What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin ConditioningFragaria Vesca Leaf Extract
AstringentVaccinium Angustifolium Fruit Extract
Skin ProtectingMorus Nigra Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningCucumis Sativus Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningDaucus Carota Sativa Root Extract
Skin ConditioningCalendula Officinalis Flower Extract
MaskingCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingCitrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Extract
Emulsion StabilisingBorago Officinalis Seed Oil
EmollientPanthenol
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantGlycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
BleachingCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientArgania Spinosa Kernel Oil
EmollientSodium Ascorbyl Phosphate
AntioxidantAllantoin
Skin ConditioningChitosan
Sodium Hyaluronate
HumectantArbutin
AntioxidantHydrolyzed Dna
Skin ConditioningAdenosine
Skin ConditioningXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingHydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingDimethicone
EmollientCyclopentasiloxane
EmollientPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeSodium Benzoate
MaskingParfum
MaskingAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Fragaria Vesca Leaf Extract, Vaccinium Angustifolium Fruit Extract, Morus Nigra Fruit Extract, Cucumis Sativus Seed Extract, Daucus Carota Sativa Root Extract, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Extract, Borago Officinalis Seed Oil, Panthenol, Glycerin, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Caprylyl Glycol, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Allantoin, Chitosan, Sodium Hyaluronate, Arbutin, Hydrolyzed Dna, Adenosine, Xanthan Gum, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Carbomer, Dimethicone, Cyclopentasiloxane, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Benzoate, Parfum
Galactomyces Ferment Filtrate
HumectantWater
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantButylene Glycol
HumectantTrehalose
HumectantNiacinamide
SmoothingBetaine
HumectantCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingHydrogenated Lecithin
EmulsifyingSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantCeramide NP
Skin Conditioning1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningC12-14 Pareth-12
EmulsifyingAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingAllantoin
Skin ConditioningTromethamine
BufferingDipotassium Glycyrrhizate
HumectantEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningAdenosine
Skin ConditioningCitrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil
MaskingPolyglyceryl-4 Caprate
EmulsifyingDisodium EDTA
Aspalathus Linearis Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningGlycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
BleachingMilk Extract
Skin ConditioningCommiphora Myrrha Resin Extract
Skin ConditioningNelumbo Nucifera Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningLimonene
PerfumingLinalool
PerfumingGalactomyces Ferment Filtrate, Water, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Trehalose, Niacinamide, Betaine, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Sodium Hyaluronate, Ceramide NP, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Pentylene Glycol, C12-14 Pareth-12, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Allantoin, Tromethamine, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Adenosine, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil, Polyglyceryl-4 Caprate, Disodium EDTA, Aspalathus Linearis Leaf Extract, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Milk Extract, Commiphora Myrrha Resin Extract, Nelumbo Nucifera Leaf Extract, Limonene, Linalool
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
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 AdenosineAllantoin is a soothing ingredient known for its protective and moisturizing properties; it's basically a quiet workhorse ingredient you can find in a huge range of cosmetics.
Though it can be derived from the comfrey plant, allantoin is produced synthetically for cosmetic products to ensure purity.
Research shows it can encourage your skin cells to turn over and renew by stimulating keratinocyte and fibroblast proliferation.
It also has mild keratolytic properties to help loosen and shed dead skin cells without being harsh.
Studies also suggest allantoin can help calm inflammation by dialing down some of the chemical signals your skin sends out when it is irritated.
This ingredient is typically used in the 0.1-0.5% range, and the FDA recognizes it as a skin protectant in OTC products up to 2%.
Overall, allantoin is a wonderful addition to most routines; it is stable across a wide pH range (~4-8), works well with other ingredients, and is considered non-sensitizing/non-irritating.
Fun fact: Allantoin is naturally occurring in comfrey root, beets, chamomile, and wheat sprouts. Our bodies even produce it as a byproduct of uric acid metabolism.
Learn more about AllantoinCaprylic/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 TriglycerideCaprylyl 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 GlycerinGlycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract is an extract of the roots of Licorice. It has been found to have several benefits such as skin hydrating, conditioning, and soothing.
One component, glabridin, has extra potent antioxidant and soothing properties. It has also been found to block pigmentation from UVB rays in guinea pigs.
Licorice Root also contains a flavonoid. Flavonoids are a natural substance from in plants. Flavonoids also have antioxidant properties.
Another component, glycyrrhizin, has been found to have anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial benefits. This may make licorice root extract effective at treating acne. However, more research is needed to support this.
Liquiritin is one of the flavone compounds found in licorice. It has been found to help lighten skin by preventing tyrosinase from reacting with tyrosine. When the two react, protein is converted to melanin. Melanin is the substance in your body that gives your features pigmentation.
Learn more about Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root ExtractSodium 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 Hyaluronate