What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
Solvent
Dicaprylyl Carbonate
EmollientGlycerin
Humectant
Methylpropanediol
SolventCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Stearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Mangifera Indica Seed Butter
Skin Conditioning
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Acetyl Hexapeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Acetyl Hexapeptide-8
Humectant
Acetyl Octapeptide-3
Humectant
Acetyl Tetrapeptide-2
Skin Conditioning
Acetyl Dipeptide-1 Cetyl Ester
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Skin Conditioning
Carnosine
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide AP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide EOP
Skin Conditioning
Collagen
Moisturising
Serine
Masking
Alanine
Masking
Glycine
Buffering
Glutamic Acid
Humectant
Lysine Hcl
Skin Conditioning
Threonine
Arginine
Masking
Proline
Skin Conditioning
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Linoleic Acid
Cleansing
Linolenic Acid
Cleansing
Sodium PCA
Humectant
Sodium Lactate
Buffering
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Betaine
Humectant
PCA
Humectant
Cyanocobalamin
Skin ConditioningXylitol
Humectant
Anhydroxylitol
Humectant
Xylitylglucoside
Humectant
Sorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingHydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCetearyl Olivate
Sorbitan Laurate
Emulsifying
Phytosphingosine
Skin Conditioning
Cholesterol
Emollient
Polysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Glycine Soja Oil
Emollient
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingPolysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Beheneth-25 Methacrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingDimethicone
Emollient
Sodium Phytate
Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate
EmulsifyingPentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
Antioxidant
Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate
Antimicrobial
Citric Acid
Buffering
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Parfum
Masking
Citral
Perfuming
Limonene
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Water, Propanediol, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Glycerin, Methylpropanediol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Stearyl Alcohol, Mangifera Indica Seed Butter, Niacinamide, Acetyl Hexapeptide-1, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Acetyl Octapeptide-3, Acetyl Tetrapeptide-2, Acetyl Dipeptide-1 Cetyl Ester, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Carnosine, Ceramide NP, Ceramide AP, Ceramide EOP, Collagen, Serine, Alanine, Glycine, Glutamic Acid, Lysine Hcl, Threonine, Arginine, Proline, Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate, Linoleic Acid, Linolenic Acid, Sodium PCA, Sodium Lactate, Panthenol, Tocopherol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Betaine, PCA, Cyanocobalamin, Xylitol, Anhydroxylitol, Xylitylglucoside, Sorbitan Olivate, Carbomer, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Xanthan Gum, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Laurate, Phytosphingosine, Cholesterol, Polysorbate 60, Butylene Glycol, Hydroxyacetophenone, Glycine Soja Oil, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Polysorbate 20, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Beheneth-25 Methacrylate Crosspolymer, Dimethicone, Sodium Phytate, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Citric Acid, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenoxyethanol, Parfum, Citral, Limonene, Linalool
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Paraffinum Liquidum
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Oenothera Biennis Oil
Emollient
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Cetearyl Glucoside
Emulsifying
Aquaphilus Dolomiae Extract
Skin Conditioning
Arginine
Masking
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingEvening Primrose Oil/Palm Oil Aminopropanediol Esters
Skin Conditioning
Glycine
Buffering
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingTocopherol
Antioxidant
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Arginine is a semi-essential amino acid. This just means our bodies can product a bit on its own, but sometimes needs a little boost from food sources.
It is a part of your skin's natural moisturizing factor (NMF), or the water-loving molecules in your outermost layer of skin (stratum corneum) that keeps everything hydrated and happy.
Here's an interesting thing about Arginine: your skin converts it into urea through the Krebs-Henseleit urea cycle. Urea is one of the most effective humectants your skin naturally produces.
A clinical study showed applying 2.5% arginine hydrochloride to atopic dermatitis skin showed significant urea levels in the stratum corneum and improved moisture in just four weeks.
Arginine is also a precursor to nitric oxide; nitric oxide improves microcirculation and supports wound healing and collagen synthesis.
One study found that an amino acid complex containing Arginine reduced skin irritation, improved hydration, and accelerated skin repair in clinical / in-vivo studies.
Arginine itself is an amino acid and not a fatty acid, oil, or ester. On its own, it's not a direct food source for Malassezia, or the yeast that causes fungal acne.
Learn more about ArginineCarbomer is a high-molecular weight polymer of acrylic acid. It is used to form gels and thicken formulas.
Due to its large molecular size, carbomer has minimal skin penetration and is considered an inert ingredient.
A high amount of carbomer can cause pilling or balling up of products. Don't worry, most products contain 1% or less of carbomer.
Learn more about CarbomerCetearyl alcohol is a waxy mixture of two fatty alcohols: cetyl alcohol and stearyl alcohol. It is an emollient and emulsifier.
Despite having "alcohol" in its name, it has nothing to do with drying solvent alcohols; the FDA also allows "alcohol-free" products to contain fatty alcohols like this ingredient.
It plays several roles in a formula:
Typical use levels for this ingredient sit around 1-10% and the Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has affirmed safety at concentrations up to 25% in leave-on products.
Multiple assessments have found it to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing to most people.
However, there have been some cases of allergic contact dermatitis in patients with chronically compromised skin barriers.
Cetearyl alcohol has a comedogenic rating of 2 and irritancy rating of 1. Both of these numbers come from the 1989 study that used rabbit ears; a "2" means mildly comedogenic and a "1" means low irritancy.
Here's the catch: rabbit skin is more sensitive than human skin and throws a lot of false positives. A 1996 reappraisal found that ingredients rated 1-2 in the rabbit ear tests are generally safe for humans.
Remember comedogenic ratings are unable to assess the entire formula of a product or how it will react on your skin. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure about certain ingredients.
This ingredient is not fungal acne safe. Cetearyl alcohol is a fatty alcohol with chain lengths that fall within the range that Malassezia can metabolize.
A 2019 study has also observed Malassezia growth in the presence of this ingredient, confirming it to be not-fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Cetearyl AlcoholGlycerin (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 GlycerinGlycine is the smallest amino acid and a key building block of collagen. It's part if your skin's Natural Moisturizing Factor (NMF), or the water-loving molecules in your outermost layer of skin (stratum corneum) that keeps everything hydrated and happy.
A study from 2022 found that an amino acid complex featuring taurine, arginine, and glycine significantly reduced skin irritation, improved redness, and accelerated the skin repair process.
Tocopherol 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
