This oil-control moisturizer is formulated around Niacinamide and Capryloyl Salicylic Acid to balance excess oil and refine the look of pores.
This barrier-repair moisturizer is formulated around Niacinamide and Panthenol to strengthen the skin barrier and hydrate skin.
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningNiacinamide
SmoothingGlycerin
HumectantSodium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate
Emulsion StabilisingButylene Glycol
Humectant1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientPolysorbate 20
EmulsifyingIsododecane
EmollientPanthenol
Skin ConditioningEthoxydiglycol
HumectantHydroxyacetophenone
AntioxidantCapryloyl Salicylic Acid
ExfoliatingSodium Polyacrylate
AbsorbentAlpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide
CleansingAllantoin
Skin ConditioningPhytosteryl/Octyldodecyl Lauroyl Glutamate
Skin ConditioningWater, Niacinamide, Glycerin, Sodium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Butylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Polysorbate 20, Isododecane, Panthenol, Ethoxydiglycol, Hydroxyacetophenone, Capryloyl Salicylic Acid, Sodium Polyacrylate, Alpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide, Allantoin, Phytosteryl/Octyldodecyl Lauroyl Glutamate
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantParaffinum Liquidum
EmollientPolyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate
EmulsifyingNiacinamide
SmoothingDimethicone
EmollientCetyl Palmitate
EmollientCetyl Alcohol
EmollientPanthenol
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingPotassium Hydroxide
BufferingTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingDisodium EDTA
Pantolactone
HumectantBorago Officinalis Seed Oil
EmollientPotassium Carbonate
BufferingBisabolol
AntioxidantPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningUrea
BufferingLactic Acid
BufferingSodium Lactate
BufferingSerine
MaskingSorbitol
HumectantSodium Chloride
MaskingAllantoin
Skin ConditioningWater, Glycerin, Paraffinum Liquidum, Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate, Niacinamide, Dimethicone, Cetyl Palmitate, Cetyl Alcohol, Panthenol, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol, Carbomer, Potassium Hydroxide, Tocopheryl Acetate, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Disodium EDTA, Pantolactone, Borago Officinalis Seed Oil, Potassium Carbonate, Bisabolol, Pentylene Glycol, Urea, Lactic Acid, Sodium Lactate, Serine, Sorbitol, Sodium Chloride, Allantoin
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Allantoin 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 AllantoinCaprylyl 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 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 GlycerinNiacinamide 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 NiacinamidePanthenol is a common ingredient that helps hydrate and soothe the skin. It is found naturally in our skin and hair.
There are two forms of panthenol: D and L.
D-panthenol is also known as dexpanthenol. Most cosmetics use dexpanthenol or a mixture of D and L-panthenol.
Panthenol is famous due to its ability to go deeper into the skin's layers. Using this ingredient has numerous pros (and no cons):
Like hyaluronic acid, panthenol is a humectant. Humectants are able to bind and hold large amounts of water to keep skin hydrated.
This ingredient works well for wound healing. It works by increasing tissue in the wound and helps close open wounds.
Once oxidized, panthenol converts to pantothenic acid. Panthothenic acid is found in all living cells.
This ingredient is also referred to as pro-vitamin B5.
Learn more about PanthenolWater. 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