What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Methicone
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Jojoba Esters
Emollient
Niacinamide
Smoothing
PEG-16 Macadamia Glycerides
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Ceteareth-20
CleansingPEG-100 Stearate
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Alcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-38
Skin Conditioning
Caffeine
Skin Conditioning
S-Mu-Conotoxin Cniiic Acetate
Skin ConditioningCopper Lysinate/Prolinate
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Lupine Protein
Skin ConditioningTerminalia Ferdinandiana Fruit Extract
Antioxidant
Methylglucoside Phosphate
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Saccharomyces Cerevisiae Extract
Skin Conditioning
Arginine
Masking
Glycine
Buffering
Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin
MaskingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingHexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingCitric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Water, Caprylyl Methicone, Glycerin, Jojoba Esters, Niacinamide, PEG-16 Macadamia Glycerides, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, Ceteareth-20, PEG-100 Stearate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Alcohol Denat., Palmitoyl Tripeptide-38, Caffeine, S-Mu-Conotoxin Cniiic Acetate, Copper Lysinate/Prolinate, Hydrolyzed Lupine Protein, Terminalia Ferdinandiana Fruit Extract, Methylglucoside Phosphate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Saccharomyces Cerevisiae Extract, Arginine, Glycine, Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin, Carbomer, Hexylene Glycol, Citric Acid, Sodium Hydroxide, Ethylhexylglycerin, Caprylyl Glycol, Phenoxyethanol
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium Glycolate
BufferingGlycolic Acid
Buffering
Cetearyl Olivate
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Cyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Isohexadecane
EmollientSorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate
Antioxidant
Glycerin
Humectant
Ceresin
Emulsion StabilisingGlycol Palmitate
Emulsifying
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Squalane
Emollient
Methyl Gluceth-20
Humectant
Ethyl Lactyl Retinoate
Abrasive
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Ubiquinone
Antioxidant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Bisabolol
Antioxidant
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Superoxide Dismutase
Antioxidant
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Allantoin Glycyrrhetinic Acid
Skin ProtectingSodium PCA
Humectant
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Portulaca Oleracea Extract
Skin Conditioning
Linoleic Acid
Cleansing
Cholesterol
Emollient
Linolenic Acid
Cleansing
Magnesium Aluminum Silicate
Absorbent
Dimethyl Isosorbide
SolventDimethicone
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
PEG-100 Stearate
Steareth-2
EmulsifyingHydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingAcacia Senegal Gum
MaskingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingHydrated Silica
Abrasive
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingPolysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Tromethamine
BufferingDisodium EDTA
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
CI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Sodium Glycolate, Glycolic Acid, Cetearyl Olivate, Pentylene Glycol, Cyclopentasiloxane, Isohexadecane, Sorbitan Olivate, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Glycerin, Ceresin, Glycol Palmitate, Butylene Glycol, Niacinamide, Squalane, Methyl Gluceth-20, Ethyl Lactyl Retinoate, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Ceramide NP, Hyaluronic Acid, Ubiquinone, Tocopherol, Bisabolol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Superoxide Dismutase, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Allantoin Glycyrrhetinic Acid, Sodium PCA, Panthenol, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Portulaca Oleracea Extract, Linoleic Acid, Cholesterol, Linolenic Acid, Magnesium Aluminum Silicate, Dimethyl Isosorbide, Dimethicone, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Steareth-2, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Acacia Senegal Gum, Xanthan Gum, Hydrated Silica, Carbomer, Polysorbate 20, Tromethamine, Disodium EDTA, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenoxyethanol, CI 77891
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Carbomer 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 CarbomerEthylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:
The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure.
Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.
Learn more about EthylhexylglycerinGlycerin (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 GlycerinGlyceryl Stearate is made by reacting glycerin with stearic acid (typically sourced from plant oils like palm or coconut). It's an emulsifier, emollient, and mild occlusive.
Emulsifiers help ingredients like oil and water stay mixed so your formula stays nicely blended and uniform in texture.
This ingredient is typically used in concentrations between 1-10%. Studies have found it to be non-sensitizing, non-phototoxic, and non-photoallergenic.
A close cousin of this ingredient is Glyceryl Stearate SE ("self-emulsifying"). This just has a small amount of sodium or potassium stearate added so it can emulsify without a co-emulsifier.
Since this ingredient is an ester of a C18 fatty acid, it may not be fungal acne safe. The Malassezia yeast can potentially metabolize within the C11-C24 range.
Fun fact: The human body also creates Glyceryl Stearate naturally.
Learn more about Glyceryl StearateNiacinamide 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 NiacinamidePeg-100 Stearate is an emollient and emulsifier. As an emollient, it helps keep skin soft by trapping moisture in. On the other hand, emulsifiers help prevent oil and water from separating in a product.
PEGS are a hydrophilic polyether compound . There are 100 ethylene oxide monomers in Peg-100 Stearate. Peg-100 Stearate is polyethylene glycol ester of stearic acid.
Phenoxyethanol is a preservative that has germicide, antimicrobial, and aromatic properties. Studies show that phenoxyethanol can prevent microbial growth. By itself, it has a scent that is similar to that of a rose.
It's often used in formulations along with Caprylyl Glycol to preserve the shelf life of products.
Water. 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
