What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingAscorbyl Glucoside
Antioxidant
Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate
Antioxidant
Ferulic Acid
Antimicrobial
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingCarica Papaya Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningMangifera Indica Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningSodium Phytate
Citric Acid
Buffering
Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Water
Skin ConditioningCentella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Laminaria Digitata Extract
Skin Protecting
Avena Sativa Kernel Extract
Abrasive
Polyglycerin-10
HumectantBetaine
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Tremella Fuciformis Polysaccharide
Emulsion Stabilising
Ascorbic Acid
Antioxidant
Glyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer
HumectantTocopherol
Antioxidant
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
Emollient
Pvm/Ma Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingTriethanolamine
BufferingAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingDMDM Hydantoin
Preservative
Ferulic Acid
Antimicrobial
Hydrogenated Jojoba Oil
Abrasive
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Dimethyl Sulfone
SolventPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Water, Centella Asiatica Extract, Laminaria Digitata Extract, Avena Sativa Kernel Extract, Polyglycerin-10, Betaine, Glycerin, Tremella Fuciformis Polysaccharide, Ascorbic Acid, Glyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer, Tocopherol, Hyaluronic Acid, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Pvm/Ma Copolymer, Xanthan Gum, Triethanolamine, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, DMDM Hydantoin, Ferulic Acid, Hydrogenated Jojoba Oil, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Dimethyl Sulfone, Phenoxyethanol
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Ferulic Acid is a plant based antioxidant that can be naturally found in the cell walls of grains like rice, oats, and corn. It has antioxidant and antimicrobial properties, and has the ability to boost the performance of other antioxidants as well.
A well-known study found that adding Ferulic Acid to a solution of Vitamins C and E doubled the photoprotection of skin. This is why you'll often see it paired with Vitamin C or Vitamin E serums rather than sold on its own.
A 2025 review of 18 human studies found that using Ferulic Acid (0.5-1%) daily for one to three months showed improvements in:
As far as allergies go, Ferulic acid is generally well-tolerated but can cause an allergic reaction in very rare cases. It's also worth noting that Ferulic acid is often extracted from plant sources like rice bran or wheat bran, so be sure to path test if you have known grain allergies.
Outside of skincare, researchers are also looking into Ferulic Acid for its potential benefits in areas like diabetes, Alzheimer's, and heart health.
Learn more about Ferulic AcidGlycerin (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.
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 WaterXanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.
On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.
Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.
Learn more about Xanthan Gum
