What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Ethoxydiglycol
HumectantNiacinamide
Smoothing
Acetyl Glucosamine
Skin ConditioningSalix Nigra Bark Extract
Skin ProtectingResveratrol
Antioxidant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Phospholipids
Skin Conditioning
Epigallocatechin Gallate
Antioxidant
Carnosine
Skin Conditioning
Genistein
Skin ConditioningGlycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
Bleaching
Adenosine
Skin Conditioning
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCitric Acid
Buffering
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingTetrasodium EDTA
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Water, Glycerin, Ethoxydiglycol, Niacinamide, Acetyl Glucosamine, Salix Nigra Bark Extract, Resveratrol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Phospholipids, Epigallocatechin Gallate, Carnosine, Genistein, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Adenosine, Xanthan Gum, Citric Acid, Polysorbate 20, Butylene Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Carbomer, Tetrasodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Glyceryl Polymethacrylate
Xylitylglucoside
Humectant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Rosa Damascena Flower Cera
MaskingAnhydroxylitol
Humectant
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Xylitol
Humectant
Alpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide
CleansingCarnosine
Skin Conditioning
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate
Antioxidant
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPolymnia Sonchifolia Root Juice
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Maltodextrin
Absorbent
Sodium Lactate
BufferingLactobacillus
Skin ConditioningPotassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Sorbic Acid
Preservative
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Water, Glycerin, Glyceryl Polymethacrylate, Xylitylglucoside, Phenoxyethanol, Rosa Damascena Flower Cera, Anhydroxylitol, Propylene Glycol, Xylitol, Alpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide, Carnosine, Niacinamide, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Polymnia Sonchifolia Root Juice, Sodium Hyaluronate, Maltodextrin, Sodium Lactate, Lactobacillus, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Sorbic Acid, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Carnosine is a dipeptide made from two amino acids.
This ingredient helps:
Glycation is the process of sugars binding to and damaging proteins. Too much sugar in our skin can lead to damaged collagen, contributing to factors of aging.
Carnosine is water-soluble and is not able to travel deeper layers of skin. This leads to some doubt about whether it can boost collagen in skin, since collagen is located in the deeper layers of skin.
Fun fact: Carnosine can be naturally found in our muscles and brain.
Learn more about CarnosineEthylhexylglycerin (we can't pronounce this either) is commonly used as a preservative and skin softener. It is derived from glyceryl.
You might see Ethylhexylglycerin often paired with other preservatives such as phenoxyethanol. Ethylhexylglycerin has been found to increase the effectiveness of these other preservatives.
Glycerin is already naturally found in your skin. It helps moisturize and protect your skin.
A study from 2016 found glycerin to be more effective as a humectant than AHAs and hyaluronic acid.
As a humectant, it helps the skin stay hydrated by pulling moisture to your skin. The low molecular weight of glycerin allows it to pull moisture into the deeper layers of your skin.
Hydrated skin improves your skin barrier; Your skin barrier helps protect against irritants and bacteria.
Glycerin has also been found to have antimicrobial and antiviral properties. Due to these properties, glycerin is often used in wound and burn treatments.
In cosmetics, glycerin is usually derived from plants such as soybean or palm. However, it can also be sourced from animals, such as tallow or animal fat.
This ingredient is organic, colorless, odorless, and non-toxic.
Glycerin is the name for this ingredient in American English. British English uses Glycerol/Glycerine.
Learn more about GlycerinNiacinamide 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 NiacinamidePalmitoyl Tripeptide-1 is also known as pal-GHK. It is made up of 3 amino acids and palmitic acid, a fatty acid that helps it absorb into skin more easily.
This peptide is as a signal peptide, meaning it tells the skin to produce more collagen. Collagen is the key protein that helps form the skin's structure and keep it plump, firm, and hydrated.
By boosting collagen production, this ingredient supports a stronger skin barrier and helps reduce the appearance of wrinkles.
You'll most likely see this ingredient paired with Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7 in the well-known Matrixyl 3000 complex. While results from in-house testing should be viewed cautiously, this peptide duo is among the most studied and widely used in modern skincare.
Due to its palmitic acid base, this ingredient may not be safe for Malassezia folliculitis.
Read more about other common types of peptides here:
Learn more about Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1Phenoxyethanol 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.
Sodium Hyaluronate is hyaluronic acid's salt form. It is commonly derived from the sodium salt of hyaluronic acid.
Like hyaluronic acid, it is great at holding water and acts as a humectant. This makes it a great skin hydrating ingredient.
Sodium Hyaluronate is naturally occurring in our bodies and is mostly found in eye fluid and joints.
These are some other common types of Hyaluronic Acid:
Learn more about Sodium HyaluronateWater. 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. Stay hydrated!
Learn more about Water
