What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningUndecane
EmollientTridecane
Perfuming3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantCaffeine
Skin ConditioningIsoamyl Laurate
EmollientAcetyl Hexapeptide-8
HumectantCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientPropanediol
SolventTriolein
Skin ConditioningGlyceryl Stearate Citrate
EmollientCitrus Reticulata Peel Extract
Skin ConditioningTerminalia Ferdinandiana Fruit Extract
AntioxidantTapioca Starch
Daucus Carota Sativa Seed Oil
EmollientCucumis Sativus Fruit Extract
EmollientCyclodextrin
AbsorbentAmmonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate
Emulsion StabilisingMethyl Gluceth-20
HumectantGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientPEG-100 Stearate
Sorbitol
HumectantIsostearyl Hydroxystearate
EmollientBenzyl Alcohol
PerfumingHydroxyacetophenone
AntioxidantSodium Citrate
BufferingSodium Gluconate
Skin ConditioningXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSucralose
Skin ConditioningCitric Acid
BufferingDilauryl Thiodipropionate
AntioxidantWater, Undecane, Tridecane, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Glycerin, Caffeine, Isoamyl Laurate, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Caprylyl Glycol, Propanediol, Triolein, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Citrus Reticulata Peel Extract, Terminalia Ferdinandiana Fruit Extract, Tapioca Starch, Daucus Carota Sativa Seed Oil, Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract, Cyclodextrin, Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Methyl Gluceth-20, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Sorbitol, Isostearyl Hydroxystearate, Benzyl Alcohol, Hydroxyacetophenone, Sodium Citrate, Sodium Gluconate, Xanthan Gum, Sucralose, Citric Acid, Dilauryl Thiodipropionate
Water
Skin ConditioningEthylhexyl Palmitate
EmollientGlycereth-26
HumectantGlycerin
HumectantCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientNiacinamide
SmoothingHydrogenated Poly(C6-14 Olefin)
EmollientBeeswax
Emulsion StabilisingCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingPolyglyceryl-2 Stearate
EmulsifyingDipropylene Glycol
HumectantIsododecane
EmollientGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientHydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingStearyl Alcohol
EmollientGlycol Stearate Se
EmulsifyingSodium Polyacrylate
AbsorbentHydroxyacetophenone
AntioxidantStearic Acid
CleansingDimethiconol
EmollientDimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Skin ConditioningHydrogenated Polydecene
EmollientHydrogenated Lecithin
EmulsifyingTranexamic Acid
AstringentBetaine
HumectantGlutathione
Panthenol
Skin ConditioningParfum
MaskingHippophae Rhamnoides Fruit Oil
Skin ProtectingButylene Glycol
HumectantAdenosine
Skin ConditioningSorbitan Isostearate
EmulsifyingCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientTrideceth-6
Emulsifying1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
Sodium Hyaluronate
HumectantAscorbic Acid
AntioxidantWater, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Glycereth-26, Glycerin, Cetearyl Alcohol, Niacinamide, Hydrogenated Poly(C6-14 Olefin), Beeswax, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Polyglyceryl-2 Stearate, Dipropylene Glycol, Isododecane, Glyceryl Stearate, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Stearyl Alcohol, Glycol Stearate Se, Sodium Polyacrylate, Hydroxyacetophenone, Stearic Acid, Dimethiconol, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Hydrogenated Polydecene, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Tranexamic Acid, Betaine, Glutathione, Panthenol, Parfum, Hippophae Rhamnoides Fruit Oil, Butylene Glycol, Adenosine, Sorbitan Isostearate, Caprylyl Glycol, Trideceth-6, 1,2-Hexanediol, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Hyaluronate, Ascorbic Acid
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Caprylyl 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 or alcohol, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolGlycerin (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 GlycerinGlyceryl Stearate is made by reacting glycerin with stearic acid (typically sourced from plant oils like palm or coconut). It's an emulsifier, emollient, and mild occlusive.
Emulsifiers help ingredients like oil and water stay mixed so your formula stays nicely blended and uniform in texture.
This ingredient is typically used in concentrations between 1-10%. Studies have found it to be non-sensitizing, non-phototoxic, and non-photoallergenic.
A close cousin of this ingredient is Glyceryl Stearate SE ("self-emulsifying"). This just has a small amount of sodium or potassium stearate added so it can emulsify without a co-emulsifier.
Since this ingredient is an ester of a C18 fatty acid, it may not be fungal acne safe. The Malassezia yeast can potentially metabolize within the C11-C24 range.
Fun fact: The human body also creates Glyceryl Stearate naturally.
Learn more about Glyceryl StearateHydroxyacetophenone is antioxidant with skin conditioning and soothing properties. It also boosts the efficiency of preservatives.
Though naturally occuring in Norwegian spruce needles, this ingredient is usually synthetically created.
This ingredient is not irritating or sensitizing. Recent research also suggests it may have skin-brightening effects through tyrosinase inhibition.
Learn more about HydroxyacetophenoneWater. 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