What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningEthylhexyl Methoxycinnamate
UV AbsorberNiacinamide
SmoothingCyclopentasiloxane
EmollientDimethicone Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingMethylene Bis-Benzotriazolyl Tetramethylbutylphenol
UV FilterCocamidopropyl Betaine
CleansingCocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine
CleansingMaltooligosyl Glucoside
Skin ConditioningHydrogenated Starch Hydrolysate
HumectantDecyl Glucoside
CleansingDisodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate
CleansingSodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate
CleansingPropylene Glycol
HumectantGlycerin
HumectantGluconolactone
Skin ConditioningGlycolic Acid
BufferingAllantoin
Skin ConditioningSodium Cocoyl Isethionate
CleansingPolysorbate 20
EmulsifyingCoco-Glucoside
CleansingGlyceryl Oleate
EmollientPEG-120 Methyl Glucose Dioleate
EmulsifyingDMDM Hydantoin
PreservativeMethylchloroisothiazolinone
PreservativeMethylisothiazolinone
PreservativeSodium Hydroxide
BufferingWater, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Niacinamide, Cyclopentasiloxane, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Methylene Bis-Benzotriazolyl Tetramethylbutylphenol, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine, Maltooligosyl Glucoside, Hydrogenated Starch Hydrolysate, Decyl Glucoside, Disodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate, Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate, Propylene Glycol, Glycerin, Gluconolactone, Glycolic Acid, Allantoin, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Polysorbate 20, Coco-Glucoside, Glyceryl Oleate, PEG-120 Methyl Glucose Dioleate, DMDM Hydantoin, Methylchloroisothiazolinone, Methylisothiazolinone, Sodium Hydroxide
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate
CleansingAcrylates Copolymer
Cocamidopropyl Betaine
CleansingDisodium Cocoamphodiacetate
CleansingGlycerin
HumectantNiacinamide
SmoothingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningSodium Hydroxide
BufferingDextran
Tripeptide-1
Skin ConditioningPalmitoyl Tripeptide-5
Skin ConditioningSodium Benzoate
MaskingMethoxycinnamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine
UV AbsorberSalicylic Acid
MaskingBetaine
HumectantSodium Gluconate
Skin ConditioningCentella Asiatica Extract
CleansingAloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
EmollientBiosaccharide Gum-4
Skin ConditioningHyaluronic Acid
HumectantWater, Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate, Acrylates Copolymer, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Disodium Cocoamphodiacetate, Glycerin, Niacinamide, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Hydroxide, Dextran, Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5, Sodium Benzoate, Methoxycinnamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine, Salicylic Acid, Betaine, Sodium Gluconate, Centella Asiatica Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Biosaccharide Gum-4, Hyaluronic Acid
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Cocamidopropyl Betaine is a fatty acid created by mixing similar compounds in coconut oil and dimethylaminopropylamine, a compound with two amino groups.
This ingredient is a surfactant and cleanser. It helps gather the dirt, pollutants, and other impurities in your skin to be washed away. It also helps thicken a product and make the texture more creamy.
Being created from coconut oil means Cocamidopropyl Betaine is hydrating for the skin.
While Cocamidopropyl Betaine was believed to be an allergen, a study from 2012 disproved this. It found two compounds in unpure Cocamidopropyl Betaine to be the irritants: aminoamide and 3-dimethylaminopropylamine. High-grade and pure Cocamidopropyl Betaine did not induce allergic reactions during this study.
Learn more about Cocamidopropyl BetaineGlycerin (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 NiacinamideSodium 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 HydroxideSodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate is a cleansing agent and emulsifier. It is a surfactant derived from sarcosine, and a common source is coconut oil.
As a surfactant, Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate helps lift dirts, oil, and other molecules to be washed away. In leave-on products, this ingredient is used as an emulsifier. Emulsifier help prevent ingredients such as oils and waters from separating.
Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate is also commonly found as a foaming agent in shampoo, toothpaste, and shaving foam. It is amphiphilic, meaning it loves both water and fats.
Learn more about Sodium Lauroyl SarcosinateWater. 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