What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Coco-Caprylate/Caprate
Emollient
3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Saccharomyces Ferment
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Citrate
BufferingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Bakuchiol
Antimicrobial
Caffeine
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6
Emulsion StabilisingChondrus Crispus Powder
Abrasive
Citric Acid
Buffering
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder
Skin Conditioning
Lauroyl Lysine
Skin Conditioning
Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Myrciaria Dubia Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Mica
Cosmetic ColorantTocopherol
Antioxidant
CI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77492
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Saccharomyces Ferment, Sodium Citrate, Phenoxyethanol, Bakuchiol, Caffeine, Caprylyl Glycol, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Chondrus Crispus Powder, Citric Acid, Xanthan Gum, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder, Lauroyl Lysine, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Myrciaria Dubia Fruit Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Mica, Tocopherol, CI 77891, CI 77492
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Dimethicone
Emollient
Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil
Masking
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Acrylamide/Sodium Acryloyldimethyltaurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingSilica
Abrasive
CI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantIsohexadecane
EmollientDimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Skin Conditioning
Hydroxypropyl Tetrahydropyrantriol
Skin ConditioningCaffeine
Skin Conditioning
Synthetic Fluorphlogopite
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingTocopherol
Antioxidant
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Polysorbate 80
Emulsifying
Ascorbyl Glucoside
Antioxidant
Triethanolamine
BufferingCI 77492
Cosmetic ColorantTrisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Musa Sapientum Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningAdenosine
Skin Conditioning
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Hydroxyethylpiperazine Ethane Sulfonic Acid
BufferingMica
Cosmetic ColorantSorbitan Oleate
Emulsifying
Musa Paradisiaca Fruit Juice
Skin ConditioningAnanas Sativus Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningCitric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Disodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingLactic Acid
Buffering
Tin Oxide
Abrasive
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Aluminum Hydroxide
EmollientWater, Glycerin, Dimethicone, Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil, Niacinamide, Acrylamide/Sodium Acryloyldimethyltaurate Copolymer, Silica, CI 77891, Isohexadecane, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Hydroxypropyl Tetrahydropyrantriol, Caffeine, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Propylene Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Tocopherol, Chlorphenesin, Polysorbate 80, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Triethanolamine, CI 77492, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Musa Sapientum Fruit Extract, Adenosine, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Hydroxyethylpiperazine Ethane Sulfonic Acid, Mica, Sorbitan Oleate, Musa Paradisiaca Fruit Juice, Ananas Sativus Fruit Extract, Citric Acid, Sodium Benzoate, Disodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Lactic Acid, Tin Oxide, Potassium Sorbate, Aluminum Hydroxide
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 CaffeineCI 77492 is also hydrated iron III oxide. It's sole purpose is to give a yellow hue to products.
Iron III oxides are classified as inorganic chemicals for coloring.
Synthetically created CI 77492 is considered safer than those naturally found. This is because the synthetically created version may contain less impurities. Iron oxides are generally non-toxic and non-allergenic.
Learn more about CI 77492Ci 77891 is a white pigment from Titanium dioxide. It is naturally found in minerals such as rutile and ilmenite.
It's main function is to add a white color to cosmetics. It can also be mixed with other colors to create different shades.
Ci 77891 is commonly found in sunscreens due to its ability to block UV rays.
Learn more about CI 77891Citric Acid is an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) naturally found in citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, and limes.
Like other AHAs, citric acid can exfoliate skin by breaking down the bonds that hold dead skin cells together. This helps reveal smoother and brighter skin underneath.
However, this exfoliating effect only happens at high concentrations (20%) which can be hard to find in cosmetic products.
Due to this, citric acid is usually included in small amounts as a pH adjuster. This helps keep products slightly more acidic and compatible with skin's natural pH.
In skincare formulas, citric acid can:
While it can provide some skin benefits, research shows lactic acid and glycolic acid are generally more effective and less irritating exfoliants.
Most citric acid used in skincare today is made by fermenting sugars (usually from molasses). This synthetic version is identical to the natural citrus form but easier to stabilize and use in formulations.
Read more about some other popular AHA's here:
Learn more about Citric 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 GlycerinMica is a naturally occurring mineral used to add shimmer and color in cosmetics. It can also help improve the texture of a product or give it an opaque, white/silver color.
Serecite is the name for very fine but ragged grains of mica.
This ingredient is often coated with metal oxides like titanium dioxide. Trace amounts of heavy metals may be found in mica, but these metals are not harmful in our personal products.
Mica has been used since prehistoric times throughout the world. Ancient Egyptian, Indian, Greek, Roman, Aztec, and Chinese civilizations have used mica.
Learn more about MicaPhenoxyethanol 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.
Tocopherol 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 TocopherolTrisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate is used to help stabilize a product.
It is a chelating agent, meaning it helps prevent metal ions from binding to other ingredients. This prevents unwanted reactions in products. Metal ions can come into a product via the water ingredient. They are found in trace amounts and are not known to be harmful.
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
