What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Imperata Cylindrica Root Extract
Skin ConditioningDimethyl Isosorbide
SolventMeadowfoam Delta-Lactone
Skin ConditioningRetinyl Propionate
Skin Conditioning
Retinol
Skin Conditioning
Swertia Chirata Leaf Extract
AstringentUrea
Buffering
Yeast Amino Acids
HumectantTrehalose
Humectant
Inositol
Humectant
Taurine
BufferingBetaine
Humectant
Fucus Vesiculosus Extract
Emollient
Glycine Soja Extract
Skin ConditioningMacrocystis Pyrifera Extract
Skin Conditioning
Isopropyl Palmitate
Emollient
Lecithin
Emollient
Pvp
Emulsion StabilisingHexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Punica Granatum Seed Oil
Emollient
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Pvm/Ma Decadiene Crosspolymer
PEG-8
HumectantCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Bisulfite
Antioxidant
Silica
Abrasive
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingChlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Parfum
Masking
CI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantSynthetic Fluorphlogopite
CI 14700
Cosmetic ColorantCI 19140
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Imperata Cylindrica Root Extract, Dimethyl Isosorbide, Meadowfoam Delta-Lactone, Retinyl Propionate, Retinol, Swertia Chirata Leaf Extract, Urea, Yeast Amino Acids, Trehalose, Inositol, Taurine, Betaine, Fucus Vesiculosus Extract, Glycine Soja Extract, Macrocystis Pyrifera Extract, Isopropyl Palmitate, Lecithin, Pvp, Hexylene Glycol, Caprylyl Glycol, Punica Granatum Seed Oil, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Pvm/Ma Decadiene Crosspolymer, PEG-8, Carbomer, Sodium Bisulfite, Silica, Sodium Hydroxide, Chlorphenesin, Phenoxyethanol, Parfum, CI 77891, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, CI 14700, CI 19140
Water
Skin ConditioningCetyl Ethylhexanoate
EmollientPropanediol
Solvent
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Bambusa Textilis Stem Extract
Skin ConditioningArctium Lappa Root Extract
Skin Conditioning
Morus Alba Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningPrunus Persica Fruit Extract
Abrasive
Bakuchiol
Antimicrobial
Rosa Rubiginosa Seed Oil
Emollient
Daucus Carota Sativa Root Water
MaskingBrassica Oleracea Italica Extract
AstringentPanax Ginseng Root Extract
Emollient
Spinacia Oleracea Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningAloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
Emollient
Acetyl Octapeptide-3
Humectant
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Cucumis Sativus Extract
Skin Conditioning
Apium Graveolens Extract
Skin ConditioningMelia Azadirachta Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Sorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Lactuca Scariola Sativa Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningCeramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Coccinia Indica Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningMelia Azadirachta Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningTocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Ferulic Acid
Antimicrobial
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Mangifera Indica Seed Butter
Skin Conditioning
Adenosine
Skin Conditioning
Cetearyl Olivate
Hydrogenated Rapeseed Alcohol
Emollient
Betaine
Humectant
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingTromethamine
BufferingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPolyglyceryl-4 Oleate
Emulsifying
Glyceryl Olivate
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Asparagus Officinalis Extract
Skin ConditioningHydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Phosphoric Acid
BufferingCorallina Officinalis Extract
Skin Conditioning
Water, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Propanediol, Butylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Glycerin, Niacinamide, Cetearyl Alcohol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Bambusa Textilis Stem Extract, Arctium Lappa Root Extract, Morus Alba Leaf Extract, Prunus Persica Fruit Extract, Bakuchiol, Rosa Rubiginosa Seed Oil, Daucus Carota Sativa Root Water, Brassica Oleracea Italica Extract, Panax Ginseng Root Extract, Spinacia Oleracea Leaf Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Acetyl Octapeptide-3, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Cucumis Sativus Extract, Apium Graveolens Extract, Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract, Caprylyl Glycol, Sorbitan Olivate, Lactuca Scariola Sativa Leaf Extract, Ceramide NP, Coccinia Indica Fruit Extract, Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract, Tocopheryl Acetate, Ferulic Acid, Tocopherol, Panthenol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Mangifera Indica Seed Butter, Adenosine, Cetearyl Olivate, Hydrogenated Rapeseed Alcohol, Betaine, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Tromethamine, Ethylhexylglycerin, Polyglyceryl-4 Oleate, Glyceryl Olivate, Glyceryl Stearate, Propylene Glycol, Asparagus Officinalis Extract, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Phosphoric Acid, Corallina Officinalis Extract
Alternatives
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Betaine is a humectant. Like hyaluronic acid, it helps attract and retain moisture in the skin. It’s known for being gentle and for helping the skin maintain balanced hydration.
Betaine is mainly used to improve hydration and support calmer skin. It helps skin cells regulate water balance because it functions as an osmolyte.
Some studies suggest betaine may support making skin tone more even.
Fun fact: Betaine naturally exists in the skin and the body. In cosmetic products, it can be either plant-derived (most commonly from sugar beets) or synthetically produced for consistency and stability.
Betaine is also known as trimethylglycine.
Learn more about BetaineButylene 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 GlycolCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride (aka MCT Oil) is a lightweight emollient, solvent, and texture enhancer. It is considered a skin-softener by helping to prevent moisture loss.
Though it behaves like an oil, it is not technically one due to its chemical composition. One perk of this ingredient is that it is very stable, resistant to oxidation, and unlikely to go rancid.
In practice, that translates to a long shelf life and a consistently elegant skin feel.
While there is an assumption Caprylic Triglyceride can clog pores due to it being derived from coconut oil, there is no research supporting this. Just patch test if you have concerns.
Fractionated coconut oil and MCT Oil are both listed as Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride according to INCI. This is because INCI names are based on the ingredient’s final chemical composition and not its marketing name or source.
This ingredient is treated as the gold standard fungal acne safe oil. Even though it is coconut derived, the problematic lauric acid is stripped out.
This leaves just caprylic (C8) and capric (C10) acid. These chain lengths actually trend antifungal; a 2020 study found caprylic acid was enough to disrupt Malassezia furfur cell membrane, with a caprylic acid derivative damaging membrane structures at concentrations as low as 0.2%.
Learn more about Caprylic/Capric TriglycerideCaprylyl 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, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolGlycerin (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 GlycerinWater. 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
