What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
HumectantSodium DNA
Skin ConditioningPentaerythrityl Tetraisostearate
EmollientMethylpropanediol
SolventNiacinamide
Smoothing1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientCetearyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingMethyl Hydrogenated Rosinate
PerfumingGlycerin
HumectantSodium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate
Emulsion StabilisingHydrogenated Polydecene
EmollientCaprylyl/Capryl Glucoside
CleansingSodium Polyacrylate
AbsorbentC18-21 Alkane
SolventPolyglyceryl-10 Oleate
Skin ConditioningGlyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer
HumectantBehenyl Alcohol
EmollientDimethicone
EmollientGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
EmollientLactobacillus Ferment Lysate
Skin ConditioningChamomilla Recutita Flower Oil
MaskingTrehalose
HumectantMicrocrystalline Wax
Emulsion StabilisingPolysorbate 60
EmulsifyingSclerotium Gum
Emulsion StabilisingCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientAdenosine
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPanthenol
Skin ConditioningHydrogenated Lecithin
EmulsifyingSodium Phosphate
BufferingSh-Oligopeptide-1
Skin ConditioningCentella Asiatica Extract
CleansingSodium Guaiazulene Sulfonate
SurfactantWater, Butylene Glycol, Sodium DNA, Pentaerythrityl Tetraisostearate, Methylpropanediol, Niacinamide, 1,2-Hexanediol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Glucoside, Methyl Hydrogenated Rosinate, Glycerin, Sodium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Hydrogenated Polydecene, Caprylyl/Capryl Glucoside, Sodium Polyacrylate, C18-21 Alkane, Polyglyceryl-10 Oleate, Glyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer, Behenyl Alcohol, Dimethicone, Glyceryl Stearate, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Lactobacillus Ferment Lysate, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Oil, Trehalose, Microcrystalline Wax, Polysorbate 60, Sclerotium Gum, Caprylyl Glycol, Adenosine, Disodium EDTA, Ethylhexylglycerin, Panthenol, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Sodium Phosphate, Sh-Oligopeptide-1, Centella Asiatica Extract, Sodium Guaiazulene Sulfonate
Rubus Fruticosus Leaf Extract
MaskingGlycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
BleachingCalendula Officinalis Flower Extract
MaskingAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin ConditioningVaccinium Angustifolium Fruit Extract
Skin ProtectingMorus Nigra Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningArbutin
AntioxidantButylene Glycol
HumectantGlycerin
HumectantPolysorbate 20
EmulsifyingHydrolyzed DNA
Skin ConditioningGerotine/Hydrolyzed DNA
AntioxidantSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingAdenosine
Skin ConditioningTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantNiacinamide
SmoothingBisabolol
AntioxidantPEG-6
HumectantWater
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningHexylene Glycol
Emulsifying1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningDipropylene Glycol
HumectantSodium Chloride
MaskingTrehalose
HumectantUrea
BufferingSerine
MaskingPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningGlyceryl Polyacrylate
Algin
MaskingPullulan
Disodium Phosphate
BufferingPotassium Phosphate
BufferingSqualane
EmollientHydrogenated Lecithin
EmulsifyingCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningOleic Acid
EmollientInulin Lauryl Carbamate
Emulsion StabilisingRubus Fruticosus Leaf Extract, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Vaccinium Angustifolium Fruit Extract, Morus Nigra Fruit Extract, Arbutin, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Polysorbate 20, Hydrolyzed DNA, Gerotine/Hydrolyzed DNA, Sodium Hyaluronate, Carbomer, Xanthan Gum, Adenosine, Tocopheryl Acetate, Niacinamide, Bisabolol, PEG-6, Water, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Hexylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Dipropylene Glycol, Sodium Chloride, Trehalose, Urea, Serine, Pentylene Glycol, Glyceryl Polyacrylate, Algin, Pullulan, Disodium Phosphate, Potassium Phosphate, Squalane, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Ceramide NP, Oleic Acid, Inulin Lauryl Carbamate
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
1,2-Hexanediol is a synthetic liquid and another multi-functional powerhouse.
It is a:
- Humectant, drawing moisture into the skin
- Emollient, helping to soften skin
- Solvent, dispersing and stabilizing formulas
- Preservative booster, enhancing the antimicrobial activity of other preservatives
Adenosine is a purine nucleoside that your body already makes in every cell. In skincare, it acts mainly as a skin conditioning and anti-aging agent.
The way it works is fairly well mapped out:
Your skin has cells called fibroblasts that build collagen (the stuff that keeps skin firm and smooth). Adenosine basically flips a switch on these cells that tells them to get to work making more collagen and other proteins. These cells slow down on their own as skin ages, so Adenosine helps give them a little nudge to keep going.
The clinical backing is pretty solid too.
A blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial of 126 women aged 45-65 tested a 0.1% cream twice daily and found real improvements in crow's feet and frown lines using a precise 3D skin-mapping technique; these changes showed up by week 3 and held at 2 months.
A later study using Adenosine-loaded dissolving microneedle patches reported gains in wrinkle depth, dermal density, elasticity, and hydration.
On concentrations, South Korea's Ministry of Food and Drug Safety has set 0.04% as the approved functional anti-wrinkle level. You'll typically see this ingredient used somewhere in the 0.04-0.1% range since it works at low doses.
This ingredient has been found safe for cosmetics with the data showing no irritation or sensitization.
Overall, this is a great ingredient for any anti-aging routine and has no photosensitizing effect, so it suits both AM and PM use.
Learn more about AdenosineButylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:
Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient that works well with other ingredients.
Though this ingredient works well with most skin types, some people with sensitive skin may experience a reaction such as allergic rashes, closed comedones, or itchiness.
Learn more about Butylene GlycolCaprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.
Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.
Because it is not a free-fatty acid, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolEthylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:
The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure.
Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.
Learn more about EthylhexylglycerinGlycerin (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 GlycerinHydrogenated Lecithin is a more stable version of lecithin.
It's made by taking lecithin (a phospholipid commonly found in soybeans and egg yolks) and hydrogenating it. This just means the unsaturated fatty acids are turned into saturated ones so they don't go bad as easily.
This ingredient is an emollient, emulsifier, and penetration enhancer. As an emollient, it helps soften and hydrate skin by trapping moisture within. As an emulsifier, it prevents oil and water ingredients from separating.
Hydrogenated Lecithin can form tiny spherical structures made of phospholipid bilayers called liposomes. These liposomes are able to capture compounds inside their structure and deliver them through the skin barrier.
Because phospholipids are a natural component of our cell membranes, this ingredient is inherently compatible with skin.
A 2021 study found lecithin-based surfactants were less harsh and more tolerable comared to Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS).
Learn more about Hydrogenated LecithinNiacinamide 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 NiacinamideTrehalose is a disaccharide made of two glucose molecules (glucose is sugar!). Trehalose is used to help moisturize skin. It also has antioxidant properties.
As a humectant, trehalose helps draw moisture from the air to your skin. This helps keep your skin hydrated.
Due to its antioxidant properties, trehalose may help with signs of aging. Antioxidants help fight free-radical molecules, unstable molecules that may damage your skin.
In medicine, trehalose and hyaluronic acid are used to help treat dry eyes.
Some animals, plants, and bacteria create trehalose as a source of energy to survive freeze or lack of water.
Learn more about TrehaloseWater. 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