What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Salicylic Acid 2%
Masking
Water
Skin ConditioningIsododecane
EmollientSodium Polyacrylate
Absorbent
Squalane
Emollient
Sodium Acrylates Crosspolymer-2
AbsorbentNiacinamide
Smoothing
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingEthylene/Propylene/Styrene Copolymer
Butylene/Ethylene/Styrene Copolymer
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningLavandula Angustifolia Oil
Masking
Linalool
Perfuming
Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil
Masking
Limonene
Perfuming
Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Silica
Abrasive
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
Antioxidant
Erythritol
Humectant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Hibiscus Sabdariffa Fruit Extract
Salicylic Acid 2%, Water, Isododecane, Sodium Polyacrylate, Squalane, Sodium Acrylates Crosspolymer-2, Niacinamide, Phenoxyethanol, Xanthan Gum, Ethylene/Propylene/Styrene Copolymer, Butylene/Ethylene/Styrene Copolymer, Ethylhexylglycerin, Lavandula Angustifolia Oil, Linalool, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil, Limonene, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Silica, Ceramide NP, Glycerin, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Erythritol, Tocopherol, Hibiscus Sabdariffa Fruit Extract
Water
Skin ConditioningSqualane
Emollient
Propanediol
Solvent
Jojoba Oil/Macadamia Seed Oil Esters
Skin Conditioning
Triheptanoin
Skin ConditioningNiacinamide
Smoothing
Saccharide Isomerate
Humectant
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Squalene
Emollient
Zinc PCA
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Camellia Sinensis Seed Extract
Humectant
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Phytosteryl Macadamiate
Skin Conditioning
Phytosterols
Skin Conditioning
Acetyl Glutamine
Skin ConditioningLecithin
Emollient
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Amylopectin
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Folic Acid
Skin ConditioningOligopeptide-3
Skin Conditioning
Bacillus/Soybean Ferment Extract
Skin ConditioningOligopeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Oligopeptide-2
Skin Conditioning
Hexapeptide-11
Skin Conditioning
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Lithothamnion Calcareum Extract
Skin ConditioningLactic Acid
Buffering
Glucose
Humectant
Acetyl Heptapeptide-4
Humectant
C14-22 Alcohols
Emulsion Stabilising
C12-20 Alkyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningTrisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Citric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Citrate
BufferingPentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Water, Squalane, Propanediol, Jojoba Oil/Macadamia Seed Oil Esters, Triheptanoin, Niacinamide, Saccharide Isomerate, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Squalene, Zinc PCA, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Glycerin, Camellia Sinensis Seed Extract, Allantoin, Phytosteryl Macadamiate, Phytosterols, Acetyl Glutamine, Lecithin, Caprylyl Glycol, Amylopectin, Sodium Hyaluronate, Folic Acid, Oligopeptide-3, Bacillus/Soybean Ferment Extract, Oligopeptide-1, Oligopeptide-2, Hexapeptide-11, Tocopherol, Lithothamnion Calcareum Extract, Lactic Acid, Glucose, Acetyl Heptapeptide-4, C14-22 Alcohols, C12-20 Alkyl Glucoside, Ethylhexylglycerin, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Potassium Sorbate, Citric Acid, Sodium Citrate, Pentylene Glycol, Sodium Benzoate, Xanthan Gum, Phenoxyethanol
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Ethylhexylglycerin 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 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 NiacinamidePhenoxyethanol 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.
Squalane 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, itās 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 āoil-freeā isnāt 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 SqualaneTocopherol (also known as Vitamin E) is a common antioxidant used to help protect the skin from free-radicals and strengthen the skin barrier. It's also fat soluble - this means our skin is great at absorbing it.
Vitamin E also helps keep your natural skin lipids healthy. Your lipid skin barrier naturally consists of lipids, ceramides, and fatty acids. Vitamin E offers extra protection for your skinās lipid barrier, keeping your skin healthy and nourished.
Another benefit is a bit of UV protection. Vitamin E helps reduce the damage caused by UVB rays. (It should not replace your sunscreen). Combining it with Vitamin C can decrease sunburned cells and hyperpigmentation after UV exposure.
You might have noticed Vitamin E + C often paired together. This is because it is great at stabilizing Vitamin C. Using the two together helps increase the effectiveness of both ingredients.
There are often claims that Vitamin E can reduce/prevent scarring, but these claims haven't been confirmed by scientific research.
Learn more about TocopherolTrisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate is used to help stabilize a product.
It is a chelating agent, meaning it helps prevent metal ions from binding to other ingredients. This prevents unwanted reactions in products. Metal ions can come into a product via the water ingredient. They are found in trace amounts and are not known to be harmful.
Water. 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
