What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantButylene Glycol
HumectantPalmitoyl Tripeptide-1
Skin ConditioningPalmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Skin ConditioningPalmitoyl Tripeptide-38
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantHydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin
MaskingPPG-26-Buteth-26
Skin ConditioningPEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
EmulsifyingPolyacrylate Crosspolymer-6
Emulsion StabilisingTrisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingPolysorbate 20
EmulsifyingEthoxydiglycol
HumectantPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeChlorphenesin
AntimicrobialWater, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-38, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin, PPG-26-Buteth-26, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Carbomer, Polysorbate 20, Ethoxydiglycol, Phenoxyethanol, Chlorphenesin
Water
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingGlycerin
HumectantDimethyl Isosorbide
SolventAmmonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Tapioca Starch
Phenoxyethanol
PreservativeRetinol
Skin ConditioningPolysorbate 20
EmulsifyingSodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingCyclodextrin
AbsorbentSodium Gluconate
Skin ConditioningO-Cymen-5-Ol
AntimicrobialEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningMethylglucoside Phosphate
Skin ConditioningCopper Lysinate/Prolinate
Skin ConditioningHydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin
MaskingPalmitoyl Tripeptide-38
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientN-Prolyl Palmitoyl Tripeptide-56 Acetate
Skin ConditioningWater, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glycerin, Dimethyl Isosorbide, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Tapioca Starch, Phenoxyethanol, Retinol, Polysorbate 20, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Cyclodextrin, Sodium Gluconate, O-Cymen-5-Ol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Pentylene Glycol, Methylglucoside Phosphate, Copper Lysinate/Prolinate, Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-38, Caprylyl Glycol, N-Prolyl Palmitoyl Tripeptide-56 Acetate
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Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Glycerin (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 GlycerinThis ingredient is used in skincare as a delivery system.
It works by "encapsulating" active ingredients with its unique ring shape that is water-loving on the outside and oil-loving on the inside. This improves the stability and absorption of the product into the skin.
According to a manufacturer, it also offer some moisturizing effects.
Learn more about Hydroxypropyl CyclodextrinThis synthetic, signal peptide has unique skin conditioning properties in that is a matrikine-mimetic compound.
First of all, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-38 is a signal peptide; signal peptides tell the body to create more collagen.
What is a matrikine-mimetic compound?
This peptide has the ability to mimic matrikines in skin. Our skin created matrikines by breaking down matrix proteins into peptides.
Matrikines play a role in:
Though further research is needed, this ingredient seems pretty promising. In one study, women over the age of 40 with visible photoaging used a vitamin C serum with this ingredient for 56 days (15% ascorbid acid, 5 ppm palmitoyl tripeptide‐38). The results found improvement in skin roughness and skin tone.
This peptide is also part of the famous Matrixyl synthe’6, a blend of ingredients that also includes glycerin, water, and hydroxypropyl cyclodextrin.
Learn more about Palmitoyl Tripeptide-38Phenoxyethanol 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.
Polysorbate 20 is a gentle, water-soluble emulsifier and mild surfactant. It stops oil and water from separating to keep your formulas blended and stable.
It also acts as a mild penetration enhancer by helping active ingredients absorb slightly better.
The common safety discussion around this ingredient involves a manufacturing byproduct called 1,4-dioxane.
Trace amounts can form during production but the EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety has concluded that levels at/below 10 ppm in finished products are safe (commercial products consistently fall within acceptable margins).
True allergic reactions are uncommon and the CIR Expert Panel has confirmed this ingredient to be safe as used in cosmetics.
Because it is derived from lauric acid, it may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Polysorbate 20Water. 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