This calming serum is formulated around Saccharomyces/Xylinum/Black Tea Ferment and Centella Asiatica Leaf Extract to calm redness and strengthen the skin barrier.
This acne moisturizer is formulated around Salicylic Acid to clear breakouts and balance excess oil.
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Polyglyceryl-4 Laurate
Emulsifying
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Saccharomyces/Xylinum/Black Tea Ferment
Skin Conditioning
Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil
Masking
Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate
Antimicrobial
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Lauryl Laurate
Skin Conditioning
Centella Asiatica Leaf Extract
Skin Conditioning
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Centella Asiatica Meristem Cell Culture
Antioxidant
Madecassoside
Antioxidant
Bisabolol
Antioxidant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Candelilla/Jojoba/Rice Bran Polyglyceryl-3 Esters
Emulsifying
Hydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingGlyceryl Stearate
Emollient
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialSodium Gluconate
ChelatingSodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingPotassium Sorbate
Preservative
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Citric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Stearoyl Lactylate
EmulsifyingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Water, Glycerin, Polyglyceryl-4 Laurate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Saccharomyces/Xylinum/Black Tea Ferment, Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Caprylyl Glycol, Lauryl Laurate, Centella Asiatica Leaf Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Centella Asiatica Meristem Cell Culture, Madecassoside, Bisabolol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hyaluronic Acid, Candelilla/Jojoba/Rice Bran Polyglyceryl-3 Esters, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Xanthan Gum, Glyceryl Stearate, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Sodium Gluconate, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Potassium Sorbate, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Cetearyl Alcohol, Citric Acid, Sodium Stearoyl Lactylate, Phenoxyethanol
Water
Skin ConditioningTriethyl Citrate
Masking
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Ethyl Linoleate
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Polymethylsilsesquioxane
Dimethicone/Divinyldimethicone/Silsesquioxane Crosspolymer
Humectant
Glycol Palmitate
Emulsifying
Dimethyl Sulfone
SolventOligopeptide-10
Antimicrobial
Salicylic Acid
Masking
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Arachidyl Alcohol
Emollient
Copernicia Cerifera Wax
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Cetearyl Glucoside
Emulsifying
Bis-Ethylhexyl Hydroxydimethoxy Benzylmalonate
Antioxidant
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Arachidyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingHydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingCaprylhydroxamic Acid
ChelatingPentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
Antioxidant
Lauric Acid
Cleansing
Lauryl Alcohol Diphosphonic Acid
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingWater, Triethyl Citrate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Ethyl Linoleate, Glycerin, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Dimethicone/Divinyldimethicone/Silsesquioxane Crosspolymer, Glycol Palmitate, Dimethyl Sulfone, Oligopeptide-10, Salicylic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate, Arachidyl Alcohol, Copernicia Cerifera Wax, Pentylene Glycol, Cetearyl Glucoside, Bis-Ethylhexyl Hydroxydimethoxy Benzylmalonate, Benzyl Alcohol, Caprylyl Glycol, Arachidyl Glucoside, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Lauric Acid, Lauryl Alcohol Diphosphonic Acid, Sodium Hydroxide
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, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolCetearyl alcohol is a waxy mixture of two fatty alcohols: cetyl alcohol and stearyl alcohol. It is an emollient and emulsifier.
Despite having "alcohol" in its name, it has nothing to do with drying solvent alcohols; the FDA also allows "alcohol-free" products to contain fatty alcohols like this ingredient.
It plays several roles in a formula:
Typical use levels for this ingredient sit around 1-10% and the Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has affirmed safety at concentrations up to 25% in leave-on products.
Multiple assessments have found it to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing to most people.
However, there have been some cases of allergic contact dermatitis in patients with chronically compromised skin barriers.
Cetearyl alcohol has a comedogenic rating of 2 and irritancy rating of 1. Both of these numbers come from the 1989 study that used rabbit ears; a "2" means mildly comedogenic and a "1" means low irritancy.
Here's the catch: rabbit skin is more sensitive than human skin and throws a lot of false positives. A 1996 reappraisal found that ingredients rated 1-2 in the rabbit ear tests are generally safe for humans.
Remember comedogenic ratings are unable to assess the entire formula of a product or how it will react on your skin. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure about certain ingredients.
This ingredient is not fungal acne safe. Cetearyl alcohol is a fatty alcohol with chain lengths that fall within the range that Malassezia can metabolize.
A 2019 study has also observed Malassezia growth in the presence of this ingredient, confirming it to be not-fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Cetearyl AlcoholGlycerin (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 GlycerinThis is a synthetic polymer. It helps improve the texture of products by adding thickness and gel-like feel.
It is also an emulsifer, meaning it prevents ingredients such as oil and water from separating. It also helps evenly disperse other ingredients.
Sodium 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
