What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Rubus Fruticosus Leaf Extract
MaskingGlycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
BleachingCalendula Officinalis Flower Extract
MaskingAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin ConditioningVaccinium Angustifolium Fruit Extract
Skin ProtectingMorus Nigra Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningArbutin
AntioxidantButylene Glycol
HumectantGlycerin
HumectantPolysorbate 20
EmulsifyingHydrolyzed Dna
Skin ConditioningGerotine/Hydrolyzed Dna
AntioxidantSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingAdenosine
Skin ConditioningTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantNiacinamide
SmoothingBisabolol
AntioxidantPEG-6
HumectantWater
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningHexylene Glycol
Emulsifying1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningDipropylene Glycol
HumectantSodium Chloride
MaskingTrehalose
HumectantUrea
BufferingSerine
MaskingPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningGlyceryl Polyacrylate
Algin
MaskingPullulan
Disodium Phosphate
BufferingPotassium Phosphate
BufferingSqualane
EmollientHydrogenated Lecithin
EmulsifyingCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningOleic Acid
EmollientInulin Lauryl Carbamate
Emulsion StabilisingRubus Fruticosus Leaf Extract, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Vaccinium Angustifolium Fruit Extract, Morus Nigra Fruit Extract, Arbutin, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Polysorbate 20, Hydrolyzed Dna, Gerotine/Hydrolyzed Dna, Sodium Hyaluronate, Carbomer, Xanthan Gum, Adenosine, Tocopheryl Acetate, Niacinamide, Bisabolol, PEG-6, Water, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Hexylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Dipropylene Glycol, Sodium Chloride, Trehalose, Urea, Serine, Pentylene Glycol, Glyceryl Polyacrylate, Algin, Pullulan, Disodium Phosphate, Potassium Phosphate, Squalane, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Ceramide NP, Oleic Acid, Inulin Lauryl Carbamate
Rubus Fruticosus Leaf Extract
MaskingGlycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
BleachingCalendula Officinalis Flower Extract
MaskingAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin ConditioningVaccinium Angustifolium Fruit Extract
Skin ProtectingMorus Nigra Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningArbutin
AntioxidantButylene Glycol
HumectantGlycerin
HumectantPolysorbate 20
EmulsifyingHydrolyzed Dna
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingAdenosine
Skin ConditioningTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantNiacinamide
SmoothingBisabolol
AntioxidantPEG-6
HumectantPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningHexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingBenzyl Alcohol
PerfumingRubus Fruticosus Leaf Extract, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Vaccinium Angustifolium Fruit Extract, Morus Nigra Fruit Extract, Arbutin, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Polysorbate 20, Hydrolyzed Dna, Sodium Hyaluronate, Carbomer, Xanthan Gum, Adenosine, Tocopheryl Acetate, Niacinamide, Bisabolol, PEG-6, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Hexylene Glycol, Benzyl Alcohol
Reviews
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 AdenosineAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice comes from leaves of the aloe plant. Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice is best known for helping to soothe sunburns. It is also anti-inflammatory, moisturizing, antiseptic, and can help heal wounds.
Aloe is packed with good stuff including Vitamins A, C, and E. These vitamins are antioxidants, which help fight free-radicals and the damage they may cause. Free-radicals are molecules that may damage your skin cells, such as pollution.
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice also contains sugars. These sugars come in the form of monosaccharides and polysaccharides, folic acid, and choline. These sugars are able to help bind moisture to skin.
It also contains minerals such as calcium, 12 anthraquinones, fatty acids, amino acids, and Vitamin B12.
Learn more about Aloe Barbadensis Leaf JuiceArbutin is derived from the bearberry plant. It helps even out skin tone and reduce hyperpigmentation.
This ingredient has the ability to block tyrosinase, an enzyme that starts the process of skin darkening. When applied to the skin, arbutin works at a slow pace. This can make it less irritating than similar ingredients.
Kojic Acid is a similar ingredient.
Learn more about ArbutinBisabolol is a gentle skin conditioner, antioxidant, and soothing ingredient.
It's primary claim to fame is soothing and research shows topically applied bisabolol can quiet the chemical messengers that cause your skin to become inflamed, helping to sooth any irritation.
A clinical study found that applying 0.5% bisabolol daily for 8 weeks produced an average 9% decrease in skin pigmentation. Researchers found it can also suppress the process that leads to excess melanin production in skin.
