What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantButylene Glycol
HumectantDipropylene Glycol
HumectantPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
SolventAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin ConditioningNiacinamide
Smoothing1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningBetaine
HumectantPanthenol
Skin ConditioningPolyglyceryl-10 Stearate
Skin ConditioningPolyglyceryl-10 Oleate
Skin ConditioningTroxerutin
Skin ConditioningXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingAdenosine
Skin ConditioningAcetamide Mea
HumectantCitric Acid
BufferingSodium Citrate
BufferingTrisodium EDTA
Tromethamine
BufferingSarcosine
Skin ConditioningBeta-Glucan
Skin ConditioningPalmitamide Mea
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Polysaccharides
EmollientSqualane
EmollientCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningHydrogenated Lecithin
EmulsifyingWater, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Dipropylene Glycol, Pentylene Glycol, Propanediol, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Niacinamide, 1,2-Hexanediol, Betaine, Panthenol, Polyglyceryl-10 Stearate, Polyglyceryl-10 Oleate, Troxerutin, Xanthan Gum, Adenosine, Acetamide Mea, Citric Acid, Sodium Citrate, Trisodium EDTA, Tromethamine, Sarcosine, Beta-Glucan, Palmitamide Mea, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Polysaccharides, Squalane, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Ceramide NP, Hydrogenated Lecithin
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningNiacinamide
SmoothingCentella Asiatica Extract
CleansingN-Palmitoyl Serinol
Skin ProtectingBifida Ferment Lysate
Skin ConditioningAcetyl Glucosamine
Skin ConditioningPhytosterols
Skin ConditioningCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantSialyllactose
Skin ConditioningAllantoin
Skin ConditioningPanthenol
Skin ConditioningHypericum Perforatum Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningAdenosine
Skin ConditioningResveratrol
AntioxidantHeptasodium Hexacarboxymethyl Dipeptide-12
Skin ConditioningGlyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer
HumectantPolyglyceryl-10 Distearate
EmulsifyingGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingSorbitan Stearate
EmulsifyingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingStearic Acid
CleansingGlyceryl Caprylate
Emollient1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningWater, Glycerin, Pentylene Glycol, Niacinamide, Centella Asiatica Extract, N-Palmitoyl Serinol, Bifida Ferment Lysate, Acetyl Glucosamine, Phytosterols, Ceramide NP, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sialyllactose, Allantoin, Panthenol, Hypericum Perforatum Flower Extract, Adenosine, Resveratrol, Heptasodium Hexacarboxymethyl Dipeptide-12, Glyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer, Polyglyceryl-10 Distearate, Glyceryl Stearate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Sorbitan Stearate, Carbomer, Stearic Acid, Glyceryl Caprylate, 1,2-Hexanediol
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 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 AdenosineCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride (aka MCT Oil) is a lightweight emollient, solvent, and texture enhancer. It is considered a skin-softener by helping to prevent moisture loss.
Though it behaves like an oil, it is not technically one due to its chemical composition. One perk of this ingredient is that it is very stable, resistant to oxidation, and unlikely to go rancid.
In practice, that translates to a long shelf life and a consistently elegant skin feel.
While there is an assumption Caprylic Triglyceride can clog pores due to it being derived from coconut oil, there is no research supporting this. Just patch test if you have concerns.
Fractionated coconut oil and MCT Oil are both listed as Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride according to INCI. This is because INCI names are based on the ingredient’s final chemical composition and not its marketing name or source.
This ingredient is treated as the gold standard fungal acne safe oil. Even though it is coconut derived, the problematic lauric acid is stripped out.
This leaves just caprylic (C8) and capric (C10) acid. These chain lengths actually trend antifungal; a 2020 study found caprylic acid was enough to disrupt Malassezia furfur cell membrane, with a caprylic acid derivative damaging membrane structures at concentrations as low as 0.2%.
Learn more about Caprylic/Capric TriglycerideCeramide NP (formerly known as Ceramide 3) is one of the skin's naturally occurring lipids.
Since ceramides are the major lipid components of the skin, they are crucial for maintaining skin barrier and hydration. Ceramide NP most closely mirrors the dominant kind in human skin amongst ceramide subtypes.
This ceramide works by slotting into gaps within the stratum corneum's lipid matrix to limit trans-epidermal water loss (TEWL) and shield the skin against external irritants.
A study with 312 patients found that using a ceramide-containing routine for 4 weeks reduced the severity of atopic dermatitis by over 61%.
Another clinical study in subjects aged 60 and older found that a ceramide body wash and moisturizer improved skin dryness and itchy skin in 15 days.
Overall, ceramides are considered non-irritating and safety tests have found little to no observable adverse effects from using this ingredient.
Ceramide NP is usually sourced from plants (like soybean or rice bran), or produced synthetically.
Learn more about Ceramide NPGlycerin (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 NiacinamidePanthenol is a common ingredient that helps hydrate and soothe the skin. It is found naturally in our skin and hair.
There are two forms of panthenol: D and L.
D-panthenol is also known as dexpanthenol. Most cosmetics use dexpanthenol or a mixture of D and L-panthenol.
Panthenol is famous due to its ability to go deeper into the skin's layers. Using this ingredient has numerous pros (and no cons):
Like hyaluronic acid, panthenol is a humectant. Humectants are able to bind and hold large amounts of water to keep skin hydrated.
This ingredient works well for wound healing. It works by increasing tissue in the wound and helps close open wounds.
Once oxidized, panthenol converts to pantothenic acid. Panthothenic acid is found in all living cells.
This ingredient is also referred to as pro-vitamin B5.
Learn more about PanthenolPentylene glycol is typically used within a product to thicken it. It also adds a smooth, soft, and moisturizing feel to the product. It is naturally found in plants such as sugar beets.
The hydrophilic trait of Pentylene Glycol makes it a humectant. As a humectant, Pentylene Glycol helps draw moisture from the air to your skin. This can help keep your skin hydrated.
This property also makes Pentylene Glycol a great texture enhancer. It can also help thicken or stabilize a product.
Pentylene Glycol also acts as a mild preservative and helps to keep a product microbe-free.
Some people may experience mild eye and skin irritation from Pentylene Glycol. We always recommend speaking with a professional about using this ingredient in your routine.
Pentylene Glycol has a low molecular weight and is part of the 1,2-glycol family.
Learn more about Pentylene GlycolWater. 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