What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningEmu Oil
Skin ConditioningAlgae Extract
EmollientPullulan
Butylene Glycol
HumectantCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingPolysorbate 20
EmulsifyingPalmitoyl Oligopeptide
CleansingPalmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Skin ConditioningRosa Rubiginosa Seed Oil
EmollientN-Hydroxysuccinimide
Skin ConditioningChrysin
Skin ConditioningPalmitoyl Tripeptide-1
Skin ConditioningHesperidin Methyl Chalcone
AntioxidantSteareth-20
CleansingDipeptide-2
Skin ConditioningSodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingIsohexadecane
EmollientPolysorbate 80
EmulsifyingGlycerin
HumectantCitrullus Lanatus Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantBenzyl Alcohol
PerfumingDehydroacetic Acid
PreservativeWater, Emu Oil, Algae Extract, Pullulan, Butylene Glycol, Carbomer, Polysorbate 20, Palmitoyl Oligopeptide, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Rosa Rubiginosa Seed Oil, N-Hydroxysuccinimide, Chrysin, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Hesperidin Methyl Chalcone, Steareth-20, Dipeptide-2, Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Isohexadecane, Polysorbate 80, Glycerin, Citrullus Lanatus Fruit Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Benzyl Alcohol, Dehydroacetic Acid
Water
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingGlycerin
HumectantSqualane
EmollientC10-18 Triglycerides
EmollientPropanediol
SolventNiacinamide
SmoothingCaffeine
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientCetearyl Olivate
Diheptyl Succinate
EmollientCoco-Caprylate
EmollientSorbitan Olivate
EmulsifyingKojic Acid
AntioxidantHydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
HumectantResveratrol
AntioxidantHexylresorcinol
AntimicrobialResorcinol
AntioxidantGlyceryl Stearate Se
EmulsifyingAscorbyl Glucoside
AntioxidantSimmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
EmollientFucus Vesiculosus Extract
EmollientSaccharomyces Cerevisiae Extract
Skin ConditioningCurcuma Longa Root Extract
MaskingGlycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
BleachingSpirulina Platensis Extract
Skin ProtectingAscophyllum Nodosum Extract
Skin ConditioningAsparagopsis Armata Extract
Skin ProtectingDunaliella Salina Extract
Skin ConditioningKhaya Senegalensis Bark Extract
Skin ProtectingCapryloyl Glycerin/Sebacic Acid Copolymer
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
HumectantCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingPolysorbate 20
EmulsifyingMaltodextrin
AbsorbentTrisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Sodium Acrylates Copolymer
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingLecithin
EmollientLeuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate
AntimicrobialHydrogenated Starch Hydrolysate
HumectantPalmitoyl Tripeptide-1
Skin ConditioningPalmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
AntioxidantSodium Hydroxide
BufferingCitric Acid
BufferingSodium Benzoate
MaskingPotassium Sorbate
PreservativeEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeWater, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glycerin, Squalane, C10-18 Triglycerides, Propanediol, Niacinamide, Caffeine, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Olivate, Diheptyl Succinate, Coco-Caprylate, Sorbitan Olivate, Kojic Acid, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Resveratrol, Hexylresorcinol, Resorcinol, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Fucus Vesiculosus Extract, Saccharomyces Cerevisiae Extract, Curcuma Longa Root Extract, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Spirulina Platensis Extract, Ascophyllum Nodosum Extract, Asparagopsis Armata Extract, Dunaliella Salina Extract, Khaya Senegalensis Bark Extract, Capryloyl Glycerin/Sebacic Acid Copolymer, Butylene Glycol, Carbomer, Polysorbate 20, Maltodextrin, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Sodium Acrylates Copolymer, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Lecithin, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Hydrogenated Starch Hydrolysate, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Tocopherol, Sodium Hydroxide, Citric Acid, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenoxyethanol
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Butylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:
Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient that works well with other ingredients.
Though this ingredient works well with most skin types, some people with sensitive skin may experience a reaction such as allergic rashes, closed comedones, or itchiness.
Learn more about Butylene GlycolCarbomer 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 CarbomerGlycerin (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 GlycerinPalmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7 (formerly Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-3) is a synthetic peptide. Its main job is to fight what researchers call "inflammaging".
"Inflammaging" is the slow, low-grade chronic inflammation that quietly breaks down collagen as we age.
This ingredient calms down a specific inflammation signal in your skin cells (called IL-6). When left unchecked, this signal triggers enzymes that break down collagen and elastin.
Clinical testing showed statistically significant improvements in:
Studies also found the more of this ingredient used, the more your skin produces Collagen I, fibronectin, and hyaluronic acid.
You'll likely see this ingredient paired with Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1 in the well-known Matrixyl 3000 complex for enhanced anti-aging effects.
A 3% concentration applied twice daily for two months showed meaningful skin rejuvenation results in clinical panels.
Fungal acne note:
Usually a palmitic acid component can feed Malassezia in unbound form, but here is is covalently bonded to the peptide. This means it is very difficult for Malassezia to access, and therefore very unlikely to cause fungal acne.
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1 (aka Pal-GHK) is a synthetic signal peptide made of three amino acids attached to palmitic acid.
That fatty acid attachment is the key: it boosts the peptide's ability to penetrate the skin barrier. This puts it closer to the dermal cells where it can actually make a difference.
Once there, it acts as a matrikine, a signaling peptide that prompts fibroblasts to produce more collagen, fibronectin, and hyaluronic acid.
In vitro studies show it can boost collagen production in skin cells even when UV-damaged skin samples were treated with it at a tiny concentration (it almost fully restored dermal collagen at 5ppm). It achieved this at 100x lower concentration than retinoic acid, which needed 500 ppm to do the same thing.
Human clinical data is promising, but modest:
A study of 23 female volunteers found a small but statistically significant increase (~4%) in skin thickness after treatment at 4 ppm.
A separate small trial of 15 women showed statistically significant reductions in wrinkle length, depth, and skin roughness after applying it twice daily for four weeks.
You'll likely see Pal-GHK paired with Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7 as part of the Matrixyl 3000 complex.
Fungal acne note:
Usually a palmitic acid component can feed Malassezia in unbound form, but here is is covalently bonded to the peptide. This means it is very difficult for Malassezia to access, and therefore very unlikely to cause fungal acne.
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