What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Salicylic Acid 2%
MaskingWater
Skin ConditioningAlcohol Denat.
AntimicrobialNiacinamide
SmoothingPanthenol
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantZinc PCA
HumectantMagnesium PCA
HumectantRosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Water
MaskingRosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialRosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil
MaskingGluconolactone
Skin ConditioningDextrin
AbsorbentPolydextrose
HumectantAmylopectin
Calcium Gluconate
HumectantSodium Citrate
BufferingCitric Acid
BufferingDenatonium Benzoate
MaskingPotassium Sorbate
PreservativeSodium Benzoate
MaskingT-Butyl Alcohol
PerfumingSalvia Officinalis Leaf Extract
CleansingUrtica Dioica Extract
AstringentSalicylic Acid 2%, Water, Alcohol Denat., Niacinamide, Panthenol, Glycerin, Zinc PCA, Magnesium PCA, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Water, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil, Gluconolactone, Dextrin, Polydextrose, Amylopectin, Calcium Gluconate, Sodium Citrate, Citric Acid, Denatonium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, T-Butyl Alcohol, Salvia Officinalis Leaf Extract, Urtica Dioica Extract
Sodium Palmate
CleansingSodium Palm Kernelate
CleansingWater
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantCellulose Acetate
Sclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil
HumectantNiacinamide
SmoothingCaryodendron Orinocense Seed Oil
EmollientLimnanthes Alba Seed Oil
Skin ConditioningCeramide AP
Skin ConditioningCeramide Ag
HumectantCeramide EOP
Skin ConditioningCeramide Ng
Skin ConditioningCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningSodium Gluconate
Skin ConditioningLinoleic Acid
CleansingLinolenic Acid
CleansingCholesterol
EmollientCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientSodium Chloride
MaskingTocopherol
AntioxidantDipropylene Glycol
HumectantHydrogenated Lecithin
EmulsifyingGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientSodium Palmate, Sodium Palm Kernelate, Water, Glycerin, Cellulose Acetate, Sclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil, Niacinamide, Caryodendron Orinocense Seed Oil, Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil, Ceramide AP, Ceramide Ag, Ceramide EOP, Ceramide Ng, Ceramide NP, Sodium Gluconate, Linoleic Acid, Linolenic Acid, Cholesterol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Sodium Chloride, Tocopherol, Dipropylene Glycol, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Glyceryl Stearate
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
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 NiacinamideWater. 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