What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningNiacinamide
Smoothing
Dipropylheptyl Carbonate
EmollientLecithin
Emollient
Sodium Acrylates Copolymer
Maltodextrin
Absorbent
Lactobacillus Ferment Lysate
Skin Conditioning
Lactococcus Ferment Lysate
Skin Conditioning
Bifida Ferment Lysate
Skin Conditioning
Myrciaria Dubia Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningAureobasidium Pullulans Ferment Extract
Sea Water/Torreya Nucifera Leaf Ferment Extract
Antioxidant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningParfum
Masking
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Inulin
Skin Conditioning
Water, Niacinamide, Dipropylheptyl Carbonate, Lecithin, Sodium Acrylates Copolymer, Maltodextrin, Lactobacillus Ferment Lysate, Lactococcus Ferment Lysate, Bifida Ferment Lysate, Myrciaria Dubia Fruit Extract, Aureobasidium Pullulans Ferment Extract, Sea Water/Torreya Nucifera Leaf Ferment Extract, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Parfum, Sodium Hyaluronate, Inulin
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Squalane
Emollient
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Glyceryl Citrate/Lactate/Linoleate/Oleate
Emulsifying
Sodium Citrate
BufferingPolysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Sodium Potassium Aluminum Silicate
Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
Bleaching
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingTocopherol
Antioxidant
Beta-Glucan
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Acrylates Copolymer
Propanediol
Solvent
Acetyl Glucosamine
Skin Conditioning
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Sodium Polyglutamate
HumectantZinc PCA
Humectant
Resveratrol Dimethyl Ether
Antioxidant
Citric Acid
Buffering
Rosmarinus Officinalis Extract
AntimicrobialMethyl Glucose Sesquistearate
Emollient
Dibutyl Adipate
EmollientSilica
Abrasive
Glycine Soja Oil
Emollient
Olive Oil Polyglyceryl-6 Esters
Emollient
BHT
Antioxidant
Bisabolol
Antioxidant
Disodium EDTA
Lecithin
Emollient
Dimethylmethoxy Chromanyl Palmitate
Skin Conditioning
Glyceryl Dibehenate
Emollient
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPolysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Sorbitan Isostearate
Emulsifying
Polyglyceryl-6 Pentaoleate
Emulsifying
Propylene Glycol Caprylate
Skin ConditioningTriisostearin
Skin Conditioning
Tribehenin
Emollient
Glyceryl Behenate
Emollient
Centella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
CI 77492
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantMica
Cosmetic ColorantHydrolyzed Oat Protein
Skin ConditioningLaminaria Digitata Extract
Skin Protecting
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Ceramide AP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide As
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide EOP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide Ns
Skin Conditioning
Cetyl-Pg Hydroxyethyl Palmitamide
Skin ConditioningCholesterol
Emollient
Water, Glycerin, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Niacinamide, Propylene Glycol, Panthenol, Squalane, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glyceryl Citrate/Lactate/Linoleate/Oleate, Sodium Citrate, Polysorbate 20, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Potassium Aluminum Silicate, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Lactic Acid, Xanthan Gum, Tocopherol, Beta-Glucan, Sodium Acrylates Copolymer, Propanediol, Acetyl Glucosamine, Allantoin, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Polyglutamate, Zinc PCA, Resveratrol Dimethyl Ether, Citric Acid, Rosmarinus Officinalis Extract, Methyl Glucose Sesquistearate, Dibutyl Adipate, Silica, Glycine Soja Oil, Olive Oil Polyglyceryl-6 Esters, BHT, Bisabolol, Disodium EDTA, Lecithin, Dimethylmethoxy Chromanyl Palmitate, Glyceryl Dibehenate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Polysorbate 60, Sorbitan Isostearate, Polyglyceryl-6 Pentaoleate, Propylene Glycol Caprylate, Triisostearin, Tribehenin, Glyceryl Behenate, Centella Asiatica Extract, CI 77492, CI 77891, Mica, Hydrolyzed Oat Protein, Laminaria Digitata Extract, 1,2-Hexanediol, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Ceramide AP, Ceramide As, Ceramide EOP, Ceramide NP, Ceramide Ns, Cetyl-Pg Hydroxyethyl Palmitamide, Cholesterol
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 EthylhexylglycerinLecithin is a term for a group of substances found in the cell membranes of plants, animals, and humans. They are made up of phospholipids.
Thanks to its amphiphilic structure (water-loving head and oil-loving tail), it is a true multitasker:
It plays well with most ingredients and is typically used at 0.1-1%. However, concentrations up to 50% have been reported in moisturizers.
Learn more about LecithinNiacinamide 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 one of the most widely used preservatives in skincare (and for good reason!).
It has a large spectrum of antimicrobial activity and especially effective bacteria, yeast, and mold while only having a weak effect on your skin's natural microbiome.
On a cellular level, it disrupts the cell membranes of microbes by poking holes that make the cell leak. This shuts down the chemical reactions the microbe needs to make energy so it can no longer survive.
Another perk of this ingredient is that it stays functional across a wide pH range (3-10).
You'll often see it paired with boosters like Ethylhexylglycerin; one study showed that a 1:9 ratio of Ethylhexylglycerin to Phenoxyethanol damages bacterial membranes as effectively as doubling the Phenoxyethanol concentration on its own.
Typical use concentrations range from 0.3-1% depending on the formula, and this ingredient is capped at 1% int the EU.
Safety-wise, the fear mongering does not hold up to the evidence. The EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety and FDA consider it safe as a preservative at up to 1%, including for children of all ages.
Adverse systemic effects only showed up in animal studies at exposures roughly 200x higher than what people get from cosmetics. And despite its very widespread use, this ingredient is a rare sensitizer and allergic reactions are uncommon.
Learn more about PhenoxyethanolThis ingredient is a synthetic, salt form polymer built from acrylic acid, ethacrylic acid, or their simple esters. It works as a binder, film former, and viscosity increasing agent.
Typical concentrations start at around 0.5% but can go up to 25% for film-forming or binding.
The CIR Expert Panel assessed the safety of 126 acrylates copolymers and concluded they are safe in cosmetics at current use levels when formulated to be non-irritating. They also noted the levels present in finished cosmetic products are not considered a safety risk and Genotoxicity testing (Ames tests, chromosomal aberration assays) has come back negative across the board.
Though the raw building blocks (like acrylic acid) can be irritating on their own, cosmetic-grade versions go through purification to keep levels extremely low.
Sodium Acrylates Copolymer is a large molecule that doesn't penetrate skin barrier in any meaningful way.
Learn more about Sodium Acrylates CopolymerSodium Hyaluronate is the salt form of hyaluronic acid. It is a long sugar chain that is naturally found in your skin, joints, and connective tissue that maintains hydration and elasticity.
In skincare, it works as a humectant. It pulls water from the environment and deeper layers of skin and binds it to the surface.
Interestingly, the size of the molecule affects its behavior:
Some clinical evidence links low molecular weight versions to improved wrinkle depth, elasticity, anti-inflammatory effects, and barrier repair.
Many serums use a blend of both weights so you can get surface hydration plus longer-lasting and deeper effects.
You'll typically see concentrations between 0.1-2% for this ingredient.
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. Remember to stay hydrated!
Learn more about Water
