What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantSorbitan Olivate
EmulsifyingSqualane
EmollientCetearyl Olivate
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningSimmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
EmollientCystoseira Humilis Extract
AntioxidantPanthenol
Skin ConditioningBentonite
AbsorbentCetyl Palmitate
EmollientSodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
HumectantCaprylhydroxamic Acid
Sorbitan Palmitate
EmulsifyingCellulose
AbsorbentCoffea Arabica Seedcake Extract
Allantoin
Skin ConditioningFucus Vesiculosus Extract
EmollientGluconolactone
Skin ConditioningNiacinamide
SmoothingSh-Polypeptide-121
Skin ConditioningSisymbrium Irio Seed Oil
MaskingTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantSorbic Acid
PreservativeCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingUbiquinone
AntioxidantLecithin
EmollientDecapeptide-52
Skin ConditioningSodium Chloride
MaskingMaltodextrin
AbsorbentAcetyl Hexapeptide-8
HumectantMoringa Oleifera Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningGlyceryl Caprylate
EmollientCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientTetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate
Alcohol
AntimicrobialSodium Benzoate
MaskingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingAvena Sativa Peptide
Skin ConditioningWater, Glycerin, Sorbitan Olivate, Squalane, Cetearyl Olivate, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Cystoseira Humilis Extract, Panthenol, Bentonite, Cetyl Palmitate, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, Sorbitan Palmitate, Cellulose, Coffea Arabica Seedcake Extract, Allantoin, Fucus Vesiculosus Extract, Gluconolactone, Niacinamide, Sh-Polypeptide-121, Sisymbrium Irio Seed Oil, Tocopheryl Acetate, Sorbic Acid, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Ubiquinone, Lecithin, Decapeptide-52, Sodium Chloride, Maltodextrin, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Moringa Oleifera Seed Extract, Glyceryl Caprylate, Caprylyl Glycol, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Alcohol, Sodium Benzoate, Phenoxyethanol, Xanthan Gum, Avena Sativa Peptide
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantCoco-Caprylate/Caprate
EmollientPanthenol
Skin ConditioningEthyl Oleate
EmollientEthylhexyl Polyhydroxystearate
EmollientSqualane
EmollientGlyceryl Stearate Citrate
EmollientHydrogenated Vegetable Glycerides
EmollientNiacinamide
SmoothingAscorbyl Tetraisopalmitate
AntioxidantSodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingPolyglyceryl-3 Stearate
EmulsifyingOleic Acid
EmollientCocos Nucifera Oil
MaskingSilica
AbrasiveSimmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
EmollientHydrogenated Lecithin
EmulsifyingUndaria Pinnatifida Extract
Skin ConditioningXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPotassium Sorbate
PreservativeCitric Acid
BufferingSodium Benzoate
MaskingTerminalia Arjuna Extract
Skin ConditioningCentella Asiatica Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Rice Protein
Skin ConditioningMaltodextrin
AbsorbentSodium Phytate
Lecithin
EmollientCorallina Officinalis Extract
Skin ConditioningCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantTocopherol
AntioxidantAlanyl Glutamine
HumectantArginine
MaskingOligopeptide-177
Sodium Chloride
MaskingPhenylalanine
MaskingSisymbrium Irio Seed Oil
MaskingWater, Glycerin, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Panthenol, Ethyl Oleate, Ethylhexyl Polyhydroxystearate, Squalane, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Hydrogenated Vegetable Glycerides, Niacinamide, Ascorbyl Tetraisopalmitate, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Polyglyceryl-3 Stearate, Oleic Acid, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Silica, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Undaria Pinnatifida Extract, Xanthan Gum, Potassium Sorbate, Citric Acid, Sodium Benzoate, Terminalia Arjuna Extract, Centella Asiatica Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract, Hydrolyzed Rice Protein, Maltodextrin, Sodium Phytate, Lecithin, Corallina Officinalis Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Tocopheryl Acetate, Tocopherol, Alanyl Glutamine, Arginine, Oligopeptide-177, Sodium Chloride, Phenylalanine, Sisymbrium Irio Seed Oil
Reviews
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 GlycerinLecithin is a term for a group of substances found in the cell membranes of plants, animals, and humans. They are made up of phospholipids.
Thanks to its amphiphilic structure (water-loving head and oil-loving tail), it is a true multitasker:
It plays well with most ingredients and is typically used at 0.1-1%. However, concentrations up to 50% have been reported in moisturizers.
Learn more about LecithinMaltodextrin is a polysaccharide. It is derived from starch such as rice, corn, wheat, or potato starch.
In food, Maltodextrin is used to improve the texture and thicken a product. Due to its structure, it can help create a gel texture. As an emulsion stabilizer, it helps keep the ingredients in a product together.
As a polysaccharide, Maltodextrin has moisturizing properties. Polysaccharides are a type of carbohydrate. The top layer of skin uses polysaccharides to retain water, keeping the skin hydrated.
Maltodextrin is water soluble and has a sweet taste.
