What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Lactobacillus/Soybean Ferment Extract
Skin ConditioningBifida Ferment Lysate
Skin ConditioningLactobacillus Ferment Lysate
Skin ConditioningLactococcus Ferment Lysate
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
HumectantGlycerin
Humectant1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningMethyl Gluceth-10
EmulsifyingNiacinamide
SmoothingCitrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil
MaskingPogostemon Cablin Leaf Oil
MaskingCitrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil
MaskingCentella Asiatica Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningPolymnia Sonchifolia Root Juice
Skin ConditioningPanthenol
Skin ConditioningPolyglyceryl-10 Laurate
Skin ConditioningDiphenyl Dimethicone
EmollientTromethamine
BufferingTriethylhexanoin
MaskingWater
Skin ConditioningEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningAdenosine
Skin ConditioningHydrogenated Lecithin
EmulsifyingAlpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide
CleansingMadecassoside
AntioxidantAsiaticoside
AntioxidantMaltodextrin
AbsorbentTocopherol
AntioxidantLactobacillus
Skin ConditioningCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingLimonene
PerfumingLinalool
PerfumingLactobacillus/Soybean Ferment Extract, Bifida Ferment Lysate, Lactobacillus Ferment Lysate, Lactococcus Ferment Lysate, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Methyl Gluceth-10, Niacinamide, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil, Pogostemon Cablin Leaf Oil, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil, Centella Asiatica Leaf Extract, Polymnia Sonchifolia Root Juice, Panthenol, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Diphenyl Dimethicone, Tromethamine, Triethylhexanoin, Water, Ethylhexylglycerin, Adenosine, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Alpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide, Madecassoside, Asiaticoside, Maltodextrin, Tocopherol, Lactobacillus, Carbomer, Limonene, Linalool
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
1,2-Hexanediol is a synthetic liquid and another multi-functional powerhouse.Â
It is a:
- Humectant, drawing moisture into the skin
- Emollient, helping to soften skin
- Solvent, dispersing and stabilizing formulas
- Preservative booster, enhancing the antimicrobial activity of other preservativesÂ
Ethylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:
The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure.
Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.
Learn more about EthylhexylglycerinGlycerin (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 GlycerinNiacinamide is a multitasking form of vitamin B3 that strengthens the skin barrier, reduces pores and dark spots, regulates oil, and improves signs of aging.
And the best part? It's gentle and well-tolerated by most skin types, including sensitive and reactive skin.
You might have heard of "niacin flush", or the reddening of skin that causes itchiness. Niacinamide has not been found to cause this.
In very rare cases, some individuals may not be able to tolerate niacinamide at all or experience an allergic reaction to it.
If you are experiencing flaking, irritation, and dryness with this ingredient, be sure to double check all your products as this ingredient can be found in all categories of skincare.
When incorporating niacinamide into your routine, look out for concentration amounts. Typically, 5% niacinamide provides benefits such as fading dark spots. However, if you have sensitive skin, it is better to begin with a smaller concentration.
When you apply niacinamide to your skin, your body converts it into nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD). NAD is an essential coenzyme that is already found in your cells as "fuel" and powers countless biological processes.
In your skin, NAD helps repair cell damage, produce new healthy cells, support collagen production, strengthen the skin barrier, and fight environmental stressors (like UV and pollution).
Our natural NAD levels start to decline with age, leading to slower skin repair, visible aging, and a weaker skin barrier. By providing your skin niacinamide, you're recharging your skin's NAD levels. This leads to stronger, healthier, and younger looking skin.
Another name for vitamin B3 is nicotinamide. This vitamin is water-soluble and our bodies don't store it. We obtain Vitamin B3 from either food or skincare. Meat, fish, wheat, yeast, and leafy greens contain vitamin B3.
The type of niacinamide used in skincare is synthetically created.
Learn more about NiacinamideTocopherol (also known as Vitamin E) is a common antioxidant used to help protect the skin from free-radicals and strengthen the skin barrier. It's also fat soluble - this means our skin is great at absorbing it.
Vitamin E also helps keep your natural skin lipids healthy. Your lipid skin barrier naturally consists of lipids, ceramides, and fatty acids. Vitamin E offers extra protection for your skin’s lipid barrier, keeping your skin healthy and nourished.
Another benefit is a bit of UV protection. Vitamin E helps reduce the damage caused by UVB rays. (It should not replace your sunscreen). Combining it with Vitamin C can decrease sunburned cells and hyperpigmentation after UV exposure.
You might have noticed Vitamin E + C often paired together. This is because it is great at stabilizing Vitamin C. Using the two together helps increase the effectiveness of both ingredients.
There are often claims that Vitamin E can reduce/prevent scarring, but these claims haven't been confirmed by scientific research.
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