What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingGlycerin
HumectantCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientMacadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil
EmollientCetyl Ethylhexanoate
EmollientDipropylene Glycol
HumectantRosa Centifolia Flower Water
Skin ConditioningNiacinamide
SmoothingCetearyl Olivate
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningBeeswax
Emulsion StabilisingGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientDimethicone
EmollientSorbitan Olivate
EmulsifyingOxygen
Skin ConditioningPalmitoyl Tripeptide-5
Skin ConditioningAdenosine
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantAllantoin
Skin ConditioningCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialPulsatilla Koreana Extract
Skin ConditioningZanthoxylum Piperitum Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantUsnea Barbata Extract
Oryza Sativa Extract
AbsorbentSolanum Lycopersicum Fruit/Leaf/Stem Extract
AstringentApium Graveolens Extract
Skin ConditioningDaucus Carota Sativa Root Extract
Skin ConditioningBrassica Oleracea Capitata Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningBrassica Rapa Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningBrassica Oleracea Italica Extract
AstringentButylene Glycol
HumectantCarthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil
MaskingPrunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil
MaskingSodium Polyacrylate
AbsorbentTrideceth-6
EmulsifyingCetearyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingEthylhexyl Stearate
EmollientChlorphenesin
AntimicrobialEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
Parfum
MaskingWater, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glycerin, Cetearyl Alcohol, Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Dipropylene Glycol, Rosa Centifolia Flower Water, Niacinamide, Cetearyl Olivate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Beeswax, Glyceryl Stearate, Dimethicone, Sorbitan Olivate, Oxygen, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5, Adenosine, Sodium Hyaluronate, Allantoin, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Pulsatilla Koreana Extract, Zanthoxylum Piperitum Fruit Extract, Tocopheryl Acetate, Usnea Barbata Extract, Oryza Sativa Extract, Solanum Lycopersicum Fruit/Leaf/Stem Extract, Apium Graveolens Extract, Daucus Carota Sativa Root Extract, Brassica Oleracea Capitata Leaf Extract, Brassica Rapa Leaf Extract, Brassica Oleracea Italica Extract, Butylene Glycol, Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil, Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil, Sodium Polyacrylate, Trideceth-6, Cetearyl Glucoside, Ethylhexyl Stearate, Chlorphenesin, Ethylhexylglycerin, Disodium EDTA, Parfum
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantDimethicone
EmollientCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientTheobroma Grandiflorum Seed Butter
Skin ConditioningAlcohol Denat.
AntimicrobialCetearyl Isononanoate
EmollientNiacinamide
SmoothingGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientPEG-100 Stearate
Isopropyl Palmitate
EmollientOctyldodecanol
EmollientCyclodextrin
AbsorbentHydrolyzed Lupine Protein
Skin ConditioningPisum Sativum Extract
Skin ConditioningAdenosine
Skin ConditioningCapryloyl Salicylic Acid
ExfoliatingHydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
HumectantHydrolyzed Linseed Extract
Skin ConditioningPentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
AntioxidantTrisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Tocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantCera Alba
EmollientOrbignya Oleifera Seed Oil
EmollientSimmondsia Chinensis Butter
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingCitric Acid
BufferingHydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingPolysorbate 60
EmulsifyingPotassium Cetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingSorbitan Isostearate
EmulsifyingTocopherol
AntioxidantDimethicone/Polyglycerin-3 Crosspolymer
CleansingBenzyl Alcohol
PerfumingGeraniol
PerfumingLimonene
PerfumingChlorphenesin
AntimicrobialDipropylene Glycol
HumectantPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeSodium Benzoate
MaskingParfum
MaskingWater, Glycerin, Dimethicone, Cetearyl Alcohol, Theobroma Grandiflorum Seed Butter, Alcohol Denat., Cetearyl Isononanoate, Niacinamide, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Isopropyl Palmitate, Octyldodecanol, Cyclodextrin, Hydrolyzed Lupine Protein, Pisum Sativum Extract, Adenosine, Capryloyl Salicylic Acid, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Hydrolyzed Linseed Extract, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Cera Alba, Orbignya Oleifera Seed Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis Butter, Cetearyl Glucoside, Citric Acid, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Polysorbate 60, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Sorbitan Isostearate, Tocopherol, Dimethicone/Polyglycerin-3 Crosspolymer, Benzyl Alcohol, Geraniol, Limonene, Chlorphenesin, Dipropylene Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Benzoate, Parfum
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Adenosine is in every living organism. It is one of four components in nucleic acids that helps store our DNA.
