What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Flower Water
Skin ConditioningWater
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantVaccinium Macrocarpon Fruit Extract
AstringentNiacinamide
SmoothingPanthenol
Skin ConditioningPantolactone
HumectantCitric Acid
BufferingCollagen Amino Acids
MoisturisingLeuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Lysate Filtrate
Skin ConditioningGlyceryl Glucoside
HumectantSr-Spider Polypeptide-1
Skin Protecting1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientGluconolactone
Skin ConditioningSodium Benzoate
MaskingBenzyl Alcohol
PerfumingDehydroacetic Acid
PreservativeSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantDehydroxanthan Gum
Emulsion StabilisingArginine
MaskingCitrus Aurantium Dulcis Flower Water, Water, Glycerin, Vaccinium Macrocarpon Fruit Extract, Niacinamide, Panthenol, Pantolactone, Citric Acid, Collagen Amino Acids, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Lysate Filtrate, Glyceryl Glucoside, Sr-Spider Polypeptide-1, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Gluconolactone, Sodium Benzoate, Benzyl Alcohol, Dehydroacetic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate, Dehydroxanthan Gum, Arginine
Water
Skin ConditioningPropylene Glycol
HumectantCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingAzelaic Acid
BufferingC12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialGlycerin
HumectantNiacinamide
SmoothingPanthenol
Skin ConditioningHydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingCentella Asiatica Extract
CleansingTocopherol
AntioxidantAvena Sativa Kernel Extract
AbrasiveHydrolyzed Oat Protein
Skin ConditioningPotassium Palmitoyl Hydrolyzed Oat Protein
Skin ConditioningCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeDehydroacetic Acid
PreservativeBenzyl Alcohol
PerfumingSodium 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
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Benzyl Alcohol is most commonly used as a preservative. It also has a subtle, sweet smell. Small amounts of Benzyl Alcohol is not irritating and safe to use in skincare products. Most Benzyl Alcohol is derived from fruits such as apricots.
Benzyl Alcohol has both antibacterial and antioxidant properties. These properties help lengthen the shelf life of products. Benzyl Alcohol is a solvent and helps dissolve other ingredients. It can also improve the texture and spreadability.
Alcohol comes in many different forms. Different types of alcohol will have different effects on skin. This ingredient is an astringent alcohol.
Using high concentrations of these alcohols are drying on the skin. They may strip away your skin's natural oils and even damage your skin barrier. Astringent alcohols may also irritate skin.
Other types of astringent alcohols include:
According to the National Rosacea Society based in the US, you should be mindful of products with these alcohols in the top half of ingredients.
Any type of sanitizing product will have high amounts of alcohol to help kill bacteria and viruses.
Learn more about Benzyl AlcoholDehydroacetic Acid is fungicide and bactericide. It is used as a preservative in cosmetics. Preservatives help elongate the shelf life of a product.
Dehydroacetic Acid is not soluble in water.
Glycerin (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 NiacinamidePanthenol is a common ingredient that helps hydrate and soothe the skin. It is found naturally in our skin and hair.
There are two forms of panthenol: D and L.
D-panthenol is also known as dexpanthenol. Most cosmetics use dexpanthenol or a mixture of D and L-panthenol.
Panthenol is famous due to its ability to go deeper into the skin's layers. Using this ingredient has numerous pros (and no cons):
Like hyaluronic acid, panthenol is a humectant. Humectants are able to bind and hold large amounts of water to keep skin hydrated.
This ingredient works well for wound healing. It works by increasing tissue in the wound and helps close open wounds.
Once oxidized, panthenol converts to pantothenic acid. Panthothenic acid is found in all living cells.
This ingredient is also referred to as pro-vitamin B5.
Learn more about PanthenolWater. 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