectant
Coco-Caprylate
Emollient
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Potassium Hydroxide
BufferingMethyl Glucose Sesquistearate
Emollient
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Squalane
Emollient
Ethyl Macadamiate
Skin Conditioning
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Prunus Domestica Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
Bleaching
3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Mandelic Acid
Antimicrobial
Malic Acid
Buffering
Behenyl Alcohol
Emollient
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingWater, Azelaic Acid, Glycerin, Coco-Caprylate, Pentylene Glycol, Potassium Hydroxide, Methyl Glucose Sesquistearate, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Squalane, Ethyl Macadamiate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Prunus Domestica Seed Oil, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Tocopherol, Mandelic Acid, Malic Acid, Behenyl Alcohol, Xanthan Gum
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Azelaic acid is a multitasker ingredient that helps treat acne, pigmentation, and irritation. It is a great option for sensitive skin.
What makes it special?
OTC Azelaic acid is usually available in concentrations from 10-15% and anything over requires a prescription.
Here's what each tier does best:
Unlike other acids, azelaic acid will not make your skin more photosensitive/sun sensitive.
Though this ingredient is naturally occurring in grains like wheat, rye, and barley, it is usually synthetically created for cosmetics to ensure stability and effectiveness.
Learn more about Azelaic 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 GlycerinTocopherol 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