Adenosine has many benefits when used. These benefits include hydrating the skin, smoothing skin, and reducing wrinkles. Once applied, adenosine increases collagen production. It also helps with improving firmness and tissue repair.
Studies have found adenosine may also help with wound healing.
In skincare products, Adenosine is usually derived from yeast.
Learn more about AdenosineCetearyl 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.
Learn more about Cetearyl AlcoholCetearyl Glucoside is a sugar-based emulsifier. It is usually made by combining cetearyl alcohol and glucose.
Belonging to the aklyl polyglucoside (APG) family, Cetearyl Glucoside has a sugar "head" that loves water and a fatty "tail" that loves oil. This means it can shuffle oil and water into a stable and smooth emulsion.
Typical use levels are between 1-5% and this ingredient is considered to be non-irritating by the CIR Expert Panel Review.
Once applied, your skin's glucoside hydrolases breaks it down to the parent fatty alcohol and glucose. This is why this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Cetearyl GlucosideChlorphenesin is a synthetic preservative. It helps protect a product against bacteria in order to extend shelf life. In most cases, Chlorphenesin is paired with other preservatives such as phenoxyethanol and caprylyl glycol.
Chlorphenesin is a biocide. This means it is able to help fight the microorganisms on our skin. It is also able to fight odor-releasing bacteria.
Chlorphenesin is soluble in both water and glycerin.
Studies show Chlorphenesin is easily absorbed by our skin. You should speak with a skincare professional if you have concerns about using Chlorphenesin.
Learn more about ChlorphenesinDimethicone 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 DimethiconeDipropylene Glycol is a synthetically created humectant, stabilizer, and solvent.
This ingredient helps:
Dipropylene glycol is technically an alcohol, but it belongs to the glycol family (often considered part of the ‘good’ alcohols). This means it is hydrating and gentle on skin unlike drying solvent alcohols like denatured alcohol.
As a masking agent, Dipropylene Glycol can be used to cover the smell of other ingredients. However, it does not have a scent.
Studies show Dipropylene Glycol is considered safe to use in skincare.
Learn more about Dipropylene GlycolGlycerin (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 GlycerinGlyceryl Stearate is made by reacting glycerin with stearic acid (typically sourced from plant oils like palm or coconut). It's an emulsifier, emollient, and mild occlusive.
Emulsifiers help ingredients like oil and water stay mixed so your formula stays nicely blended and uniform in texture.
This ingredient is typically used in concentrations between 1-10%. Studies have found it to be non-sensitizing, non-phototoxic, and non-photoallergenic.
A close cousin of this ingredient is Glyceryl Stearate SE ("self-emulsifying"). This just has a small amount of sodium or potassium stearate added so it can emulsify without a co-emulsifier.
Since this ingredient is an ester of a C18 fatty acid, it may not be fungal acne safe. The Malassezia yeast can potentially metabolize within the C11-C24 range.
Fun fact: The human body also creates Glyceryl Stearate naturally.
Learn more about Glyceryl StearateNiacinamide 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 NiacinamideParfum is a catch-all term for an ingredient or more that is used to give a scent to products.
Also called "fragrance", this ingredient can be a blend of hundreds of chemicals or plant oils. This means every product with "fragrance" or "parfum" in the ingredients list is a different mixture.
For instance, Habanolide is a proprietary trade name for a specific aroma chemical. When used as a fragrance ingredient in cosmetics, most aroma chemicals fall under the broad labeling category of “FRAGRANCE” or “PARFUM” according to EU and US regulations.
The term 'parfum' or 'fragrance' is not regulated in many countries. In many cases, it is up to the brand to define this term.
For instance, many brands choose to label themselves as "fragrance-free" because they are not using synthetic fragrances. However, their products may still contain ingredients such as essential oils that are considered a fragrance by INCI standards.
One example is Calendula flower extract. Calendula is an essential oil that still imparts a scent or 'fragrance'.
Depending on the blend, the ingredients in the mixture can cause allergies and sensitivities on the skin. Some ingredients that are known EU allergens include linalool and citronellol.
Parfum can also be used to mask or cover an unpleasant scent.
The bottom line is: not all fragrances/parfum/ingredients are created equally. If you are worried about fragrances, we recommend taking a closer look at an ingredient. And of course, we always recommend speaking with a professional.
Learn more about ParfumTocopheryl 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 Water