What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Glycerin
Humectant
Glyceryl Stearate Citrate
Emollient
Heptyl Undecylenate
EmollientButylene Glycol
Humectant
Silica
Abrasive
Jojoba Esters
Emollient
C10-18 Triglycerides
Emollient
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingCaffeine
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Polyacrylate
Absorbent
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Polysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Sorbitan Isostearate
Emulsifying
Potassium Cetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingSodium Benzoate
Masking
Chlorella Vulgaris Extract
Skin ConditioningSodium Phytate
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Water, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glycerin, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Heptyl Undecylenate, Butylene Glycol, Silica, Jojoba Esters, C10-18 Triglycerides, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Caffeine, Sodium Polyacrylate, Hydroxyacetophenone, Tocopheryl Acetate, Caprylyl Glycol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Polysorbate 60, Sorbitan Isostearate, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Sodium Benzoate, Chlorella Vulgaris Extract, Sodium Phytate, Tocopherol
Water
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Glycerin
Humectant
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Behenyl Alcohol
Emollient
Sorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Cetearyl Olivate
Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate
Antioxidant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Diisostearyl Malate
EmollientTetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate
Antioxidant
Cetyl Palmitate
Emollient
Psidium Guajava Fruit Extract
AstringentAmmonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Psidium Guajava Seed Oil
Emollient
3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Ascorbyl Glucoside
Antioxidant
Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate
Antioxidant
Caffeine
Skin Conditioning
Acetyl Tetrapeptide-5
Humectant
Acetyl Hexapeptide-8
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Polyglyceryl-10 Dioleate
Emulsifying
Sorbitan Palmitate
Emulsifying
Batyl Alcohol
EmollientHydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Melia Azadirachta Extract
Skin Conditioning1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Citric Acid
Buffering
Polyglyceryl-10 Dipalmitate
Emollient
Sodium Citrate
BufferingSodium Phytate
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Fraxinus Excelsior Bark Extract
Skin ConditioningMoringa Oleifera Seed Oil
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Decyl Glucoside
Cleansing
Lauryl Glucoside
CleansingPyrus Malus Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Potassium Citrate
BufferingSilanetriol
Musa Sapientum Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPrunus Armeniaca Kernel Extract
Skin ConditioningPyrus Communis Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningRubus Idaeus Fruit Extract
AstringentWater, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glycerin, Niacinamide, Behenyl Alcohol, Sorbitan Olivate, Cetearyl Olivate, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Butylene Glycol, Diisostearyl Malate, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Cetyl Palmitate, Psidium Guajava Fruit Extract, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Psidium Guajava Seed Oil, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Caffeine, Acetyl Tetrapeptide-5, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Sodium Hyaluronate, Polyglyceryl-10 Dioleate, Sorbitan Palmitate, Batyl Alcohol, Hydroxyacetophenone, Caprylyl Glycol, Melia Azadirachta Extract, 1,2-Hexanediol, Citric Acid, Polyglyceryl-10 Dipalmitate, Sodium Citrate, Sodium Phytate, Tocopherol, Fraxinus Excelsior Bark Extract, Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil, Phenoxyethanol, Decyl Glucoside, Lauryl Glucoside, Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract, Potassium Citrate, Silanetriol, Musa Sapientum Fruit Extract, Ethylhexylglycerin, Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Extract, Pyrus Communis Fruit Extract, Rubus Idaeus Fruit Extract
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Butylene 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 GlycolCaffeine 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 CaffeineCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride (aka MCT Oil) is a lightweight emollient, solvent, and texture enhancer. It is considered a skin-softener by helping to prevent moisture loss.
Though it behaves like an oil, it is not technically one due to its chemical composition. One perk of this ingredient is that it is very stable, resistant to oxidation, and unlikely to go rancid.
In practice, that translates to a long shelf life and a consistently elegant skin feel.
While there is an assumption Caprylic Triglyceride can clog pores due to it being derived from coconut oil, there is no research supporting this. Just patch test if you have concerns.
Fractionated coconut oil and MCT Oil are both listed as Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride according to INCI. This is because INCI names are based on the ingredient’s final chemical composition and not its marketing name or source.
This ingredient is treated as the gold standard fungal acne safe oil. Even though it is coconut derived, the problematic lauric acid is stripped out.
This leaves just caprylic (C8) and capric (C10) acid. These chain lengths actually trend antifungal; a 2020 study found caprylic acid was enough to disrupt Malassezia furfur cell membrane, with a caprylic acid derivative damaging membrane structures at concentrations as low as 0.2%.
Learn more about Caprylic/Capric TriglycerideCaprylyl 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 or alcohol, 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 GlycerinHydroxyacetophenone is antioxidant with skin conditioning and soothing properties. It also boosts the efficiency of preservatives.
Though naturally occuring in Norwegian spruce needles, this ingredient is usually synthetically created.
This ingredient is not irritating or sensitizing. Recent research also suggests it may have skin-brightening effects through tyrosinase inhibition.
Learn more about HydroxyacetophenoneSodium 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 HyaluronateSodium Phytate is the synthetic salt form of phytic acid. Phytic acid is an antioxidant and can be found in plant seeds.
Sodium Phytate is a chelating agent. Chelating agents help prevent metals from binding to water. This helps stabilize the ingredients and the product.
Tocopherol is a fat-soluble antioxidant known as Vitamin E.
You'll find this ingredient in the vast majority of skincare (for good reason). It works to neutralize free radicals, or unstable molecules generated by UV exposure, pollution, and other environmental stressors, before they can cause oxidative damage to your skin cells.
Topically applied tocopherol has been shown to protect against UV damage by ramping up the skin's own natural defense enzymes.
It also acts as a skin conditioning agent; some studies show that regular topical use can improve the skin's water-binding capacity over 2-4 weeks.
This ingredient is especially loved for being a team player. When combined with Vitamin C, the photoprotective effect of both ingredients roughly doubles and the combo also helps reduce UV-induced DNA damage.
This ingredient has some brightening potential but it's more of a prevention ingredient than spot-fader. Cell studies show it can slow down melanin production but it's worth noting that it's not the most powerful brightener out there.
In formulations, it also serves as a stabilizer that helps protect other oxidation-prone ingredients from degrading.
Concentrations usually range from 0.1-1% in most leave-on products.
Learn more about TocopherolWater. 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
