What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantDimethicone
EmollientCetearyl Olivate
Caffeine
Skin ConditioningSorbitan Olivate
EmulsifyingAmmonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Caprylyl Glycol
EmollientPanthenol
Skin ConditioningEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningDimethicone Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingDimethiconol
EmollientAcetyl Glucosamine
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantSteareth-20
CleansingN-Hydroxysuccinimide
Skin ConditioningChrysin
Skin ConditioningPalmitoyl Tripeptide-1
Skin ConditioningPalmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Skin ConditioningWater, Glycerin, Dimethicone, Cetearyl Olivate, Caffeine, Sorbitan Olivate, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Caprylyl Glycol, Panthenol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Dimethiconol, Acetyl Glucosamine, Sodium Hyaluronate, Steareth-20, N-Hydroxysuccinimide, Chrysin, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Water
Skin ConditioningButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientButylene Glycol
HumectantHydrogenated Polyisobutene
EmollientPhenyl Trimethicone
Skin ConditioningPolyglyceryl-3 Beeswax
EmulsifyingPolybutene
Sucrose
HumectantPolymethyl Methacrylate
Cetyl Esters
EmollientIsostearyl Neopentanoate
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantCetearyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingLactis Proteinum
Skin ConditioningSigesbeckia Orientalis Extract
Skin ConditioningCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialHordeum Vulgare Extract
EmollientTriticum Vulgare Germ Extract
Skin ConditioningChlorella Vulgaris Extract
Skin ConditioningYeast Extract
Skin ConditioningLinoleic Acid
CleansingCholesterol
EmollientCaffeine
Skin ConditioningPalmitoyl Oligopeptide
CleansingSqualane
EmollientPhytosphingosine
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantDimethicone
EmollientCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientPEG-8
HumectantMethyl Glucose Sesquistearate
EmollientPolysilicone-11
Glyceryl Polymethacrylate
PEG-100 Stearate
Tocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantStearic Acid
Cleansing1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Dehydroacetate
PreservativeTetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate
AntioxidantAminomethyl Propanol
BufferingPotassium Sulfate
Phenoxyethanol
PreservativeDisodium EDTA
CI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantMica
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Cetearyl Alcohol, Butylene Glycol, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Phenyl Trimethicone, Polyglyceryl-3 Beeswax, Polybutene, Sucrose, Polymethyl Methacrylate, Cetyl Esters, Isostearyl Neopentanoate, Glycerin, Cetearyl Glucoside, Lactis Proteinum, Sigesbeckia Orientalis Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Hordeum Vulgare Extract, Triticum Vulgare Germ Extract, Chlorella Vulgaris Extract, Yeast Extract, Linoleic Acid, Cholesterol, Caffeine, Palmitoyl Oligopeptide, Squalane, Phytosphingosine, Sodium Hyaluronate, Dimethicone, Caprylyl Glycol, PEG-8, Methyl Glucose Sesquistearate, Polysilicone-11, Glyceryl Polymethacrylate, PEG-100 Stearate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Stearic Acid, 1,2-Hexanediol, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Sodium Dehydroacetate, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Aminomethyl Propanol, Potassium Sulfate, Phenoxyethanol, Disodium EDTA, CI 77891, Mica
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Caffeine is a naturally occurring plant compound found in coffee beans, tea leaves, cocoa pods, and guarana.
As an antioxidant, caffeine protects your skin from free radical damage caused by UV exposure and envionrmnetal stressors.
Early research also shows that caffeine can help calm redness, soothe irritated skin, and support hair growth by stimulating microcirculation in the scalp.
You might have seen eye creams marketing caffeine as a depuffing ingredient. This is because it is a vasoconstrictor meaning it can temporarily constrict blood vessels, though clinical evidence for this specific use is still limited.
Most skincare products contain this ingredient at concentrations between 1-6%. It is able to penetrate skin easily regardless of skin type or thickness.
Just so you know, a very small number of case reports describe caffeine-induced allergy. This ingredient is generally well-tolerated, non-irritating, and non-sensitizing for the majority of people.
Learn more about CaffeineCaprylyl 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 GlycerinSodium Hyaluronate is the salt form of hyaluronic acid. It is a long sugar chain that is naturally found in your skin, joints, and connective tissue that maintains hydration and elasticity.
In skincare, it works as a humectant. It pulls water from the environment and deeper layers of skin and binds it to the surface.
Interestingly, the size of the molecule affects its behavior:
Some clinical evidence links low molecular weight versions to improved wrinkle depth, elasticity, anti-inflammatory effects, and barrier repair.
Many serums use a blend of both weights so you can get surface hydration plus longer-lasting and deeper effects.
You'll typically see concentrations between 0.1-2% for this ingredient.
Learn more about Sodium HyaluronateWater. 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