What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Dimethicone
Emollient
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Avena Sativa Kernel Extract
Abrasive
Dimethiconol
Emollient
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingPolyacrylamide
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningC13-14 Isoparaffin
Emollient
Caffeine
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate
Antioxidant
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingLycium Barbarum Fruit Extract
Astringent
Disodium EDTA
Laureth-7
EmulsifyingTerminalia Ferdinandiana Fruit Extract
Antioxidant
CI 15985
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Glycerin, Dimethicone, Propylene Glycol, PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Phenoxyethanol, Avena Sativa Kernel Extract, Dimethiconol, Carbomer, Polyacrylamide, Sodium Hydroxide, Ethylhexylglycerin, C13-14 Isoparaffin, Caffeine, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Xanthan Gum, Lycium Barbarum Fruit Extract, Disodium EDTA, Laureth-7, Terminalia Ferdinandiana Fruit Extract, CI 15985
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Alcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Dimethicone
Emollient
Caffeine
Skin Conditioning
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingAscorbyl Glucoside
Antioxidant
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingCI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantDimethiconol
Emollient
Escin
TonicMentha Piperita Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningMica
Cosmetic ColorantPEG/PPG-18/18 Dimethicone
Emulsifying
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Salicylic Acid
Masking
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingWater, Glycerin, Alcohol Denat., Dimethicone, Caffeine, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Caprylyl Glycol, Carbomer, CI 77891, Dimethiconol, Escin, Mentha Piperita Leaf Extract, Mica, PEG/PPG-18/18 Dimethicone, Phenoxyethanol, Salicylic Acid, Sodium Hydroxide, Xanthan Gum
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 CaffeineCarbomer 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 CarbomerDimethicone 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 DimethiconeDimethiconol is a silicone that resembles the popular dimethicone. Like other silicones, it is an emollient. Emollients create a thin film on skin to prevent moisture from escaping.
This ingredient helps to create a silky texture and improve spreadability. Due to its high molecular weight and thickness, it is often combined with cyclopentasiloxane.
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 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.
Sodium Hydroxide is also known as lye or caustic soda. It is used to adjust the pH of products; many ingredients require a specific pH to be effective.
In small amounts, sodium hydroxide is considered safe to use. However, large amounts may cause chemical burns due to its high alkaline.
Your skin has a natural pH and acid mantle. This acid mantle helps prevent harmful bacteria from breaking through. The acid mantle also helps keep your skin hydrated.
"Alkaline" refers to a high pH level. A low pH level would be considered acidic.
Learn more about Sodium HydroxideWater. 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