In vitro studies found that bisabolol combined with propylene glycol significantly increased skin permeability by increasing lipid fluidity in the stratum corneum.
You'll likely see use concentrations quite low, usually 0.1-0.2%.
Overall, this is a well-tolerated ingredient that works well in formulas designed for sensitive, reactive, or post-procedure skin.
Learn more about BisabololButylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:
Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient that works well with other ingredients.
Though this ingredient works well with most skin types, some people with sensitive skin may experience a reaction such as allergic rashes, closed comedones, or itchiness.
Learn more about Butylene GlycolCalendula Officinalis Flower Extract comes from the common Marigold plant part of the Asteraceae family. This ingredient is a skin conditioner.
Marigolds contain flavonoids. Flavonoids are a group of substances found naturally in plants. They possess antioxidant and inflammation properties.
This ingredient soothes skin inflammation by inhibiting inhibiting a part of the inflammation process.
Marigolds have been used in traditional medicine throughout Asia and Europe.
Learn more about Calendula Officinalis Flower ExtractCaprylyl 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 GlycolCarbomer is a high-molecular weight polymer of acrylic acid. It is used to form gels and thicken formulas.
Due to its large molecular size, carbomer has minimal skin penetration and is considered an inert ingredient.
A high amount of carbomer can cause pilling or balling up of products. Don't worry, most products contain 1% or less of carbomer.
Learn more about CarbomerEthylhexylglycerin 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 EthylhexylglycerinGlycerin (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 ExtractHexylene Glycol is a multitasker ingredient that works as a solvent, humectant, emulsifier, viscosity reducer, and preservative booster.
It is able to dissolve both water and oil-soluble ingredients to stabilize tricky actives and make products spread more easily.
As a humectant, it pulls water into the skin. But it's a pretty minor moisturizing ingredient compared to other humectants, like glycerin.
Interestingly, it can act as a mild penetration enhancer. One in vitro study on human skin found a 12% concentration upped the absorption of mometasone furoate (a medicinal ingredient used to treat inflammatory skin conditions) up to 7%.
This ingredient is typically used at levels of 0.1-10% depending on the role it's playing.
A patch test study on eczema patients didn't find a significant increase in irritation versus the control group, but the potential for irritation rises at higher concentrations.
Learn more about Hexylene GlycolWe don't have a description for Hydrolyzed Dna yet.
The Morus Nigra fruit is also known as Black Mulberry.
Black Mulberry contains anthocyanins, a type of antioxidant. Antioxidants help fight free-radicals. Free-radicals are molecules that may damage your skin cells.
Black Mulberry also contains arbutin.
Learn more about Morus Nigra Fruit ExtractNiacinamide 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 NiacinamideWe don't have a description for PEG-6 yet.
Polysorbate 20 is a gentle, water-soluble emulsifier and mild surfactant. It stops oil and water from separating to keep your formulas blended and stable.
It also acts as a mild penetration enhancer by helping active ingredients absorb slightly better.
The common safety discussion around this ingredient involves a manufacturing byproduct called 1,4-dioxane.
Trace amounts can form during production but the EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety has concluded that levels at/below 10 ppm in finished products are safe (commercial products consistently fall within acceptable margins).
True allergic reactions are uncommon and the CIR Expert Panel has confirmed this ingredient to be safe as used in cosmetics.
Because it is derived from lauric acid, it may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Polysorbate 20Rubus Fruticosus Leaf Extract from blackberry leaves.
Blackberries are rich in Vitamin C and antioxidants.
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 HyaluronateTocopheryl Acetate is AKA Vitamin E. It is an antioxidant and protects your skin from free radicals. Free radicals damage the skin by breaking down collagen.
One study found using Tocopheryl Acetate with Vitamin C decreased the number of sunburned cells.
Tocopheryl Acetate is commonly found in both skincare and dietary supplements.
Learn more about Tocopheryl AcetateThis extract comes from the blueberry native to North America. It has great antioxidant and skin soothing properties.
The antioxidant properties from blueberries come from its polyphenolic and vitamin C content. Polyphenols are a compound famous for their antioxidant properties and are commonly found in fruits.
A 2023 study found blueberries to protect skin from UV-B related inflammation. However, this ingredient should not replace your sunscreen.
Learn more about Vaccinium Angustifolium Fruit ExtractXanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.
On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.
Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.
Learn more about Xanthan Gum