What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
Solvent
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Polyglyceryl-4 Laurate/Succinate
Sorbitan Oleate
Emulsifying
Sodium Ascorbate
Antioxidant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Retinol
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCitric Acid
Buffering
Adansonia Digitata Seed Oil
Emollient
Phospholipids
Skin Conditioning
Retinyl Palmitate
Skin Conditioning
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Ascorbyl Palmitate
Antioxidant
Salicylic Acid
Masking
Sorbic Acid
Preservative
Water, Propanediol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Polyglyceryl-4 Laurate/Succinate, Sorbitan Oleate, Sodium Ascorbate, Tocopherol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Phenoxyethanol, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Retinol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Citric Acid, Adansonia Digitata Seed Oil, Phospholipids, Retinyl Palmitate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Salicylic Acid, Sorbic Acid
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Retinol
Skin Conditioning
Bakuchiol
Antimicrobial
Astaxanthin
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Punica Granatum Fruit Extract
Antioxidant
Aspalathus Linearis Extract
Skin ConditioningAllantoin
Skin Conditioning
Sodium PCA
Humectant
Phospholipids
Skin Conditioning
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingLeuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate
Antimicrobial
Potassium Hydroxide
BufferingPotassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Water, Glycerin, Retinol, Bakuchiol, Astaxanthin, Sodium Hyaluronate, Punica Granatum Fruit Extract, Aspalathus Linearis Extract, Allantoin, Sodium PCA, Phospholipids, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Carbomer, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Potassium Hydroxide, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Polysorbate 20, 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.
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride (aka MCT Oil) is a lightweight emollient, solvent, and texture enhancer. It is considered a skin-softener by helping to prevent moisture loss.
Though it behaves like an oil, it is not technically one due to its chemical composition. One perk of this ingredient is that it is very stable, resistant to oxidation, and unlikely to go rancid.
In practice, that translates to a long shelf life and a consistently elegant skin feel.
While there is an assumption Caprylic Triglyceride can clog pores due to it being derived from coconut oil, there is no research supporting this. Just patch test if you have concerns.
Fractionated coconut oil and MCT Oil are both listed as Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride according to INCI. This is because INCI names are based on the ingredient’s final chemical composition and not its marketing name or source.
This ingredient is treated as the gold standard fungal acne safe oil. Even though it is coconut derived, the problematic lauric acid is stripped out.
This leaves just caprylic (C8) and capric (C10) acid. These chain lengths actually trend antifungal; a 2020 study found caprylic acid was enough to disrupt Malassezia furfur cell membrane, with a caprylic acid derivative damaging membrane structures at concentrations as low as 0.2%.
Learn more about Caprylic/Capric TriglyceridePhenoxyethanol 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.
Phospholipids are a family of skin-identical lipids that makeup the structural backbone of every cell membrane in your body.
In cosmetics, they function as skin conditioning agents with emulsifier and surfactant properties. They're typically sourced from soybean or sunflower lecithin (or sometimes egg yolk or marine sources).
Because they mirror the lipids naturally found in the deeper layers of your skin, topical phospholipids help reinforce the lipid matrix, reduce transepidermal water loss, and leave skin feeling conditioned.
They're also used to form liposomes, or tiny self-assembling vesible used to stabilize actives like vitamin c or retinol. This helps these ingredients integrate into the upper layers of skin more easily.
Phospholipids are compatible with everything and the CIR Expert Panel has concluded them to be safe at current use levels.
Some types of phospholipids include:
Learn more about PhospholipidsRetinol is a gold-standard ingredient for anti-aging. It is a form of Vitamin A and belongs to the class of retinoids that also includes tretinoin.
Why is retinol famous?
It has the most scientific studies backing up its skin benefits out of all the non-prescription ingredients.
Retinol is proven to:
This is why retinol is effective at removing wrinkles, fading dark spots, treating acne, and reducing the appearance of pores.
Studies show retinol is less effective when exposed to UV. Be sure to look for appropriate packaging to keep your retinol potent (similar to Vitamin C).
Using retinol or any retinoids will increase sun-sensitivity in the first few months. Though studies show retinoids increase your skin's natural SPF with continuous use, it is best to always wear sunscreen and sun-protection.
We recommend speaking with a medical professional about using this ingredient during pregnancy.
Retinol may cause irritation in some people, so be sure to patch test. Experts recommend 'ramping up' retinol use: start using this ingredient once a week and work up to using it daily.
Read about Tretinoin
Learn more about RetinolSodium Hyaluronate is the salt form of hyaluronic acid. It is a long sugar chain that is naturally found in your skin, joints, and connective tissue that maintains hydration and elasticity.
In skincare, it works as a humectant. It pulls water from the environment and deeper layers of skin and binds it to the surface.
Interestingly, the size of the molecule affects its behavior:
Some clinical evidence links low molecular weight versions to improved wrinkle depth, elasticity, anti-inflammatory effects, and barrier repair.
Many serums use a blend of both weights so you can get surface hydration plus longer-lasting and deeper effects.
You'll typically see concentrations between 0.1-2% for this ingredient.
Learn more about Sodium HyaluronateWater. 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