Learn more about MaltodextrinNiacinamide 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 NiacinamidePanthenol is a common ingredient that helps hydrate and soothe the skin. It is found naturally in our skin and hair.
There are two forms of panthenol: D and L.
D-panthenol is also known as dexpanthenol. Most cosmetics use dexpanthenol or a mixture of D and L-panthenol.
Panthenol is famous due to its ability to go deeper into the skin's layers. Using this ingredient has numerous pros (and no cons):
Like hyaluronic acid, panthenol is a humectant. Humectants are able to bind and hold large amounts of water to keep skin hydrated.
This ingredient works well for wound healing. It works by increasing tissue in the wound and helps close open wounds.
Once oxidized, panthenol converts to pantothenic acid. Panthothenic acid is found in all living cells.
This ingredient is also referred to as pro-vitamin B5.
Learn more about PanthenolJojoba oil is one of the most well-studied plant-derived ingredients in cosmetics. It is an emollient with a special structure.
Because it is made up of 97-98% wax esters, it closely mirrors the linear monoesters found in human sebum. This makes it skin compatible, non-greasy, and lightweight.
Unlike other plant oils, jojoba wax doesn't easily penetrate skin. It mostly works in the uppermost layers as an emollient. This just means it forms a light barrier on the skin to help retain moisture.
Formulations with jojoba esters up to 90% reduced transepidermal water loss (TEWL) and increased barrier recovery by 81% (outperforming bisabolol at 47%).
Besides barrier support, the science also suggests jojoba to have anti-inflammatory effects and potential applications for skin infections, aging, and wound healing.
Fun fact: Indigenous cultures have used jojoba as a moisturizer and to help treat burns for centuries.
Fungal acne: The Malassezia yeast is known to metabolize fatty acids in the C11-24 range and jojoba's dominant fatty acid components fall into this range. This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Simmondsia Chinensis Seed OilSisymbrium Irio Seed Oil is an oil.
Sodium Benzoate is a preservative. It's used in both cosmetic and food products to inhibit the growth of mold and bacteria. It is typically produced synthetically.
Both the US FDA and EU Health Committee have approved the use of sodium benzoate. In the US, levels of 0.1% (of the total product) are allowed.
Sodium benzoate works as a preservative by inhibiting the growth of bacteria inside of cells. It prevents the cell from fermenting a type of sugar using an enzyme called phosphofructokinase.
It is the salt of benzoic acid. Foods containing sodium benzoate include soda, salad dressings, condiments, fruit juices, wines, and snack foods.
Studies for using ascorbic acid and sodium benzoate in cosmetics are lacking, especially in skincare routines with multiple steps.
We always recommend speaking with a professional, such as a dermatologist, if you have any concerns.
Learn more about Sodium BenzoateChances 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 ChlorideSqualane is the hydrogenated and shelf-stable form of squalene (a lipid that naturally occurs in human sebum).
It is an emollient and skin conditioning agent that is able to integrate seamlessly into the skin's lipid barrier without clogging pores.
This is due to how structurally similar it is to what your skin already produces.
Though it is mostly an emollient that helps soften and hydrate skin, it also has some humectant and occlusive action. Humectants help the skin retain moisture while occlusives seal it in, making squalane a triple-threat moisturizer.
Research shows it has antioxidant capabilities that help protect against stressors like UV exposure, specifically UVA induced oxidative stress. This study also found that it supports collagen biosynthesis in human dermal fibroblasts.
No clinical study has reported significant adverse effects and irritation reactions are very rare from this ingredient (even at 100% concentration).
Overall, it's a fantastic ingredient for hydration and is suitable for all skin types.
This depends on the source. Squalane can be derived from both plants and animals. Most squalane used in skincare comes from plants.
Please note: the source of squalane is only known if disclosed by the brand. We recommend reaching out to the brand if you have any questions about their squalane.
Read more about squalene with an "e".
Though squalane is often called an oil, itâs technically not one. It is a hydrocarbon, meaning it is only made of carbon and hydrogen. True oils are triglycerides and made of fatty acids and glycerol.
The term âoil-freeâ isnât regulated so companies can define it however they want. Some exclude all oils, while others just avoid mineral oil or comedogenic oils.
Squalane has a comedogenic rating of 1 from the original 1972 study that tested raw ingredients under occlusion on rabbit ears. This system is not standardized or peer-reviewed, and using the raw ingredients is very different from how diluted cosmetic formulations are used on human skin.
A comedogenic rating of 1 means it is "unlikely to clog pores" according to the original rating system.
The overall formula of a product matters more than the individual ingredients on whether or not it will cause clogged pores.
Learn more about SqualaneTocopheryl Acetate is AKA Vitamin E. It is an antioxidant and protects your skin from free radicals. Free radicals damage the skin by breaking down collagen.
One study found using Tocopheryl Acetate with Vitamin C decreased the number of sunburned cells.
Tocopheryl Acetate is commonly found in both skincare and dietary supplements.
Learn more about Tocopheryl AcetateWater. 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 WaterXanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.
On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.
Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.
Learn more about Xanthan Gum