What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
SolventMandelic Acid
AntimicrobialPolysorbate 20
EmulsifyingGlycerin
HumectantGluconolactone
ChelatingLactic Acid
BufferingNiacinamide
SmoothingXylityl Sesquicaprylate
AntimicrobialAnhydroxylitol
HumectantPanthenol
Skin ConditioningPotassium Hydroxide
BufferingParfum
MaskingHydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Benzoate
MaskingCitric Acid
BufferingSodium Phytate
ChelatingBenzoic Acid
MaskingCoumarin
PerfumingLimonene
PerfumingHexyl Cinnamal
PerfumingWater, Propanediol, Mandelic Acid, Polysorbate 20, Glycerin, Gluconolactone, Lactic Acid, Niacinamide, Xylityl Sesquicaprylate, Anhydroxylitol, Panthenol, Potassium Hydroxide, Parfum, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Sodium Benzoate, Citric Acid, Sodium Phytate, Benzoic Acid, Coumarin, Limonene, Hexyl Cinnamal
Propylene Glycol
HumectantWater
Skin ConditioningSodium Stearate
CleansingGlyceryl Laurate
EmollientNiacinamide
SmoothingPolyglyceryl-4 Caprate
EmulsifyingPolyglyceryl-6 Caprylate
EmulsifyingGlycerin
HumectantSilica Cetyl Silylate
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin ConditioningApium Graveolens Seed Oil
PerfumingCitrus Aurantifolia Peel Oil
MaskingCitrus Limon Peel Oil
MaskingCitrus Nobilis Peel Oil
MaskingOcimum Basilicum Oil
MaskingSalix Alba Bark Extract
AstringentMentha Piperita Oil
MaskingPogostemon Cablin Leaf Oil
MaskingLeuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate
AntimicrobialSantalum Album Oil
MaskingSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantAmyl Cinnamal
PerfumingBenzyl Salicylate
PerfumingCitronellol
PerfumingGeraniol
PerfumingHydroxycitronellal
PerfumingLimonene
PerfumingLinalool
PerfumingPropylene Glycol, Water, Sodium Stearate, Glyceryl Laurate, Niacinamide, Polyglyceryl-4 Caprate, Polyglyceryl-6 Caprylate, Glycerin, Silica Cetyl Silylate, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Apium Graveolens Seed Oil, Citrus Aurantifolia Peel Oil, Citrus Limon Peel Oil, Citrus Nobilis Peel Oil, Ocimum Basilicum Oil, Salix Alba Bark Extract, Mentha Piperita Oil, Pogostemon Cablin Leaf Oil, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Santalum Album Oil, Sodium Hyaluronate, Amyl Cinnamal, Benzyl Salicylate, Citronellol, Geraniol, Hydroxycitronellal, Limonene, Linalool
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Glycerin (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 GlycerinLimonene is the compound that gives citrus peel its smell.
In skincare, it shows up as a standalone fragrance ingredient or as a natural compound of citrus and other essential oils.
You'll typically see this ingredient used in very small amounts; anything above 0.001% in a leave-on product or 0.01% in a rinse-off has to be named on the label in the EU. The citrus oils that carry it sit around 0.5-1% in a finished formula.
Fresh limonene is a weak allergen; the real issue is that it slowly reacts with air and then breaks down from oxidation to create hydroperoxides (which are strong sensitizers). This is why suppliers are required to keep the peroxide value below 20 mmol.
Positive reactions in people being investigated for eczema vary:
It's worth skipping if you have a known fragrance allergy or a compromised barrier, but the risk is low for most people.
Older or long-opened products are also more likely to bother you than fresh ones due to oxidation.
Learn more about LimoneneNiacinamide 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