What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
HumectantGlycerin
HumectantCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingCoco-Caprylate/Caprate
EmollientMica
Cosmetic ColorantGlyceryl Stearate Se
EmulsifyingCetyl Alcohol
EmollientCopper Palmitoyl Heptapeptide-14
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
HumectantNiacinamide
SmoothingLactococcus Ferment Lysate
Skin ConditioningLactobacillus Ferment
Skin ConditioningLactobacillus
Skin ConditioningCurcuma Longa Root Extract
MaskingBeta Vulgaris Root Extract
Skin ConditioningAlpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide
CleansingInulin
Skin ConditioningCystoseira Tamariscifolia Extract
Skin ConditioningAspergillus/Camellia Sinensis Leaf Ferment Extract
AntimicrobialDunaliella Salina Extract
Skin ConditioningLactic Acid
BufferingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeAmmonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Hydroxyacetophenone
AntioxidantPropanediol
SolventSqualane
EmollientPongamia Glabra Seed Oil
Skin ConditioningSodium Dilauramidoglutamide Lysine
HumectantEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningSodium Citrate
BufferingCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientPolymnia Sonchifolia Root Juice
Skin ConditioningHaematococcus Pluvialis Extract
AntioxidantMaltodextrin
AbsorbentGlyceryl Caprylate
EmollientPolyvinyl Alcohol
Palmitoyl Sh-Hexapeptide-13 Serine Sp Amide
Phenylpropanol
MaskingSodium Benzoate
MaskingLactic Acid/Glycolic Acid Copolymer
Skin Conditioning1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningSodium Chloride
MaskingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingWater, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Mica, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Cetyl Alcohol, Copper Palmitoyl Heptapeptide-14, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Niacinamide, Lactococcus Ferment Lysate, Lactobacillus Ferment, Lactobacillus, Curcuma Longa Root Extract, Beta Vulgaris Root Extract, Alpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide, Inulin, Cystoseira Tamariscifolia Extract, Aspergillus/Camellia Sinensis Leaf Ferment Extract, Dunaliella Salina Extract, Lactic Acid, Phenoxyethanol, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Hydroxyacetophenone, Propanediol, Squalane, Pongamia Glabra Seed Oil, Sodium Dilauramidoglutamide Lysine, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Citrate, Caprylyl Glycol, Polymnia Sonchifolia Root Juice, Haematococcus Pluvialis Extract, Maltodextrin, Glyceryl Caprylate, Polyvinyl Alcohol, Palmitoyl Sh-Hexapeptide-13 Serine Sp Amide, Phenylpropanol, Sodium Benzoate, Lactic Acid/Glycolic Acid Copolymer, 1,2-Hexanediol, Sodium Chloride, Xanthan Gum
Water
Skin ConditioningDihydroxyacetone
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantPolysorbate 80
EmulsifyingSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantHyaluronic Acid
HumectantNiacinamide
SmoothingAzelaic Acid
BufferingMaltodextrin
AbsorbentTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantBiosaccharide Gum-1
HumectantButylene Glycol
HumectantDipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Humectant1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningBacillus
Skin ConditioningXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSodium Metabisulfite
AntioxidantPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeTriethylene Glycol
MaskingWater, Dihydroxyacetone, Glycerin, Polysorbate 80, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hyaluronic Acid, Niacinamide, Azelaic Acid, Maltodextrin, Tocopheryl Acetate, Biosaccharide Gum-1, Butylene Glycol, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Bacillus, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Metabisulfite, Phenoxyethanol, Triethylene Glycol
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
1,2-Hexanediol is a synthetic liquid and another multi-functional powerhouse.
It is a:
- Humectant, drawing moisture into the skin
- Emollient, helping to soften skin
- Solvent, dispersing and stabilizing formulas
- Preservative booster, enhancing the antimicrobial activity of other preservatives
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 GlycolGlycerin (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 GlycerinMaltodextrin is a polysaccharide. It is derived from starch such as rice, corn, wheat, or potato starch.
In food, Maltodextrin is used to improve the texture and thicken a product. Due to its structure, it can help create a gel texture. As an emulsion stabilizer, it helps keep the ingredients in a product together.
As a polysaccharide, Maltodextrin has moisturizing properties. Polysaccharides are a type of carbohydrate. The top layer of skin uses polysaccharides to retain water, keeping the skin hydrated.
Maltodextrin is water soluble and has a sweet taste.
Learn more about MaltodextrinNiacinamide 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.
Water. 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