What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningDimethicone
Emollient
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Isostearyl Neopentanoate
Emollient
Vinyl Dimethicone/Methicone Silsesquioxane Crosspolymer
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Ascorbyl Glucoside
Antioxidant
Glycerin
Humectant
Tuber Melanosporum Extract
HumectantLaminaria Digitata Extract
Skin Protecting
Narcissus Tazetta Bulb Extract
Astringent
Hydrolyzed Yeast Protein
Skin ConditioningAcetyl Hexapeptide-8
Humectant
Aminopropyl Ascorbyl Phosphate
Antioxidant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Saccharum Officinarum Extract
MoisturisingDipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Humectant
Palmaria Palmata Extract
Skin ProtectingScutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract
Astringent
Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract
Emollient
Boswellia Serrata Extract
Skin Conditioning
Fuscoporia Obliqua Sclerotium Extract
Skin ConditioningSigesbeckia Orientalis Extract
Skin ConditioningPearl Powder
Gold
Cosmetic ColorantCaffeine
Skin Conditioning
Algae Extract
EmollientAcetyl Glucosamine
Skin Conditioning
Helianthus Annuus Seed Extract
Skin Conditioning
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Coffea Arabica Seed Oil
Masking
Hordeum Vulgare Extract
EmollientCordyceps Sinensis Extract
Antioxidant
Ergothioneine
Antioxidant
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Laminaria Saccharina Extract
Skin ProtectingTocopherol
Antioxidant
Lecithin
Emollient
Yeast Extract
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Wheat Protein
Skin ConditioningUrea
Buffering
Trehalose
Humectant
Glucose
Humectant
Cellulose
Absorbent
Citric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Citrate
BufferingSodium PCA
Humectant
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingArtemia Extract
Skin ConditioningParfum
Masking
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSclerotium Gum
Emulsion StabilisingSilica
Abrasive
Sodium Metabisulfite
Antioxidant
Sodium Sulfite
Preservative
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Pullulan
Polymethylsilsesquioxane
Triacetin
AntimicrobialPolyquaternium-51
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPhenyl Trimethicone
Skin Conditioning
Bis-Stearyl Dimethicone
Emollient
Polysilicone-11
Sodium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate
Emulsion StabilisingIsododecane
EmollientPropylene Glycol Dicaprate
EmollientPEG-11 Methyl Ether Dimethicone
Emulsifying
Disodium EDTA
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Sorbic Acid
Preservative
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
CI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantMica
Cosmetic ColorantCI 14700
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Dimethicone, Butylene Glycol, Isostearyl Neopentanoate, Vinyl Dimethicone/Methicone Silsesquioxane Crosspolymer, Polysorbate 20, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Glycerin, Tuber Melanosporum Extract, Laminaria Digitata Extract, Narcissus Tazetta Bulb Extract, Hydrolyzed Yeast Protein, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Aminopropyl Ascorbyl Phosphate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Saccharum Officinarum Extract, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Palmaria Palmata Extract, Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract, Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract, Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract, Boswellia Serrata Extract, Fuscoporia Obliqua Sclerotium Extract, Sigesbeckia Orientalis Extract, Pearl Powder, Gold, Caffeine, Algae Extract, Acetyl Glucosamine, Helianthus Annuus Seed Extract, Tocopheryl Acetate, Coffea Arabica Seed Oil, Hordeum Vulgare Extract, Cordyceps Sinensis Extract, Ergothioneine, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Laminaria Saccharina Extract, Tocopherol, Lecithin, Yeast Extract, Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein, Urea, Trehalose, Glucose, Cellulose, Citric Acid, Sodium Citrate, Sodium PCA, Sodium Hydroxide, Artemia Extract, Parfum, Xanthan Gum, Sclerotium Gum, Silica, Sodium Metabisulfite, Sodium Sulfite, Caprylyl Glycol, Pullulan, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Triacetin, Polyquaternium-51, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenyl Trimethicone, Bis-Stearyl Dimethicone, Polysilicone-11, Sodium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Isododecane, Propylene Glycol Dicaprate, PEG-11 Methyl Ether Dimethicone, Disodium EDTA, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Chlorphenesin, Sorbic Acid, Phenoxyethanol, CI 77891, Mica, CI 14700
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 CaffeineDimethicone is a type of synthetic silicone created from natural materials such as quartz. It is also known as polydimethylsiloxane.
What it does:
Dimethicone comes in different viscosities:
Depending on the viscosity, dimethicone has different properties.
Ingredients lists don't always show which type is used, so we recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about the viscosity.
This ingredient is unlikely to cause irritation because it does not get absorbed into skin. However, people with silicone allergies should be careful about using this ingredient.
Note: Dimethicone may contribute to pilling. This is because it is not oil or water soluble, so pilling may occur when layered with products. When mixed with heavy oils in a formula, the outcome is also quite greasy.
Learn more about DimethiconeDisodium EDTA is a chelating agent. It grabs onto and deactivates metal ions that sneak into your products from water, packaging, or air.
This ingredient mainly works behind the scenes and helps with:
On top of that, this ingredient can counteract the effects of hard water by binding to the minerals in it.
One thing worth knowing is that Disodium EDTA has been shown to be a mild penetration enhancer. It can help other ingredients absorb into skin more effectively which can be a double-edged sword (great for actives, but can also make the active too strong if you have sensitive skin).
Clinical patch testing showed no significant skin irritation at typical use concentrations and minimal dermal absorption.
You'll most likely see this ingredient near the end of an ingredient list. It's typically found in concentrations less than 1%.
Learn more about Disodium EDTAGlycerin (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 GlycerinTocopherol 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
