What's inside

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Show highlights for:

Water

Skin Conditioning

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

Masking
Coconut Derived IconHelps hydrate Dry Skin IconGood for Barrier Repair Icon

Glycerin

Humectant
0 / 0 Helps hydrate Dry Skin IconGood for Scar Healing IconGood for Barrier Repair Icon

Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice

Skin Conditioning
Helps hydrate Dry Skin IconHelps reduce irritation IconHelps reduce Skin Redness Icon

Ethylhexyl Stearate

Emollient
Bad for Acne Prone Skin IconMay worsen Seborrheic Dermatitis IconMay worsen Keratosis Pilaris IconMay worsen Oily Skin IconNot safe for Fungal Acne Icon

Isopropyl Palmitate

Emollient
3-4 / 1 Bad for Acne Prone Skin IconMay worsen Seborrheic Dermatitis IconMay worsen Keratosis Pilaris IconMay worsen Oily Skin IconNot safe for Fungal Acne Icon

Propanediol

Solvent
Helps hydrate Dry Skin IconGood for Barrier Repair Icon

Tripelargonin

Emollient

Betaine

Humectant
Helps hydrate Dry Skin IconHelps reduce irritation IconGood for Barrier Repair Icon

Sea Water

Humectant

Pullulan

Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil

Emollient
0-2 / 0 Oil IconHelps hydrate Dry Skin IconGood for Scar Healing IconGood for Barrier Repair IconMay worsen Seborrheic Dermatitis IconNot safe for Fungal Acne Icon

Gardenia Jasminoides Meristem Cell Culture

Antioxidant
Antioxidant Icon

Hydrolyzed Rhodophyceae Extract

Alpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide

Cleansing
Helps hydrate Dry Skin Icon

Polymnia Sonchifolia Root Juice

Skin Conditioning

Panax Ginseng Root Extract

Emollient
Helps hydrate Dry Skin IconHelps reduce irritation IconHelps reduce Skin Redness IconGood for Scar Healing Icon

Carnosine

Skin Conditioning
Helps with Anti-Aging IconGood for Scar Healing Icon

Collagen

Moisturising
Helps with Anti-Aging IconHelps hydrate Dry Skin Icon

Tocopheryl Acetate

Antioxidant
0 / 0 Vitamin E IconAntioxidant IconHelps brighten skin Icon

Butyrospermum Parkii Butter

Skin Conditioning
Helps hydrate Dry Skin IconGood for Barrier Repair IconBad for Acne Prone Skin IconMay worsen Seborrheic Dermatitis IconMay worsen Keratosis Pilaris IconMay worsen Oily Skin IconNot safe for Fungal Acne Icon

Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate

Antimicrobial
May worsen Seborrheic Dermatitis IconNot safe for Fungal Acne Icon

Serine

Masking
Helps hydrate Dry Skin Icon

Alanine

Masking
Helps hydrate Dry Skin Icon

Glycine

Buffering
Helps hydrate Dry Skin Icon

Lactobacillus

Skin Conditioning

N-Prolyl Palmitoyl Tripeptide-56 Acetate

Skin Conditioning
Peptide Icon

Glutamic Acid

Humectant
Helps reduce irritation Icon

Ceramide Ng

Skin Conditioning
Ceramide IconHelps with Anti-Aging IconHelps hydrate Dry Skin IconHelps reduce irritation IconGood for Barrier Repair Icon

Ceramide NP

Skin Conditioning
Ceramide IconHelps with Anti-Aging IconHelps hydrate Dry Skin IconHelps reduce irritation IconHelps reduce Skin Redness IconGood for Barrier Repair Icon

Ceramide AP

Skin Conditioning
Ceramide IconHelps with Anti-Aging IconHelps hydrate Dry Skin IconHelps reduce irritation IconHelps reduce Skin Redness IconGood for Barrier Repair Icon

Ceramide EOP

Skin Conditioning
Ceramide IconHelps with Anti-Aging IconHelps hydrate Dry Skin IconHelps reduce irritation IconHelps reduce Skin Redness IconGood for Barrier Repair Icon

