What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
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
Hippophae Rhamnoides Water
MaskingGlycereth-26
HumectantNiacinamide
SmoothingGlycerin
HumectantWater
Skin Conditioning1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningDiphenylsiloxy Phenyl Trimethicone
Skin ConditioningBenzyl Glycol
SolventCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingIsononyl Isononanoate
EmollientDiethoxyethyl Succinate
SolventArginine
MaskingAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingC12-14 Alketh-12
EmulsifyingOctyldodeceth-16
EmulsifyingCastor Oil/Ipdi Copolymer
Gluconolactone
Skin ConditioningEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningAllantoin
Skin ConditioningXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingAdenosine
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
Panthenol
Skin ConditioningDextrin Palmitate
EmulsifyingHydrogenated Lecithin
EmulsifyingOlea Europaea Fruit Oil
MaskingCholesterol
EmollientDibutyl Ethylhexanoyl Glutamide
Skin ConditioningCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
EmollientGlutathione
Ascorbic Acid
AntioxidantDibutyl Lauroyl Glutamide
Skin ConditioningCitrus Medica Vulgaris Peel Oil
Masking3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid
Skin ConditioningAscorbyl Glucoside
AntioxidantXanthophylls
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
SolventRosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil
MaskingLitsea Cubeba Fruit Oil
MaskingFoeniculum Vulgare Oil
EmollientMagnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate
AntioxidantSodium Ascorbyl Phosphate
AntioxidantSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantTocopherol
AntioxidantCoriandrum Sativum Fruit Oil
MaskingDipropylene Glycol
HumectantMentha Arvensis Leaf Oil
MaskingAscorbyl Tetraisopalmitate
AntioxidantPolyglyceryl-10 Laurate
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
HumectantGlycine Max Oil
EmollientHydrogenated Phosphatidylcholine
EmulsifyingSodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
HumectantHippophae Rhamnoides Water, Glycereth-26, Niacinamide, Glycerin, Water, 1,2-Hexanediol, Diphenylsiloxy Phenyl Trimethicone, Benzyl Glycol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Isononyl Isononanoate, Diethoxyethyl Succinate, Arginine, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, C12-14 Alketh-12, Octyldodeceth-16, Castor Oil/Ipdi Copolymer, Gluconolactone, Ethylhexylglycerin, Allantoin, Xanthan Gum, Adenosine, Disodium EDTA, Panthenol, Dextrin Palmitate, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Cholesterol, Dibutyl Ethylhexanoyl Glutamide, Carbomer, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Glutathione, Ascorbic Acid, Dibutyl Lauroyl Glutamide, Citrus Medica Vulgaris Peel Oil, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Xanthophylls, Propanediol, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil, Litsea Cubeba Fruit Oil, Foeniculum Vulgare Oil, Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Tocopherol, Coriandrum Sativum Fruit Oil, Dipropylene Glycol, Mentha Arvensis Leaf Oil, Ascorbyl Tetraisopalmitate, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Glycine Max Oil, Hydrogenated Phosphatidylcholine, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
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 AllantoinAscorbic Acid is is pure Vitamin C and is the biologically active form used directly by skin.
Not only is vitamin C great for your overall health and immune system, but it also has plenty of benefits for your skin. It is best supported by academic literature for:
Topical vitamin C has been shown to help neutralize oxidative stress from UV and pollution, helping to improve photoaging and hyperpigmentation when used consistently.
One clinical study found that using 5% topical vitamin C for six months improved signs of photodamaged skin, both on the surface and in the deeper structural layers of the skin.
While vitamin C doesn’t replace sunscreen, studies show it can boost photoprotection when combined with Vitamin E and ferulic acid. These two ingredients help improve stability and protective effects.
The big downside of this ingredient is formulation difficulty. Vitamin C is prone to oxidation and doesn't penetrate the skin unless formulated correctly. Research found that vitamin C absorbs into the skin best at a low pH (< 3.5) with about 20% being the upper limit for effective absorption.
Skin levels can saturate after repeated application; this means your skin won’t keep absorbing more once it’s full of vitamin C. This is why more isn’t always better with vitamin C and why very high concentrations don’t necessarily give extra benefits.
Ascorbic acid generally works well with many skincare ingredients but can be irritating when combined with other active ingredients. Strong oxidizing acne treatments like benzoyl peroxide can reduce the effectiveness of vitamin C if they are used at the same time; they are often recommended for use at different times of day.
Read more about other types of Vitamin C:
Foods rich with vitamin C include oranges, strawberries, broccoli, bell peppers, and more. When consuming Vitamin C, your skin receives a portion of the nutrients.
Learn more about Ascorbic AcidAscorbyl Glucoside is a stable form of Vitamin C. It is created by combining glucose from starch.
When applied to skin, Ascorbyl Glucoside turns into Ascorbic Acid.
Ascorbyl Glucoside is an antioxidant. Antioxidants help fight free-radicals, or molecules that may damage skin cells.
It can help to reduce redness, improve skin texture, reduce the effects of aging, reduce the visibility of dark spots, and brighten skin.
Read more about other types of Vitamin C:
Learn more about Ascorbyl GlucosideAscorbyl 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 TetraisopalmitateCarbomer 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 CarbomerGlycerin (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 GlycerinMagnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate (MAP) is a water-soluble form of Vitamin C. It is used in skincare because it tends to be more formulation friendly than pure vitamin C (ascorbic acid).
According to research, MAP has three major benefits:
While MAP is gentler on the skin than ascorbic acid, it is thought to be less easily absorbed into the skin.
In a well-known absorption study, pure vitamin C increased skin vitamin C levels when formulated correctly, but derivatives like MAP did not in that experiment. This suggests MAP may not always convert into active vitamin C in the skin.
Due to MAP's stability up to a pH level of 7, it is more stable to air and sunlight exposure than ascorbic acid. The best pH range for MAP is between 5 and 6.
Learn more about Magnesium Ascorbyl PhosphateNiacinamide 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