What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningNiacinamide
SmoothingAlpha-Arbutin
AntioxidantPanthenol
Skin ConditioningGlycereth-25 PCA Isostearate
EmulsifyingAmmonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Bakuchiol 0.2%
AntimicrobialPolyglyceryl-10 Laurate
Skin ConditioningHydrogenated Lecithin
EmulsifyingAdenosine
Skin ConditioningOlea Europaea Fruit Oil
MaskingMacadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil
EmollientVitis Vinifera Seed Oil
EmollientSimmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
EmollientCaffeine
Skin ConditioningSh-Oligopeptide-1
Skin ConditioningSh-Polypeptide-1
Skin ConditioningSh-Oligopeptide-2
Skin ConditioningSh-Polypeptide-19
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientAcetyl Hexapeptide-8
HumectantBiotin
AntiseborrhoeicWater, Glycerin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Niacinamide, Alpha-Arbutin, Panthenol, Glycereth-25 PCA Isostearate, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Bakuchiol 0.2%, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Adenosine, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil, Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Caffeine, Sh-Oligopeptide-1, Sh-Polypeptide-1, Sh-Oligopeptide-2, Sh-Polypeptide-19, Caprylyl Glycol, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Biotin
Water
Skin ConditioningDipropylene Glycol
HumectantDimethicone
EmollientPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningNiacinamide
SmoothingLecithin
EmollientCaffeine
Skin ConditioningAlteromonas Ferment Extract
Skin ConditioningLysine Hcl
Skin ConditioningAlanine
MaskingArginine
MaskingHistidine Hcl
Skin ConditioningSerine
MaskingProline
Skin ConditioningValine
MaskingLeucine
Skin ConditioningGlycine
BufferingIsoleucine
Skin ConditioningPhenylalanine
MaskingThreonine
Sodium Carboxymethyl Beta-Glucan
CleansingHesperidin Methyl Chalcone
AntioxidantDipeptide-2
Skin ConditioningPalmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Skin ConditioningGallyl Glucoside
AntioxidantPropyl Gallate
AntioxidantEpigallocatechin Gallatyl Glucoside
AntioxidantPalmitoyl Tetrapeptide-50
Skin ConditioningHeptapeptide-15 Palmitate
Skin ConditioningEctoin
Skin ConditioningEscin
TonicSericoside
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantBeta-Sitosterol
Emulsion StabilisingAllantoin
Skin ConditioningGlutamic Acid
HumectantTaurine
BufferingHydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingSteareth-20
CleansingPolysorbate 60
EmulsifyingSorbitan Isostearate
EmulsifyingChlorhexidine Digluconate
AntimicrobialBenzyl Alcohol
PerfumingPhenethyl Alcohol
MaskingSodium Citrate
BufferingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingCitric Acid
BufferingPotassium Sorbate
PreservativeDehydroacetic Acid
PreservativeLactic Acid/Glycolic Acid Copolymer
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
PreservativePolyvinyl Alcohol
Water, Dipropylene Glycol, Dimethicone, Pentylene Glycol, Niacinamide, Lecithin, Caffeine, Alteromonas Ferment Extract, Lysine Hcl, Alanine, Arginine, Histidine Hcl, Serine, Proline, Valine, Leucine, Glycine, Isoleucine, Phenylalanine, Threonine, Sodium Carboxymethyl Beta-Glucan, Hesperidin Methyl Chalcone, Dipeptide-2, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Gallyl Glucoside, Propyl Gallate, Epigallocatechin Gallatyl Glucoside, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-50, Heptapeptide-15 Palmitate, Ectoin, Escin, Sericoside, Glycerin, Beta-Sitosterol, Allantoin, Glutamic Acid, Taurine, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Steareth-20, Polysorbate 60, Sorbitan Isostearate, Chlorhexidine Digluconate, Benzyl Alcohol, Phenethyl Alcohol, Sodium Citrate, Sodium Hydroxide, Citric Acid, Potassium Sorbate, Dehydroacetic Acid, Lactic Acid/Glycolic Acid Copolymer, Phenoxyethanol, Polyvinyl Alcohol
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Caffeine 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 CaffeineGlycerin (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