What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Dimethicone
Emollient
Isohexadecane
EmollientParaffin
Perfuming
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Silica
Abrasive
Polyglyceryl-4 Isostearate
Emulsifying
Cetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone
Emulsifying
Hexyl Laurate
Emollient
Nylon-12
Hydroxypropyl Tetrahydropyrantriol
Skin ConditioningMethylsilanol/Silicate Crosspolymer
Skin ConditioningPolyethylene
Abrasive
Ascorbyl Glucoside
Antioxidant
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Octyldodecanol
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate
Emulsion StabilisingPEG-6 Isostearate
Emulsifying
Triethanolamine
BufferingSodium Citrate
BufferingMethylparaben
Preservative
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Caffeine
Skin Conditioning
Titanium Dioxide
Cosmetic Colorant
Ethylparaben
Preservative
Menthoxypropanediol
Masking
Vaccinium Myrtillus Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningHesperidin Methyl Chalcone
Antioxidant
Pentasodium Pentetate
Aluminum Hydroxide
EmollientStearic Acid
Cleansing
Hesperetin Laurate
Antioxidant
N-Hydroxysuccinimide
Skin ConditioningDipeptide-2
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Oligopeptide
Cleansing
Chrysin
Skin ConditioningWater, Glycerin, Dimethicone, Isohexadecane, Paraffin, Propylene Glycol, Silica, Polyglyceryl-4 Isostearate, Cetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone, Hexyl Laurate, Nylon-12, Hydroxypropyl Tetrahydropyrantriol, Methylsilanol/Silicate Crosspolymer, Polyethylene, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Octyldodecanol, Phenoxyethanol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, PEG-6 Isostearate, Triethanolamine, Sodium Citrate, Methylparaben, Chlorphenesin, Caffeine, Titanium Dioxide, Ethylparaben, Menthoxypropanediol, Vaccinium Myrtillus Fruit Extract, Hesperidin Methyl Chalcone, Pentasodium Pentetate, Aluminum Hydroxide, Stearic Acid, Hesperetin Laurate, N-Hydroxysuccinimide, Dipeptide-2, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Palmitoyl Oligopeptide, Chrysin
Water
Skin ConditioningButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Sorbitol
Humectant
Caffeine
Skin Conditioning
Oenothera Biennis Oil
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate Se
Emulsifying
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Cetearyl Olivate
Sorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Squalane
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Sodium Citrate
BufferingBakuchiol
Antimicrobial
Citrus Limon Peel Powder
AbsorbentSclerotium Gum
Emulsion StabilisingCitrus Aurantifolia Peel Powder
Skin ConditioningSorbitan Oleate
Emulsifying
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCeramide Ng
Skin Conditioning
Citric Acid
Buffering
Hordeum Vulgare Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningSh-Oligopeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Water, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Cetyl Alcohol, Glycerin, Sorbitol, Caffeine, Oenothera Biennis Oil, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Propylene Glycol, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, Niacinamide, Squalane, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Citrate, Bakuchiol, Citrus Limon Peel Powder, Sclerotium Gum, Citrus Aurantifolia Peel Powder, Sorbitan Oleate, Tocopherol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Hyaluronate, Xanthan Gum, Ceramide Ng, Citric Acid, Hordeum Vulgare Seed Extract, Sh-Oligopeptide-1
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 GlycerinPhenoxyethanol 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.
Propylene Glycol is a synthetic, colorless, odorless liquid that has been a staple in cosmetics for decades. It is a skin conditioning agent, humectant, and solvent.
As a humectant, it draw water to the skin to reduce flaking and restore suppleness. It's also a solvent that helps dissolve other actives and keeps formulas stable across temperature changes.
The CIR Expert Panel has confirmed this ingredient to be nontoxic and clinical studies show no sensitization at cosmetic use concentrations.
True allergic reactions are quite rare: a 15-year retrospective study of 6,751 patients found only 0.31% had a positive reaction (and less than half were considered clinically relevant).
It seemed that when sensitization does occur, it's most commonly linked to topical medication (like corticosteroids) and not cosmetics. Allergic contact dermatitis also appears largely limited to individuals with underlying skin conditions.
Overall, propylene glycol is a well-studied ingredient that most people can tolerate without issue.
Learn more about Propylene GlycolSodium Citrate is the sodium salts of citric acid. In skincare, it is used to alter pH levels and acts as a preservative.
Its main functions are to maintain the pH of a product and neutralize metal ions.
The acidity of our skin is maintained by our glands and skin biome; normal pH level of skin is slightly acidic (~4.75-5.5).
Being slightly acidic allows our skin to create an "acid mantle". This acid mantle is a thin barrier that protects our skin from bacteria and contaminants.
Learn more about Sodium CitrateWater. 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
