What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Centella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Glycerin
Humectant
Diglycerin
Humectant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Water
Skin ConditioningPolyglyceryl-3 Distearate
Emulsifying
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Neopentyl Glycol Diheptanoate
EmollientIsostearyl Isostearate
Emollient
Pentaerythrityl Tetraisostearate
Emollient
Hydrogenated Poly(C6-14 Olefin)
EmollientHeptyl Undecylenate
EmollientLactobacillus/Centella Asiatica Extract Ferment Filtrate
Skin ConditioningBis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-2
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
C14-22 Alcohols
Emulsion Stabilising
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Polyglyceryl-2 Stearate
Emulsifying
Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingGlyceryl Stearate Citrate
Emollient
Arginine
Masking
Stearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Polyisobutene
C12-20 Alkyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingSqualane
Emollient
Sodium Surfactin
CleansingSodium Polyacrylate
Absorbent
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingHydroxystearic Acid
Cleansing
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningAdenosine
Skin Conditioning
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Sorbitan Oleate
Emulsifying
Caprylyl/Capryl Glucoside
CleansingMacadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil
Emollient
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil
Emollient
Sodium Phytate
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Dextrin
AbsorbentTheobroma Cacao Extract
Skin ConditioningGlyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer
HumectantPolyglyceryl-10 Myristate
Skin Conditioning
Glucose
Humectant
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Phytosphingosine
Skin Conditioning
Madecassic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Asiaticoside
Antioxidant
Sucrose Distearate
Emollient
Asiatic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Lauric Acid
Cleansing
Phytosterols
Skin Conditioning
Polyglutamic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Centella Asiatica Extract, Glycerin, Diglycerin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Butylene Glycol, Niacinamide, Water, Polyglyceryl-3 Distearate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Neopentyl Glycol Diheptanoate, Isostearyl Isostearate, Pentaerythrityl Tetraisostearate, Hydrogenated Poly(C6-14 Olefin), Heptyl Undecylenate, Lactobacillus/Centella Asiatica Extract Ferment Filtrate, Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-2, Glyceryl Stearate, C14-22 Alcohols, Cetearyl Alcohol, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Polyglyceryl-2 Stearate, Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Arginine, Stearyl Alcohol, Polyisobutene, C12-20 Alkyl Glucoside, Squalane, Sodium Surfactin, Sodium Polyacrylate, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Carbomer, Hydroxystearic Acid, Ethylhexylglycerin, Adenosine, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Sorbitan Oleate, Caprylyl/Capryl Glucoside, Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil, Sodium Hyaluronate, Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil, Sodium Phytate, Ceramide NP, Dextrin, Theobroma Cacao Extract, Glyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer, Polyglyceryl-10 Myristate, Glucose, Stearic Acid, Phytosphingosine, Madecassic Acid, Asiaticoside, Sucrose Distearate, Asiatic Acid, Lauric Acid, Phytosterols, Polyglutamic Acid
Snail Secretion Filtrate
Skin Conditioning
Betaine
Humectant
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Cetearyl Olivate
Sorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingEthyl Hexanediol
SolventPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Arginine
Masking
Dimethicone
Emollient
Sodium Polyacrylate
Absorbent
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Palmitic Acid
Emollient
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingStearic Acid
Cleansing
Adenosine
Skin Conditioning
Water
Skin ConditioningMyristic Acid
Cleansing
Snail Secretion Filtrate, Betaine, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Butylene Glycol, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Carbomer, Ethyl Hexanediol, Phenoxyethanol, Arginine, Dimethicone, Sodium Polyacrylate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Allantoin, Palmitic Acid, Panthenol, Xanthan Gum, Stearic Acid, Adenosine, Water, Myristic 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.
Adenosine is in every living organism. It is one of four components in nucleic acids that helps store our DNA.
Adenosine has many benefits when used. These benefits include hydrating the skin, smoothing skin, and reducing wrinkles. Once applied, adenosine increases collagen production. It also helps with improving firmness and tissue repair.
Studies have found adenosine may also help with wound healing.
In skincare products, Adenosine is usually derived from yeast.
Learn more about AdenosineArginine is a semi-essential amino acid. This just means our bodies can product a bit on its own, but sometimes needs a little boost from food sources.
It is a part of your skin's natural moisturizing factor (NMF), or the water-loving molecules in your outermost layer of skin (stratum corneum) that keeps everything hydrated and happy.
Here's an interesting thing about Arginine: your skin converts it into urea through the Krebs-Henseleit urea cycle. Urea is one of the most effective humectants your skin naturally produces.
A clinical study showed applying 2.5% arginine hydrochloride to atopic dermatitis skin showed significant urea levels in the stratum corneum and improved moisture in just four weeks.
Arginine is also a precursor to nitric oxide; nitric oxide improves microcirculation and supports wound healing and collagen synthesis.
One study found that an amino acid complex containing Arginine reduced skin irritation, improved hydration, and accelerated skin repair in clinical / in-vivo studies.
Arginine itself is an amino acid and not a fatty acid, oil, or ester. On its own, it's not a direct food source for Malassezia, or the yeast that causes fungal acne.
Learn more about ArginineButylene 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 GlycolCaprylic/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 TriglycerideCarbomer 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 CarbomerCetearyl alcohol is a waxy mixture of two fatty alcohols: cetyl alcohol and stearyl alcohol. It is an emollient and emulsifier.
Despite having "alcohol" in its name, it has nothing to do with drying solvent alcohols; the FDA also allows "alcohol-free" products to contain fatty alcohols like this ingredient.
It plays several roles in a formula:
Typical use levels for this ingredient sit around 1-10% and the Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has affirmed safety at concentrations up to 25% in leave-on products.
Multiple assessments have found it to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing to most people.
However, there have been some cases of allergic contact dermatitis in patients with chronically compromised skin barriers.
Cetearyl alcohol has a comedogenic rating of 2 and irritancy rating of 1. Both of these numbers come from the 1989 study that used rabbit ears; a "2" means mildly comedogenic and a "1" means low irritancy.
Here's the catch: rabbit skin is more sensitive than human skin and throws a lot of false positives. A 1996 reappraisal found that ingredients rated 1-2 in the rabbit ear tests are generally safe for humans.
Remember comedogenic ratings are unable to assess the entire formula of a product or how it will react on your skin. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure about certain ingredients.
This ingredient is not fungal acne safe. Cetearyl alcohol is a fatty alcohol with chain lengths that fall within the range that Malassezia can metabolize.
A 2019 study has also observed Malassezia growth in the presence of this ingredient, confirming it to be not-fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Cetearyl AlcoholSodium 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 Polyacrylate is the sodium salt of polyacrylic acid. It is used as an absorber, emollient, and stabilizer.
This ingredient is a super-absorbent polymer - meaning it can absorb 100 to 1000 times its mass in water. As an emollient, Sodium Polyacrylate helps soften and soothe skin. Emollients work by creating a barrier to trap moisture in. This helps keep your skin hydrated.
Stearic Acid is a fatty acid that is already found in your skin. It's one of the free fatty acids that works alongside ceramides and cholesterols to maintain your barrier.
In cosmetics, it is a multitasker:
Safety-wise, the CIR Expert Panel has concluded it to be safe in cosmetics when formulated to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing.
Free stearic acid is a C18 fatty acid that the Malassezia yeast can substrate, so this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Stearic AcidWater. 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