Lysine Hcl

Skin Conditioning
Helps hydrate Dry Skin Icon

Threonine

Helps hydrate Dry Skin Icon

Heptapeptide-7

Skin Conditioning
Peptide Icon

Lecithin

Emollient
Helps hydrate Dry Skin IconGood for Barrier Repair Icon

Acetyl Hexapeptide-49

Skin Conditioning
Peptide Icon

Palmitoyl Tripeptide-38

Skin Conditioning
Peptide IconHelps with Anti-Aging IconGood for Skin Texture Icon

Arginine

Masking
Helps hydrate Dry Skin IconGood for Scar Healing Icon

Tetrapeptide-4

Skin Conditioning
Peptide Icon

Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1

Skin Conditioning
Peptide IconHelps with Anti-Aging IconGood for Scar Healing IconGood for Skin Texture Icon

Oligopeptide-68

Bleaching
Peptide Icon

Acetyl Heptapeptide-4

Humectant
Peptide IconHelps with Anti-Aging IconGood for Dark Spots Icon

Acetyl Hexapeptide-8

Humectant
Peptide IconHelps with Anti-Aging Icon

Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7

Skin Conditioning
Peptide IconHelps with Anti-Aging IconGood for Scar Healing IconGood for Skin Texture Icon

Proline

Skin Conditioning
Helps hydrate Dry Skin Icon

Palmitoyl Tripeptide-8

Skin Conditioning
Peptide IconHelps reduce irritation IconGood for Minimizing Pores IconHelps reduce Skin Redness Icon

Palmitoyl Hexapeptide-12

Skin Conditioning
Peptide IconHelps with Anti-Aging Icon

Dextran

Helps hydrate Dry Skin Icon

Phytosphingosine

Skin Conditioning
Helps with Anti-Aging IconHelps hydrate Dry Skin IconHelps reduce irritation IconHelps reduce Skin Redness IconGood for Barrier Repair Icon

Cholesterol

Emollient
0 / 0 Helps hydrate Dry Skin IconGood for Barrier Repair Icon

Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate

Emulsifying

Lauryl Glucoside

Cleansing

Sodium PCA

Humectant
0 / 0 Helps hydrate Dry Skin IconHelps reduce irritation IconGood for Barrier Repair Icon

Glycine Soja Oil

Emollient
3 / 0 Oil IconHelps hydrate Dry Skin IconHelps reduce irritation IconGood for Dark Spots IconBad for Acne Prone Skin IconMay worsen Seborrheic Dermatitis IconMay worsen Keratosis Pilaris IconMay worsen Oily Skin IconNot safe for Fungal Acne Icon

Hydrogenated Lecithin

Emulsifying
Helps hydrate Dry Skin IconGood for Barrier Repair Icon

Pentaerythrityl Distearate

Emulsifying
May worsen Seborrheic Dermatitis IconNot safe for Fungal Acne Icon

Polyglyceryl-2 Dipolyhydroxystearate

Skin Conditioning
May worsen Seborrheic Dermatitis IconNot safe for Fungal Acne Icon

Phenoxyethanol

Preservative
Preservative Icon

Pentylene Glycol

Skin Conditioning
Good for Barrier Repair Icon

Sodium Lactate

Buffering
Helps hydrate Dry Skin Icon

Potassium Cetyl Phosphate

Emulsifying

Sodium Carbomer

Emulsion Stabilising

Hydroxyacetophenone

Antioxidant
Antioxidant Icon

Xanthan Gum

Emulsifying

Butylene Glycol

Humectant
1 / 0 Helps hydrate Dry Skin IconGood for Barrier Repair Icon

Ethylhexylglycerin

Skin Conditioning

Disodium EDTA

Citric Acid

Buffering
AHA IconHelps brighten skin IconMay worsen Rosacea Icon

Carbomer

Emulsion Stabilising
1 / 0

Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin

Masking

Maltodextrin

Absorbent
Helps hydrate Dry Skin Icon

C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate

Antimicrobial

Polysorbate 20

Emulsifying
0 / 0 May worsen Seborrheic Dermatitis IconNot safe for Fungal Acne Icon

PCA

Humectant
Helps hydrate Dry Skin IconGood for Barrier Repair Icon

Caprylyl Glycol

Emollient
Fatty Alcohol Icon

Tribehenin

Emollient
0 / 0 May worsen Seborrheic Dermatitis IconNot safe for Fungal Acne Icon

