What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningRosa Centifolia Flower Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantNiacinamide
SmoothingEctoin
Skin ConditioningEthoxydiglycol
HumectantPropanediol
Solvent1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningTetradecyl Aminobutyroylvalylaminobutyric Urea Trifluoroacetate
Skin ConditioningAcetyl Glucosamine
Skin ConditioningBetaine
HumectantHydroxyethyl Urea
HumectantPolyquaternium-51
Skin ConditioningLactococcus Ferment Lysate
Skin ConditioningHydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin
MaskingNordihydroguaiaretic Acid
AntioxidantOleanolic Acid
Skin ConditioningAllantoin
Skin ConditioningSalix Alba Bark Extract
AstringentAcetyl Dipeptide-1 Cetyl Ester
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
EmulsifyingSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantDipotassium Glycyrrhizate
HumectantTrehalose
HumectantCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialMalachite Extract
AntioxidantXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSaccharide Isomerate
HumectantInulin
Skin ConditioningFerulic Acid
AntimicrobialResveratrol
AntioxidantCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingPEG-60 Almond Glycerides
EmulsifyingCentella Asiatica Extract
CleansingSodium Metabisulfite
AntioxidantSodium PCA
HumectantSodium Lactate
BufferingTocopherol
AntioxidantPolygonum Cuspidatum Root Extract
AntioxidantScutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract
AstringentGlycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
BleachingChamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
MaskingRosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialLaureth-3
EmulsifyingHydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingArginine
MaskingAspartic Acid
MaskingPCA
HumectantLactic Acid
BufferingSodium Lauroyl Lactylate
EmulsifyingHexacarboxymethyl Dipeptide-12
HumectantSodium Chloride
MaskingGlycine
BufferingAlanine
MaskingLecithin
EmollientSerine
MaskingValine
MaskingCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningCeramide AP
Skin ConditioningCeramide EOP
Skin ConditioningPhytosphingosine
Skin ConditioningCholesterol
EmollientBeta-Glucan
Skin ConditioningProline
Skin ConditioningThreonine
Isoleucine
Skin ConditioningCitric Acid
BufferingSodium Citrate
BufferingGlucose
HumectantHistidine
HumectantPhenylalanine
MaskingChondrus Crispus Extract
Skin ConditioningHydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
HumectantSodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
HumectantHyaluronic Acid
HumectantSodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
HumectantHydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
Skin ConditioningPotassium Hyaluronate
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeSodium Benzoate
MaskingWater, Rosa Centifolia Flower Water, Glycerin, Niacinamide, Ectoin, Ethoxydiglycol, Propanediol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Tetradecyl Aminobutyroylvalylaminobutyric Urea Trifluoroacetate, Acetyl Glucosamine, Betaine, Hydroxyethyl Urea, Polyquaternium-51, Lactococcus Ferment Lysate, Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin, Nordihydroguaiaretic Acid, Oleanolic Acid, Allantoin, Salix Alba Bark Extract, Acetyl Dipeptide-1 Cetyl Ester, Disodium EDTA, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Sodium Hyaluronate, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Trehalose, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Malachite Extract, Xanthan Gum, Saccharide Isomerate, Inulin, Ferulic Acid, Resveratrol, Caprylyl Glycol, Carbomer, PEG-60 Almond Glycerides, Centella Asiatica Extract, Sodium Metabisulfite, Sodium PCA, Sodium Lactate, Tocopherol, Polygonum Cuspidatum Root Extract, Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Laureth-3, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Arginine, Aspartic Acid, PCA, Lactic Acid, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Hexacarboxymethyl Dipeptide-12, Sodium Chloride, Glycine, Alanine, Lecithin, Serine, Valine, Ceramide NP, Ceramide AP, Ceramide EOP, Phytosphingosine, Cholesterol, Beta-Glucan, Proline, Threonine, Isoleucine, Citric Acid, Sodium Citrate, Glucose, Histidine, Phenylalanine, Chondrus Crispus Extract, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Potassium Hyaluronate, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Benzoate
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Carbomer 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 CarbomerDisodium EDTA is a chelating agent. It grabs onto and deactivates metal ions that sneak into your products from water, packaging, or air.
This ingredient mainly works behind the scenes and helps with:
On top of that, this ingredient can counteract the effects of hard water by binding to the minerals in it.
One thing worth knowing is that Disodium EDTA has been shown to be a mild penetration enhancer. It can help other ingredients absorb into skin more effectively which can be a double-edged sword (great for actives, but can also make the active too strong if you have sensitive skin).
Clinical patch testing showed no significant skin irritation at typical use concentrations and minimal dermal absorption.
You'll most likely see this ingredient near the end of an ingredient list. It's typically found in concentrations less than 1%.
Learn more about Disodium EDTAGlycerin (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 GlycerinLecithin is a term for a group of substances found in the cell membranes of plants, animals, and humans. They are made up of phospholipids.
Thanks to its amphiphilic structure (water-loving head and oil-loving tail), it is a true multitasker:
It plays well with most ingredients and is typically used at 0.1-1%. However, concentrations up to 50% have been reported in moisturizers.
Depending on the source of this ingredient, lecithin may not be fungal acne safe. This is because some sources of lecithin come from soybean oil, which may feed the malassezia yeast that causes fungal acne.
We recommend reaching out to the brand you are purchasing from to inquire about the source of their lecithin.
Learn more about LecithinNiacinamide 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 NiacinamidePhenoxyethanol 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 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 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