What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Zea Mays Starch
Absorbent
Coco-Caprylate/Caprate
Emollient
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Dimethicone
Emollient
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4
Skin Conditioning
Caffeine
Skin Conditioning
3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningHydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Polyglycerin-6
HumectantDimethiconol
Emollient
Stearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Behenyl Alcohol
Emollient
Disodium EDTA
Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingCetearyl Olivate
Sorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Polyglyceryl-6 Laurate
Emulsifying
C15-19 Alkane
SolventSilica
Abrasive
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Titanium Dioxide
Cosmetic Colorant
Mica
Cosmetic ColorantAscorbic Acid
Antioxidant
Water, Glycerin, Niacinamide, Zea Mays Starch, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Dimethicone, Panthenol, Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4, Caffeine, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder, Ethylhexylglycerin, Hydroxyacetophenone, Polyglycerin-6, Dimethiconol, Stearyl Alcohol, Cetyl Alcohol, Behenyl Alcohol, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, Polyglyceryl-6 Laurate, C15-19 Alkane, Silica, Phenoxyethanol, Titanium Dioxide, Mica, Ascorbic Acid
Water
Skin ConditioningDimethicone
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Isohexadecane
EmollientAlcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Squalane
Emollient
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Palmitic Acid
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
PEG-100 Stearate
Surfactant
PEG-20 Stearate
Emulsifying
Saccharomyces/Xylinum/Black Tea Ferment
Skin Conditioning
Cera Alba
Emollient
Octyldodecanol
Emollient
Hydrolyzed Soy Protein
Humectant
Acetyl Tetrapeptide-9
Skin Conditioning
Adenosine
Skin Conditioning
Caffeine
Skin Conditioning
Capryloyl Salicylic Acid
Exfoliating
Secale Cereale Seed Extract
Abrasive
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingTrisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Silica
Abrasive
CI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantCitric Acid
Buffering
C13-14 Isoparaffin
Emollient
Glycine Soja Oil
Emollient
Laureth-7
EmulsifyingMica
Cosmetic ColorantMyristic Acid
Cleansing
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Polyacrylamide
Tin Oxide
Abrasive
Dimethiconol
Emollient
CI 16035
Cosmetic ColorantCI 19140
Cosmetic ColorantChlorhexidine Digluconate
Antimicrobial
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Water, Dimethicone, Glycerin, Isohexadecane, Alcohol Denat., Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Squalane, Cetyl Alcohol, Stearic Acid, Palmitic Acid, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, PEG-20 Stearate, Saccharomyces/Xylinum/Black Tea Ferment, Cera Alba, Octyldodecanol, Hydrolyzed Soy Protein, Acetyl Tetrapeptide-9, Adenosine, Caffeine, Capryloyl Salicylic Acid, Secale Cereale Seed Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Hydroxide, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Tocopherol, Silica, CI 77891, Citric Acid, C13-14 Isoparaffin, Glycine Soja Oil, Laureth-7, Mica, Myristic Acid, Pentylene Glycol, Polyacrylamide, Tin Oxide, Dimethiconol, CI 16035, CI 19140, Chlorhexidine Digluconate, Chlorphenesin, Phenoxyethanol, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate
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 CaffeineCetyl Alcohol is a fatty alcohol. Fatty Alcohols are most often used as an emollient or to thicken a product.
Its main roles are:
Though it has "alcohol" in the name, it is not related to denatured alcohol or ethyl alcohol.
The FDA allows products labeled "alcohol-free" to have fatty alcohols.
This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe. It is a primary fatty alcohol with a chain length above 12 carbons. A study from 2019 show Malassezia can feed on fatty alcohols in this range, so it may trigger fungal acne in those prone to it.
Learn more about Cetyl AlcoholDimethicone 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 DimethiconeDimethiconol is a silicone that resembles the popular dimethicone. Like other silicones, it is an emollient. Emollients create a thin film on skin to prevent moisture from escaping.
This ingredient helps to create a silky texture and improve spreadability. Due to its high molecular weight and thickness, it is often combined with cyclopentasiloxane.
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 GlycerinMica is a naturally occurring mineral used to add shimmer and color in cosmetics. It can also help improve the texture of a product or give it an opaque, white/silver color.
Serecite is the name for very fine but ragged grains of mica.
This ingredient is often coated with metal oxides like titanium dioxide. Trace amounts of heavy metals may be found in mica, but these metals are not harmful in our personal products.
Mica has been used since prehistoric times throughout the world. Ancient Egyptian, Indian, Greek, Roman, Aztec, and Chinese civilizations have used mica.
Learn more about MicaPhenoxyethanol 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.
Silica, also known as silicon dioxide, is a naturally occurring mineral. It is used as a fine, spherical, and porous powder in cosmetics.
Though it has exfoliant properties, the function of silica varies depending on the product.
The unique structure of silica enhances the spreadability and adds smoothness, making it a great texture enhancer.
It is also used as an active carrier, emulsifier, and mattifier due to its ability to absorb excess oil.
In some products, tiny microneedles called spicules are made from silica or hydrolyzed sponge. When you rub them in, they lightly polish away dead skin layers and enhance the penetration of active ingredients.
Learn more about SilicaWater. 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