Dipeptide Diaminobutyroyl Benzylamide Diacetate

Skin Conditioning
Peptide IconHelps with Anti-Aging Icon

Potassium Sorbate

Preservative
Preservative Icon

Sodium Benzoate

Masking
Preservative Icon

Lactic Acid

Buffering
AHA IconHelps with Anti-Aging IconHelps brighten skin IconGood for Oily Skin IconGood for Minimizing Pores IconGood for Scar Healing IconGood for Dark Spots IconGood for Skin Texture IconMay worsen Eczema IconMay worsen Perioral Dermatitis IconMay worsen Psoriasis IconMay worsen Rosacea Icon

Sodium Oleate

Cleansing

Parfum

Masking
Synthetic Fragrance IconFragrance IconMay worsen Eczema IconMay worsen Perioral Dermatitis IconMay worsen Psoriasis IconMay worsen Seborrheic Dermatitis IconMay worsen Keratosis Pilaris IconMay worsen Rosacea Icon

CI 17200

Cosmetic Colorant
1 / 2

CI 19140

Cosmetic Colorant

Water, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glycerin, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Ethylhexyl Stearate, Isopropyl Palmitate, Propanediol, Tripelargonin, Betaine, Sea Water, Pullulan, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Gardenia Jasminoides Meristem Cell Culture, Hydrolyzed Rhodophyceae Extract, Alpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide, Polymnia Sonchifolia Root Juice, Panax Ginseng Root Extract, Carnosine, Collagen, Tocopheryl Acetate, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Serine, Alanine, Glycine, Lactobacillus, N-Prolyl Palmitoyl Tripeptide-56 Acetate, Glutamic Acid, Ceramide Ng, Ceramide NP, Ceramide AP, Ceramide EOP, Lysine Hcl, Threonine, Heptapeptide-7, Lecithin, Acetyl Hexapeptide-49, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-38, Arginine, Tetrapeptide-4, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Oligopeptide-68, Acetyl Heptapeptide-4, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Proline, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-8, Palmitoyl Hexapeptide-12, Dextran, Phytosphingosine, Cholesterol, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Lauryl Glucoside, Sodium PCA, Glycine Soja Oil, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Pentaerythrityl Distearate, Polyglyceryl-2 Dipolyhydroxystearate, Phenoxyethanol, Pentylene Glycol, Sodium Lactate, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Sodium Carbomer, Hydroxyacetophenone, Xanthan Gum, Butylene Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Disodium EDTA, Citric Acid, Carbomer, Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin, Maltodextrin, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Polysorbate 20, PCA, Caprylyl Glycol, Tribehenin, Dipeptide Diaminobutyroyl Benzylamide Diacetate, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Lactic Acid, Sodium Oleate, Parfum, CI 17200, CI 19140

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Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.

Humectant, Masking, Skin Conditioning

Butylene 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 Glycol
Emulsion Stabilising, Gel Forming

Carbomer is a synthetic thickening and gelling agent. It's basically the ingredient that gives a lot of serums, gels, creams, and sunscreens their smooth, non-sticky texture.

Although legally permitted at very high levels, carbomers are normally used at concentrations below 1%.

It also needs to be neutralized to actually thicken, and because it is a large molecule, it doesn't really penetrate the skin barrier.

Allergy-wise, the risk is very low. Clinical studies show carbomers have low potential for skin irritation/sensitization even at concentrations up to 100%.

A 2024 UK study patch-tested 1,302 patients and found true allergy to the parent group of carbomer to be rare with no confirmed relevant reactions.

Learn more about Carbomer
Humectant, Skin Conditioning, Skin Protecting

Glycerin (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 Glycerin
Skin Conditioning

Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7 (formerly Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-3) is a synthetic peptide. Its main job is to fight what researchers call "inflammaging".

"Inflammaging" is the slow, low-grade chronic inflammation that quietly breaks down collagen as we age.

This ingredient calms down a specific inflammation signal in your skin cells (called IL-6). When left unchecked, this signal triggers enzymes that break down collagen and elastin.

Clinical testing showed statistically significant improvements in:

Studies also found the more of this ingredient used, the more your skin produces Collagen I, fibronectin, and hyaluronic acid.

