What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantCollagen
MoisturisingChondrus Crispus Powder
AbrasiveDipropylene Glycol
HumectantSoluble Collagen
HumectantHydrolyzed Collagen
EmollientHydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
HumectantCollagen Amino Acids
MoisturisingHyaluronic Acid
HumectantAllantoin
Skin ConditioningCaffeine
Skin ConditioningSqualane
EmollientAdenosine
Skin ConditioningNiacinamide
SmoothingHydrolyzed Extensin
Skin ConditioningHydroxystearic Acid
CleansingDipalmitoyl Hydroxyproline
Skin ConditioningTripeptide-1
Skin ConditioningChondrus Crispus Extract
Skin ConditioningLeuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate
AntimicrobialSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantPalmitic Acid
EmollientHydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate
Potassium Sorbate
PreservativeSodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
HumectantDextrin
AbsorbentSodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
HumectantHydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
Skin ConditioningPotassium Hyaluronate
Skin ConditioningXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCeratonia Siliqua Gum
EmollientSynthetic Fluorphlogopite
Calcium Lactate
AstringentChlorphenesin
AntimicrobialDisodium EDTA
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
HumectantTitanium/Titanium Dioxide
Cosmetic ColorantPotassium Chloride
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningTitanium Dioxide
Cosmetic ColorantMica
Cosmetic ColorantPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeWater, Glycerin, Collagen, Chondrus Crispus Powder, Dipropylene Glycol, Soluble Collagen, Hydrolyzed Collagen, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Collagen Amino Acids, Hyaluronic Acid, Allantoin, Caffeine, Squalane, Adenosine, Niacinamide, Hydrolyzed Extensin, Hydroxystearic Acid, Dipalmitoyl Hydroxyproline, Tripeptide-1, Chondrus Crispus Extract, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Palmitic Acid, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Dextrin, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Potassium Hyaluronate, Xanthan Gum, Ceratonia Siliqua Gum, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Calcium Lactate, Chlorphenesin, Disodium EDTA, 1,2-Hexanediol, Butylene Glycol, Titanium/Titanium Dioxide, Potassium Chloride, Ethylhexylglycerin, Titanium Dioxide, Mica, Phenoxyethanol
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantButylene Glycol
HumectantCeratonia Siliqua Gum
EmollientTrehalose
HumectantInositol
HumectantTaurine
BufferingBetaine
HumectantArnica Montana Flower Extract
MaskingCedrus Atlantica Bark Extract
PerfumingSqualane
EmollientRetinol
Skin ConditioningPolysorbate 20
EmulsifyingLecithin
EmollientTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantAcetyl Hexapeptide-8
HumectantPentapeptide-18
Skin ConditioningCitric Acid
BufferingCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientAcetyl Tetrapeptide-5
HumectantGlycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
BleachingCentella Asiatica Extract
CleansingPortulaca Oleracea Extract
Skin ConditioningAdenosine
Skin ConditioningScutellaria Baicalensis Callus Culture
Skin ConditioningEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningGlyceryl Caprylate
EmollientAureobasidium Pullulans Ferment
Skin ConditioningChondrus Crispus
MaskingAcetyl Glucosamine
Skin ConditioningRicinus Communis Seed Oil
MaskingPolyglutamic Acid
Skin ConditioningAllantoin
Skin ConditioningCyamopsis Tetragonoloba Gum
Emulsion StabilisingCalcium Chloride
AstringentPEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
EmulsifyingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeChlorphenesin
AntimicrobialCI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantDisodium EDTA
Ultramarines
Parfum
MaskingWater, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Ceratonia Siliqua Gum, Trehalose, Inositol, Taurine, Betaine, Arnica Montana Flower Extract, Cedrus Atlantica Bark Extract, Squalane, Retinol, Polysorbate 20, Lecithin, Tocopheryl Acetate, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Pentapeptide-18, Citric Acid, Caprylyl Glycol, Acetyl Tetrapeptide-5, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Centella Asiatica Extract, Portulaca Oleracea Extract, Adenosine, Scutellaria Baicalensis Callus Culture, Ethylhexylglycerin, Glyceryl Caprylate, Aureobasidium Pullulans Ferment, Chondrus Crispus, Acetyl Glucosamine, Ricinus Communis Seed Oil, Polyglutamic Acid, Allantoin, Cyamopsis Tetragonoloba Gum, Calcium Chloride, PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Phenoxyethanol, Chlorphenesin, CI 77891, Disodium EDTA, Ultramarines, Parfum
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 AdenosineAllantoin is a soothing ingredient known for its protective and moisturizing properties; it's basically a quiet workhorse ingredient you can find in a huge range of cosmetics.
Though it can be derived from the comfrey plant, allantoin is produced synthetically for cosmetic products to ensure purity.
Research shows it can encourage your skin cells to turn over and renew by stimulating keratinocyte and fibroblast proliferation.
It also has mild keratolytic properties to help loosen and shed dead skin cells without being harsh.
Studies also suggest allantoin can help calm inflammation by dialing down some of the chemical signals your skin sends out when it is irritated.
This ingredient is typically used in the 0.1-0.5% range, and the FDA recognizes it as a skin protectant in OTC products up to 2%.
Overall, allantoin is a wonderful addition to most routines; it is stable across a wide pH range (~4-8), works well with other ingredients, and is considered non-sensitizing/non-irritating.
Fun fact: Allantoin is naturally occurring in comfrey root, beets, chamomile, and wheat sprouts. Our bodies even produce it as a byproduct of uric acid metabolism.
Learn more about AllantoinButylene 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 GlycolCeratonia Siliqua Gum is extracted from the seeds of the carob tree. You might know this ingredient as Carob Gum or Locust Bean Gum. It is used to stabilize other ingredients and improve the texture of products.
Carob gum is made up of long-chain polysaccharides. This makes it a natural thickener.
Yes! This ingredient comes from the seeds of a tree. The name 'Locust Bean Gum' can be misleading.
Learn more about Ceratonia Siliqua GumChlorphenesin 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 ChlorphenesinDisodium EDTA is a chelating agent. It grabs onto and deactivates metal ions that sneak into your products from water, packaging, or air.
This ingredient mainly works behind the scenes and helps with:
On top of that, this ingredient can counteract the effects of hard water by binding to the minerals in it.
One thing worth knowing is that Disodium EDTA has been shown to be a mild penetration enhancer. It can help other ingredients absorb into skin more effectively which can be a double-edged sword (great for actives, but can also make the active too strong if you have sensitive skin).
Clinical patch testing showed no significant skin irritation at typical use concentrations and minimal dermal absorption.
You'll most likely see this ingredient near the end of an ingredient list. It's typically found in concentrations less than 1%.
Learn more about Disodium EDTAEthylhexylglycerin 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 GlycerinPhenoxyethanol 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, it’s 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 “oil-free” isn’t 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 SqualaneWater. 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