What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Propanediol
Solvent
Coco-Caprylate/Caprate
Emollient
Trioctyldodecyl Citrate
EmollientStearic Acid
Cleansing
Coconut Alkanes
Emollient
Arachidyl Alcohol
Emollient
Caprylyl Methicone
Skin Conditioning
Dimethicone
Emollient
Caffeine
Skin Conditioning
Panax Ginseng Root Extract
Emollient
Squalane
Emollient
Acetyl Hexapeptide-8
Humectant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Behenyl Alcohol
Emollient
Arachidyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingSodium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate
Emulsion StabilisingPEG-12 Dimethicone/PPG-20 Crosspolymer
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningAminopropyl Ascorbyl Phosphate
Antioxidant
Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate
Glucose
Humectant
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Mica
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77491
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Glycerin, Propanediol, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Trioctyldodecyl Citrate, Stearic Acid, Coconut Alkanes, Arachidyl Alcohol, Caprylyl Methicone, Dimethicone, Caffeine, Panax Ginseng Root Extract, Squalane, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Tocopherol, Behenyl Alcohol, Arachidyl Glucoside, Sodium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, PEG-12 Dimethicone/PPG-20 Crosspolymer, Xanthan Gum, Ethylhexylglycerin, Aminopropyl Ascorbyl Phosphate, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Glucose, Caprylyl Glycol, Potassium Sorbate, Mica, CI 77891, CI 77491
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Coco-Caprylate/Caprate
Emollient
Pentaerythrityl Tetraisostearate
Emollient
Diisostearyl Malate
EmollientButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate
Antioxidant
Cetearyl Olivate
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil Unsaponifiables
Emollient
Sorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Boron Nitride
Absorbent
Caffeine
Skin Conditioning
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Vaccinium Macrocarpon Fruit Extract
AstringentCoffea Arabica Seed Extract
Masking
Honey Extract
Humectant
Propolis Extract
Skin Conditioning
Royal Jelly Extract
Skin Conditioning
Citrus Aurantium Amara Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningCitrus Aurantium Sinensis Peel Extract
Skin ConditioningCitrus Reticulata Fruit Extract
Skin ProtectingAscorbic Acid
Antioxidant
Tridecapeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Betaine
Humectant
Triolein
Skin Conditioning
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Astaxanthin
Skin Conditioning
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Hippophae Rhamnoides Oil
Emollient
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Ubiquinone
Antioxidant
Lecithin
Emollient
Haematococcus Pluvialis Extract
Antioxidant
Glyceryl Dioleate
Emollient
Water, Glycerin, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Pentaerythrityl Tetraisostearate, Diisostearyl Malate, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Cetearyl Alcohol, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Cetearyl Olivate, Pentylene Glycol, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil Unsaponifiables, Sorbitan Olivate, Boron Nitride, Caffeine, Hyaluronic Acid, Ceramide NP, Vaccinium Macrocarpon Fruit Extract, Coffea Arabica Seed Extract, Honey Extract, Propolis Extract, Royal Jelly Extract, Citrus Aurantium Amara Fruit Extract, Citrus Aurantium Sinensis Peel Extract, Citrus Reticulata Fruit Extract, Ascorbic Acid, Tridecapeptide-1, Betaine, Triolein, Hydroxyacetophenone, Tocopheryl Acetate, Astaxanthin, Allantoin, Hippophae Rhamnoides Oil, Tocopherol, Ubiquinone, Lecithin, Haematococcus Pluvialis Extract, Glyceryl Dioleate
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Caffeine is a naturally occurring plant compound found in coffee beans, tea leaves, cocoa pods, and guarana.
As an antioxidant, caffeine protects your skin from free radical damage caused by UV exposure and envionrmnetal stressors.
Early research also shows that caffeine can help calm redness, soothe irritated skin, and support hair growth by stimulating microcirculation in the scalp.
You might have seen eye creams marketing caffeine as a depuffing ingredient. This is because it is a vasoconstrictor meaning it can temporarily constrict blood vessels, though clinical evidence for this specific use is still limited.
Most skincare products contain this ingredient at concentrations between 1-6%. It is able to penetrate skin easily regardless of skin type or thickness.
Just so you know, a very small number of case reports describe caffeine-induced allergy. This ingredient is generally well-tolerated, non-irritating, and non-sensitizing for the majority of people.
Learn more about CaffeineCoco-Caprylate/Caprate is a lightweight ester created from coconut oil fatty acids, caprylic acid, and capric acid.
It is an emollient that helps soften skin and reduce transepidermal water loss (TEWL). What sets it apart from heavier emollients is its ultralight, non-greasy feel.
Once applied, this ingredient dries down quickly and leaves a dry, silky finish behind. This also helps improve spreadability and texture.
This ingredient has an excellent safety-record and is non-irritating.
Typical concentrations for cosmetics range from 0.5-62%.
Research on Malassezia growth found no growth on fatty acid esters with chain lengths shorter than 12 carbons (it prefers C11-24).
Since Coco-Caprylate/Caprate is built on C8 and C10 fatty acids, it is out of the range that Malassezia metabolizes, and therefore safe for fungal acne.
Learn more about Coco-Caprylate/CaprateGlycerin (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 GlycerinTocopherol is a fat-soluble antioxidant known as Vitamin E.
You'll find this ingredient in the vast majority of skincare (for good reason). It works to neutralize free radicals, or unstable molecules generated by UV exposure, pollution, and other environmental stressors, before they can cause oxidative damage to your skin cells.
Topically applied tocopherol has been shown to protect against UV damage by ramping up the skin's own natural defense enzymes.
It also acts as a skin conditioning agent; some studies show that regular topical use can improve the skin's water-binding capacity over 2-4 weeks.
This ingredient is especially loved for being a team player. When combined with Vitamin C, the photoprotective effect of both ingredients roughly doubles and the combo also helps reduce UV-induced DNA damage.
This ingredient has some brightening potential but it's more of a prevention ingredient than spot-fader. Cell studies show it can slow down melanin production but it's worth noting that it's not the most powerful brightener out there.
In formulations, it also serves as a stabilizer that helps protect other oxidation-prone ingredients from degrading.
Concentrations usually range from 0.1-1% in most leave-on products.
Learn more about TocopherolWater. 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
