What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate
CleansingCocamidopropyl Betaine
CleansingPumice
AbrasiveGlycerin
HumectantAcrylates Crosspolymer-4
Emulsion StabilisingPropanediol
SolventSodium Chloride
MaskingSclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil
HumectantSalicylic Acid
MaskingGlycolic Acid
BufferingLactic Acid
BufferingTocopherol
AntioxidantNiacinamide
SmoothingGluconolactone
Skin ConditioningCharcoal Powder
AbrasiveZea Mays Starch
AbsorbentMannitol
HumectantMicrocrystalline Cellulose
AbsorbentAmylopectin
Dextrin
AbsorbentPolydextrose
HumectantSodium Benzoate
MaskingSodium PCA
HumectantCalcium Gluconate
HumectantQuartz
AbrasiveSodium Hydroxide
BufferingEucalyptus Globulus Leaf Oil
PerfumingLavandula Angustifolia Oil
MaskingAbies Sibirica Oil
MaskingZingiber Officinale Root Oil
MaskingCitrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil
MaskingPogostemon Cablin Leaf Oil
MaskingLimonene
PerfumingLinalool
PerfumingLinalyl Acetate
MaskingPinene
MaskingBeta-Caryophyllene
MaskingWater, Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Pumice, Glycerin, Acrylates Crosspolymer-4, Propanediol, Sodium Chloride, Sclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil, Salicylic Acid, Glycolic Acid, Lactic Acid, Tocopherol, Niacinamide, Gluconolactone, Charcoal Powder, Zea Mays Starch, Mannitol, Microcrystalline Cellulose, Amylopectin, Dextrin, Polydextrose, Sodium Benzoate, Sodium PCA, Calcium Gluconate, Quartz, Sodium Hydroxide, Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Oil, Lavandula Angustifolia Oil, Abies Sibirica Oil, Zingiber Officinale Root Oil, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil, Pogostemon Cablin Leaf Oil, Limonene, Linalool, Linalyl Acetate, Pinene, Beta-Caryophyllene
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 NiacinamideSclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil is the oil expressed from the seeds of the Marula plant. In South Africa, Marula is called "an elephant's favorite treat".
Marula seed oil is a non-fragrant oil. It is rich in fatty acids, such as oleic, linoleic, palmitic, stearic, and more. These fatty acids help hydrate the skin.
Other components of marula seed oil include vitamin E and antioxidants such as flavonoids.
Due to the fatty acid content, this ingredient may not be fungal-acne safe.
Learn more about Sclerocarya Birrea Seed OilChances are, you eat sodium chloride every day. Sodium Chloride is also known as table salt. This ingredient has many purposes in skincare: thickener, emulsifier, and exfoliator.
You'll most likely find this ingredient in cleansers where it is used to create a gel-like texture. As an emulsifier, it also prevents ingredients from separating.
You might see people debate whether Sodium Chloride is comedogenic, but there actually haven't been any comedogenic tests done on it. Either way, the overall formulation of a product matters a lot more than any single ingredient.
You might see this ingredient used in scrubs as a primary exfoliating ingredient.
Learn more about Sodium ChlorideTocopherol 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