What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningNiacinamide
SmoothingPropanediol
SolventGlycerin
HumectantZinc PCA
HumectantPolyacrylate Crosspolymer-11
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantDimethicone
EmollientCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPotassium Sorbate
PreservativeGlyceryl Polyacrylate
Tocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantHexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingCitric Acid
BufferingWater
Skin ConditioningDimethicone
EmollientIsononyl Isononanoate
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantNiacinamide
SmoothingSqualane
EmollientIsostearyl Alcohol
EmollientGlyceryl Linoleate
EmollientButylene Glycol Cocoate
EmulsifyingAsiaticoside
AntioxidantPterocarpus Marsupium Bark Extract
Adenosine
Skin ConditioningSodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
HumectantTetrapeptide-16
Skin ConditioningArginine PCA
HumectantRosmarinic Acid
AntioxidantRutin
AntioxidantXymenynic Acid
EmollientOligopeptide-10
AntimicrobialGlyceryl Linolenate
EmollientCaprooyl Phytosphingosine
Skin ConditioningMethyl Carboxymethylphenyl Aminocarboxypropylphosphonate
AntioxidantHoney Extract
HumectantBoswellia Serrata Extract
Skin ConditioningPanthenol
Skin ConditioningPullulan
Ethylhexyl Cyclohexyl Urea
Skin ConditioningHydroxyapatite
AbrasiveOryza Sativa Bran Extract
Skin ConditioningParfum
MaskingCetyl Alcohol
EmollientGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientPEG-75 Stearate
Ceteth-20
CleansingSteareth-20
CleansingSclerotium Gum
Emulsion StabilisingLecithin
EmollientEthylcellulose
Silica
AbrasiveXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingTocopherol
AntioxidantDisodium EDTA
Caprylyl Glycol
EmollientButylene Glycol
HumectantHexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
PreservativePotassium Sorbate
PreservativeSodium Benzoate
MaskingMica
Cosmetic ColorantTin Oxide
AbrasiveCI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77491
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Dimethicone, Isononyl Isononanoate, Glycerin, Niacinamide, Squalane, Isostearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Linoleate, Butylene Glycol Cocoate, Asiaticoside, Pterocarpus Marsupium Bark Extract, Adenosine, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Tetrapeptide-16, Arginine PCA, Rosmarinic Acid, Rutin, Xymenynic Acid, Oligopeptide-10, Glyceryl Linolenate, Caprooyl Phytosphingosine, Methyl Carboxymethylphenyl Aminocarboxypropylphosphonate, Honey Extract, Boswellia Serrata Extract, Panthenol, Pullulan, Ethylhexyl Cyclohexyl Urea, Hydroxyapatite, Oryza Sativa Bran Extract, Parfum, Cetyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-75 Stearate, Ceteth-20, Steareth-20, Sclerotium Gum, Lecithin, Ethylcellulose, Silica, Xanthan Gum, Tocopherol, Disodium EDTA, Caprylyl Glycol, Butylene Glycol, Hexylene Glycol, Pentylene Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Mica, Tin Oxide, CI 77891, CI 77491
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 GlycolDimethicone is a type of synthetic silicone created from natural materials such as quartz. It is also known as polydimethylsiloxane.
What it does:
Dimethicone comes in different viscosities:
Depending on the viscosity, dimethicone has different properties.
Ingredients lists don't always show which type is used, so we recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about the viscosity.
This ingredient is unlikely to cause irritation because it does not get absorbed into skin. However, people with silicone allergies should be careful about using this ingredient.
Note: Dimethicone may contribute to pilling. This is because it is not oil or water soluble, so pilling may occur when layered with products. When mixed with heavy oils in a formula, the outcome is also quite greasy.
Learn more about DimethiconeGlycerin (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 GlycerinHexylene Glycol is a multitasker ingredient that works as a solvent, humectant, emulsifier, viscosity reducer, and preservative booster.
It is able to dissolve both water and oil-soluble ingredients to stabilize tricky actives and make products spread more easily.
As a humectant, it pulls water into the skin. But it's a pretty minor moisturizing ingredient compared to other humectants, like glycerin.
Interestingly, it can act as a mild penetration enhancer. One in vitro study on human skin found a 12% concentration upped the absorption of mometasone furoate (a medicinal ingredient used to treat inflammatory skin conditions) up to 7%.
This ingredient is typically used at levels of 0.1-10% depending on the role it's playing.
A patch test study on eczema patients didn't find a significant increase in irritation versus the control group, but the potential for irritation rises at higher concentrations.
Learn more about Hexylene GlycolNiacinamide 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 NiacinamidePhenoxyethanol is a preservative that has germicide, antimicrobial, and aromatic properties. Studies show that phenoxyethanol can prevent microbial growth. By itself, it has a scent that is similar to that of a rose.
It's often used in formulations along with Caprylyl Glycol to preserve the shelf life of products.
Potassium Sorbate is a preservative used to prevent yeast and mold in products. It is commonly found in both cosmetic and food products.
This ingredient comes from potassium salt derived from sorbic acid. Sorbic acid is a natural antibiotic and effective against fungus.
Both potassium sorbate and sorbic acid can be found in baked goods, cheeses, dried meats, dried fruit, ice cream, pickles, wine, yogurt, and more.
You'll often find this ingredient used with other preservatives.
Learn more about Potassium SorbateWater. 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 WaterXanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.
On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.
Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.
Learn more about Xanthan Gum