What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCyclomethicone
Emollient
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Glycerin
Humectant
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Sodium PCA
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
Skin Conditioning
Caffeine
Skin Conditioning
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Ceramide Ng
Skin Conditioning
Phospholipids
Skin Conditioning
Camellia Sinensis Polyphenols
Antioxidant
Ascorbic Acid
Antioxidant
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Retinol
Skin Conditioning
Arnica Montana Extract
Skin ConditioningPhytonadione Epoxide
AstringentTetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate
Antioxidant
Polyacrylamide
C13-14 Isoparaffin
Emollient
Phyllanthus Emblica Fruit Extract
HumectantN-Hydroxysuccinimide
Skin ConditioningChrysin
Skin ConditioningSteareth-20
CleansingPalmitoyl Oligopeptide
Cleansing
Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Skin Conditioning
Hesperidin Methyl Chalcone
Antioxidant
Dipeptide-2
Skin Conditioning
Albizia Julibrissin Bark Extract
MaskingDarutoside
Skin ConditioningTribehenin
Emollient
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Hydrogenated Polybutene
Butylated Pvp
PEG-10 Rapeseed Sterol
CleansingPalmitoyl Hexapeptide-12
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4
Skin Conditioning
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingCetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Behenyl Alcohol
Emollient
Laureth-7
EmulsifyingPEG-100 Stearate
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Sorbic Acid
Preservative
Titanium Dioxide
Cosmetic Colorant
Water, Cyclomethicone, Butylene Glycol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glycerin, Niacinamide, Sodium PCA, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Caffeine, Glyceryl Stearate, Ceramide Ng, Phospholipids, Camellia Sinensis Polyphenols, Ascorbic Acid, Tocopheryl Acetate, Retinol, Arnica Montana Extract, Phytonadione Epoxide, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Polyacrylamide, C13-14 Isoparaffin, Phyllanthus Emblica Fruit Extract, N-Hydroxysuccinimide, Chrysin, Steareth-20, Palmitoyl Oligopeptide, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Hesperidin Methyl Chalcone, Dipeptide-2, Albizia Julibrissin Bark Extract, Darutoside, Tribehenin, Polysorbate 20, Hydrogenated Polybutene, Butylated Pvp, PEG-10 Rapeseed Sterol, Palmitoyl Hexapeptide-12, Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4, Carbomer, Cetyl Alcohol, Behenyl Alcohol, Laureth-7, PEG-100 Stearate, Caprylyl Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Sorbic Acid, Titanium Dioxide
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Dimethicone
Emollient
Propanediol
Solvent
Dimethicone/PEG-10/15 Crosspolymer
CI 42090
Cosmetic ColorantCaffeine
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Chloride
MaskingSodium Citrate
BufferingSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
P-Anisic Acid
Masking
Chondrus Crispus
Masking
Disodium EDTA
Citric Acid
Buffering
Biosaccharide Gum-1
Humectant
Polymethylsilsesquioxane
Ceramide AP
Skin Conditioning
Water, Glycerin, Dimethicone, Propanediol, Dimethicone/PEG-10/15 Crosspolymer, CI 42090, Caffeine, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Citrate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Hydroxide, Phenoxyethanol, P-Anisic Acid, Chondrus Crispus, Disodium EDTA, Citric Acid, Biosaccharide Gum-1, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Ceramide AP
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 CaffeineGlycerin (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 GlycerinPhenoxyethanol is a preservative that has germicide, antimicrobial, and aromatic properties. Studies show that phenoxyethanol can prevent microbial growth. By itself, it has a scent that is similar to that of a rose.
It's often used in formulations along with Caprylyl Glycol to preserve the shelf life of products.
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
