What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantButylene Glycol
HumectantPhenoxyethylparaben
AntimicrobialAllantoin
Skin ConditioningBis-PEG-18 Methyl Ether Dimethyl Silane
EmollientGlyceryl Glucoside
HumectantFructose
HumectantRhamnose
HumectantCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingTriethanolamine
BufferingSodium PEG-50 Hydrogenated Castor Oil Succinate
CleansingSodium Lactate
BufferingCI 15980
Cosmetic ColorantBeta-Glucan
Skin ConditioningCI 19140
Cosmetic Colorant3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid
Skin ConditioningAscorbyl Glucoside
AntioxidantAscorbic Acid
AntioxidantMagnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate
AntioxidantAscorbyl Tetraisopalmitate
AntioxidantCitrus Junos Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningNiacinamide
SmoothingWater, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Phenoxyethylparaben, Allantoin, Bis-PEG-18 Methyl Ether Dimethyl Silane, Glyceryl Glucoside, Fructose, Rhamnose, Carbomer, Triethanolamine, Sodium PEG-50 Hydrogenated Castor Oil Succinate, Sodium Lactate, CI 15980, Beta-Glucan, CI 19140, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Ascorbic Acid, Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Ascorbyl Tetraisopalmitate, Citrus Junos Fruit Extract, Niacinamide
Water
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
Solvent1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
HumectantLactobacillus Ferment Lysate
Skin ConditioningSqualane
EmollientHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
EmollientDextrin
AbsorbentAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingTromethamine
BufferingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingGluconolactone
Skin ConditioningCitrus Reticulata Peel Extract
Skin ConditioningPanthenol
Skin ConditioningNiacinamide
SmoothingAllantoin
Skin ConditioningDaucus Carota Sativa Root Extract
Skin ConditioningHyaluronic Acid
HumectantPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningSodium Metaphosphate
BufferingSilica Dimethyl Silylate
EmollientCyclodextrin
AbsorbentTocopherol
AntioxidantEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningMadecassoside
AntioxidantHydrogenated Poly(C6-20 Olefin)
AbrasiveProtease
ExfoliatingAscorbyl Tetraisopalmitate
AntioxidantGlutathione
Achillea Millefolium Extract
CleansingHdi/Trimethylol Hexyllactone Crosspolymer
Beta-Carotene
Skin ConditioningFerulic Acid
AntimicrobialWater, Propanediol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Glycerin, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Butylene Glycol, Lactobacillus Ferment Lysate, Squalane, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Dextrin, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Tromethamine, Xanthan Gum, Gluconolactone, Citrus Reticulata Peel Extract, Panthenol, Niacinamide, Allantoin, Daucus Carota Sativa Root Extract, Hyaluronic Acid, Pentylene Glycol, Sodium Metaphosphate, Silica Dimethyl Silylate, Cyclodextrin, Tocopherol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Madecassoside, Hydrogenated Poly(C6-20 Olefin), Protease, Ascorbyl Tetraisopalmitate, Glutathione, Achillea Millefolium Extract, Hdi/Trimethylol Hexyllactone Crosspolymer, Beta-Carotene, Ferulic Acid
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
You might know this ingredient as Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, a more stable version of ascorbic acid.
Like other types of vitamin C, this ingredient has many benefits including reducing wrinkles, skin soothing, dark spot fading, and fighting against free radicals.
3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid interferes with the process of skin darkening, helping to reduce hyperpigmentation. It also encourages the skin to produce more collagen.
Once applied, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid is converted to Vitamin C deeper in the skin's layers. This process is slow but makes this ingredient more tolerable for skin.
The optimum pH range for this ingredient is 4 - 5.5
Learn more about 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic AcidAllantoin 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 AllantoinAscorbyl Tetraisopalmitate is a version of ascorbic acid, or Vitamin C.
This ingredient has many benefits including reducing wrinkles, skin soothing, dark spot fading, and fighting against free radicals.
It helps with dark spot fading by interfering with the process of skin darkening, helping to reduce hyperpigmentation. Like other forms of vitamin C, this ingredient encourages the skin to create more collagen.
As an antioxidant, it helps fight free-radicals. Free-radicals are molecules that may damage your skin cells.
One study found Ascorbyl Tetraisopalmitate to degrade in sunlight, but is stabilized when combined with acetyl zingerone.
Learn more about Ascorbyl TetraisopalmitateButylene 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 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 NiacinamideWater. 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