What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningDimethicone
Emollient
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Glycerin
Humectant
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4
Skin Conditioning
Tremella Fuciformis Sporocarp Extract
Antioxidant
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
C13-14 Isoparaffin
Emollient
Laureth-4
Emulsifying
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Laureth-7
EmulsifyingDisodium EDTA
Polyacrylamide
Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Emulsion Stabilising
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Water
Skin ConditioningNiacinamide
Smoothing
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Acetyl Glucosamine
Skin Conditioning
Glyceryl Stearate Citrate
Emollient
Dimethicone
Emollient
Zinc PCA
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Polyglyceryl-3 Stearate
Emulsifying
Crambe Abyssinica Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Behenyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingDisodium EDTA
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCetyl Palmitate
Emollient
Carnosine
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPolysorbate 80
Emulsifying
Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-10
Skin Conditioning
Sorbitan Stearate
Emulsifying
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Polysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Sorbitan Isostearate
Emulsifying
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Citric Acid
Buffering
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Caprylhydroxamic Acid
Water, Niacinamide, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Acetyl Glucosamine, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Dimethicone, Zinc PCA, Glycerin, Polyglyceryl-3 Stearate, Crambe Abyssinica Seed Oil, Hydroxyacetophenone, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Behenyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Phenoxyethanol, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Disodium EDTA, Xanthan Gum, Cetyl Palmitate, Carnosine, Ethylhexylglycerin, Polysorbate 80, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-10, Sorbitan Stearate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Polysorbate 60, Sorbitan Isostearate, Sodium Benzoate, Citric Acid, Tocopherol, Butylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylhydroxamic Acid
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Dimethicone 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 DimethiconeDisodium EDTA is a chelating agent. It grabs onto and deactivates metal ions that sneak into your products from water, packaging, or air.
This ingredient mainly works behind the scenes and helps with:
On top of that, this ingredient can counteract the effects of hard water by binding to the minerals in it.
One thing worth knowing is that Disodium EDTA has been shown to be a mild penetration enhancer. It can help other ingredients absorb into skin more effectively which can be a double-edged sword (great for actives, but can also make the active too strong if you have sensitive skin).
Clinical patch testing showed no significant skin irritation at typical use concentrations and minimal dermal absorption.
You'll most likely see this ingredient near the end of an ingredient list. It's typically found in concentrations less than 1%.
Learn more about Disodium EDTAGlycerin (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 GlycerinHydroxyacetophenone is antioxidant with skin conditioning and soothing properties. It also boosts the efficiency of preservatives.
Though naturally occuring in Norwegian spruce needles, this ingredient is usually synthetically created.
This ingredient is not irritating or sensitizing. Recent research also suggests it may have skin-brightening effects through tyrosinase inhibition.
Learn more about HydroxyacetophenoneNiacinamide 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.
Water. 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
