What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Polyglycerin-3
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Adenosine
Skin Conditioning
Dioscorea Oppositifolia Root Extract
Skin ConditioningGlutathione
Arginine/Lysine Polypeptide
Skin Conditioning
Acetyl Tetrapeptide-9
Skin Conditioning
Acetyl Hexapeptide-8
Humectant
Oligopeptide-107 Sh-Oligopeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Copper Tripeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Skin Conditioning
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Undecane
EmollientTridecane
Perfuming
Glycine
Buffering
Desamido Collagen
Skin Conditioning
Serine
Masking
Arginine
Masking
Sodium Polyacrylate
Absorbent
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingGlyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer
HumectantPolyglyceryl-10 Stearate
Skin Conditioning
Polyglyceryl-10 Oleate
Skin Conditioning
Citric Acid
Buffering
Cholesterol
Emollient
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
PEG-8 Caprylic/Capric Glycerides
EmulsifyingPolysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Sodium Lactate
Buffering
Sorbic Acid
Preservative
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Alcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Water, Glycerin, Niacinamide, Polyglycerin-3, Butylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Panthenol, Adenosine, Dioscorea Oppositifolia Root Extract, Glutathione, Arginine/Lysine Polypeptide, Acetyl Tetrapeptide-9, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Oligopeptide-107 Sh-Oligopeptide-1, Copper Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Allantoin, Undecane, Tridecane, Glycine, Desamido Collagen, Serine, Arginine, Sodium Polyacrylate, Carbomer, Glyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer, Polyglyceryl-10 Stearate, Polyglyceryl-10 Oleate, Citric Acid, Cholesterol, Hydrogenated Lecithin, PEG-8 Caprylic/Capric Glycerides, Polysorbate 20, Tocopherol, Sodium Lactate, Sorbic Acid, Caprylyl Glycol, Alcohol Denat.
Water
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
Solvent
Isoamyl Laurate
Emollient
Lactobacillus
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Nymphaea Caerulea Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningOryza Sativa Lipids
Skin ConditioningBeta-Glucan
Skin Conditioning
Squalane
Emollient
Coco-Caprylate/Caprate
Emollient
Oleyl Lactate
EmollientSodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingCetearyl Olivate
Sorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Propanediol Dicaprylate/Caprate
EmollientDiisostearyl Malate
EmollientCeramide EOP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide Ng
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide Ag
Humectant
Ceramide AP
Skin Conditioning
Euterpe Oleracea Sterols
Skin ConditioningCholesterol
Emollient
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingLecithin
Emollient
Sclerotium Gum
Emulsion StabilisingPullulan
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningCoccinia Indica Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningVaccinium Angustifolium Fruit Extract
Skin Protecting
Phytic Acid
Glyceryl Hydrogenated Soyate
Emollient2,3-Butanediol
HumectantBenzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Citric Acid
Buffering
Dehydroacetic Acid
Preservative
Water, Propanediol, Isoamyl Laurate, Lactobacillus, Glycerin, Nymphaea Caerulea Flower Extract, Oryza Sativa Lipids, Beta-Glucan, Squalane, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Oleyl Lactate, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, Propanediol Dicaprylate/Caprate, Diisostearyl Malate, Ceramide EOP, Ceramide Ng, Ceramide NP, Ceramide Ag, Ceramide AP, Euterpe Oleracea Sterols, Cholesterol, Xanthan Gum, Lecithin, Sclerotium Gum, Pullulan, Tocopherol, Lactic Acid, Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract, Coccinia Indica Fruit Extract, Vaccinium Angustifolium Fruit Extract, Phytic Acid, Glyceryl Hydrogenated Soyate, 2,3-Butanediol, Benzyl Alcohol, Citric Acid, Dehydroacetic Acid
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Cholesterol is a lipid that is naturally found in human skin and is one of the three key components of your skin barrier. In skincare, it is an emollient and barrier-repairing ingredient.
It works by fitting directly into the lipid layers of skin to help restore structure and reduce transepidermal water loss (TEWL).
This is a great ingredient for dry, compromised, or aging skin; our skin starts to produce less cholesterol with age.
Research shows cholesterol works best in combination with ceramides and fatty acids, the other two major components in your skin barrier.
Cholesterol is also a well-establish penetration enhancer and can help other actives absorb more effectively.
Cosmetic-grade cholesterol is usually derived from lanolin but plant and synthetic options also exist. We recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about their source of cholesterol.
Learn more about CholesterolCitric 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 GlycerinTocopherol 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 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