You'll likely see this ingredient paired with Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1 in the well-known Matrixyl 3000 complex for enhanced anti-aging effects.

A 3% concentration applied twice daily for two months showed meaningful skin rejuvenation results in clinical panels.

Fungal acne note:
Usually a palmitic acid component can feed Malassezia in unbound form, but here is is covalently bonded to the peptide. This means it is very difficult for Malassezia to access, and therefore very unlikely to cause fungal acne.

Learn more about Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Skin Conditioning

Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1 (aka Pal-GHK) is a synthetic signal peptide made of three amino acids attached to palmitic acid.

That fatty acid attachment is the key: it boosts the peptide's ability to penetrate the skin barrier. This puts it closer to the dermal cells where it can actually make a difference.

Once there, it acts as a matrikine, a signaling peptide that prompts fibroblasts to produce more collagen, fibronectin, and hyaluronic acid.

In vitro studies show it can boost collagen production in skin cells even when UV-damaged skin samples were treated with it at a tiny concentration (it almost fully restored dermal collagen at 5ppm). It achieved this at 100x lower concentration than retinoic acid, which needed 500 ppm to do the same thing.

Human clinical data is promising, but modest:

A study of 23 female volunteers found a small but statistically significant increase (~4%) in skin thickness after treatment at 4 ppm.

A separate small trial of 15 women showed statistically significant reductions in wrinkle length, depth, and skin roughness after applying it twice daily for four weeks.

You'll likely see Pal-GHK paired with Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7 as part of the Matrixyl 3000 complex.

Fungal acne note:
Usually a palmitic acid component can feed Malassezia in unbound form, but here is is covalently bonded to the peptide. This means it is very difficult for Malassezia to access, and therefore very unlikely to cause fungal acne.

Learn more about Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1
Preservative

Phenoxyethanol is one of the most widely used preservatives in skincare (and for good reason!).

It has a large spectrum of antimicrobial activity and especially effective bacteria, yeast, and mold while only having a weak effect on your skin's natural microbiome.

On a cellular level, it disrupts the cell membranes of microbes by poking holes that make the cell leak. This shuts down the chemical reactions the microbe needs to make energy so it can no longer survive.

Another perk of this ingredient is that it stays functional across a wide pH range (3-10).

You'll often see it paired with boosters like Ethylhexylglycerin; one study showed that a 1:9 ratio of Ethylhexylglycerin to Phenoxyethanol damages bacterial membranes as effectively as doubling the Phenoxyethanol concentration on its own.

Typical use concentrations range from 0.3-1% depending on the formula, and this ingredient is capped at 1% int the EU.

Safety-wise, the fear mongering does not hold up to the evidence. The EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety and FDA consider it safe as a preservative at up to 1%, including for children of all ages.

Adverse systemic effects only showed up in animal studies at exposures roughly 200x higher than what people get from cosmetics. And despite its very widespread use, this ingredient is a rare sensitizer and allergic reactions are uncommon.

Learn more about Phenoxyethanol
Emulsifying, Surfactant

Polysorbate 20 is a gentle, water-soluble emulsifier and mild surfactant. It stops oil and water from separating to keep your formulas blended and stable.

It also acts as a mild penetration enhancer by helping active ingredients absorb slightly better.

The common safety discussion around this ingredient involves a manufacturing byproduct called 1,4-dioxane.

Trace amounts can form during production but the EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety has concluded that levels at/below 10 ppm in finished products are safe (commercial products consistently fall within acceptable margins).

True allergic reactions are uncommon and the CIR Expert Panel has confirmed this ingredient to be safe as used in cosmetics.

Because it is derived from lauric acid, it may not be fungal acne safe.

Learn more about Polysorbate 20
Buffering, Humectant

Sodium Lactate is the sodium salt of lactic acid, an AHA. It is a humectant and sometimes used to adjust the pH of a product.

This ingredient is part of our skin's NMF, or natural moisturizing factor. Our NMF is essential for the hydration of our top skin layers and plasticity of skin. NMF also influences our skin's natural acid mantle and pH, which protects our skin from harmful bacteria.

High percentages of Sodium Lactate can have an exfoliating effect.

Fun fact: Sodium Lactate is produced from fermented sugar.

Learn more about Sodium Lactate
Skin Conditioning, Solvent

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

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