What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Prunus Domestica Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Centaurea Cyanus Flower Water
Skin Conditioning
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Jojoba Esters
Emollient
Caffeine
Skin Conditioning
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Helianthus Annuus Seed Wax
Skin Conditioning
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Acacia Decurrens Flower Cera
Emollient
Acacia Senegal Gum
MaskingSodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCitric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Citrate
BufferingPolyglycerin-3
Humectant
O-Cymen-5-Ol
Antimicrobial
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Water, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Prunus Domestica Seed Oil, Centaurea Cyanus Flower Water, Pentylene Glycol, Jojoba Esters, Caffeine, Niacinamide, Cetearyl Alcohol, Helianthus Annuus Seed Wax, Glyceryl Stearate, Acacia Decurrens Flower Cera, Acacia Senegal Gum, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Xanthan Gum, Citric Acid, Sodium Citrate, Polyglycerin-3, O-Cymen-5-Ol, Tocopherol
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Dimethicone
Emollient
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Isopropyl Palmitate
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate
Emulsion StabilisingButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
PEG-100 Stearate
PEG/PPG/Polybutylene Glycol-8/5/3 Glycerin
HumectantStearic Acid
Cleansing
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Skin Conditioning
Dimethiconol
Emollient
Caffeine
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingSilica
Abrasive
Ginkgo Biloba Leaf Extract
Skin Conditioning
Palmitic Acid
Emollient
Alumina
Abrasive
Phenylethyl Resorcinol
Antioxidant
Ascorbyl Glucoside
Antioxidant
Poloxamer 338
EmulsifyingDisodium EDTA
Isopropyl Titanium Triisostearate
Emollient
Hydrolyzed Rice Protein
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingFerulic Acid
Antimicrobial
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
CI 77491
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77492
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77499
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantMica
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Dimethicone, Niacinamide, Isopropyl Palmitate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, PEG-100 Stearate, PEG/PPG/Polybutylene Glycol-8/5/3 Glycerin, Stearic Acid, Glyceryl Stearate, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Dimethiconol, Caffeine, Sodium Hydroxide, Silica, Ginkgo Biloba Leaf Extract, Palmitic Acid, Alumina, Phenylethyl Resorcinol, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Poloxamer 338, Disodium EDTA, Isopropyl Titanium Triisostearate, Hydrolyzed Rice Protein, Caprylyl Glycol, Xanthan Gum, Ferulic Acid, Phenoxyethanol, CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499, CI 77891, Mica
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Caffeine is a naturally occurring plant compound found in coffee beans, tea leaves, cocoa pods, and guarana.
As an antioxidant, caffeine protects your skin from free radical damage caused by UV exposure and envionrmnetal stressors.
Early research also shows that caffeine can help calm redness, soothe irritated skin, and support hair growth by stimulating microcirculation in the scalp.
You might have seen eye creams marketing caffeine as a depuffing ingredient. This is because it is a vasoconstrictor meaning it can temporarily constrict blood vessels, though clinical evidence for this specific use is still limited.
Most skincare products contain this ingredient at concentrations between 1-6%. It is able to penetrate skin easily regardless of skin type or thickness.
Just so you know, a very small number of case reports describe caffeine-induced allergy. This ingredient is generally well-tolerated, non-irritating, and non-sensitizing for the majority of people.
Learn more about CaffeineCetearyl alcohol is a waxy mixture of two fatty alcohols: cetyl alcohol and stearyl alcohol. It is an emollient and emulsifier.
Despite having "alcohol" in its name, it has nothing to do with drying solvent alcohols; the FDA also allows "alcohol-free" products to contain fatty alcohols like this ingredient.
It plays several roles in a formula:
Typical use levels for this ingredient sit around 1-10% and the Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has affirmed safety at concentrations up to 25% in leave-on products.
Multiple assessments have found it to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing to most people.
However, there have been some cases of allergic contact dermatitis in patients with chronically compromised skin barriers.
Cetearyl alcohol has a comedogenic rating of 2 and irritancy rating of 1. Both of these numbers come from the 1989 study that used rabbit ears; a "2" means mildly comedogenic and a "1" means low irritancy.
Here's the catch: rabbit skin is more sensitive than human skin and throws a lot of false positives. A 1996 reappraisal found that ingredients rated 1-2 in the rabbit ear tests are generally safe for humans.
Remember comedogenic ratings are unable to assess the entire formula of a product or how it will react on your skin. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure about certain ingredients.
This ingredient is not fungal acne safe. Cetearyl alcohol is a fatty alcohol with chain lengths that fall within the range that Malassezia can metabolize.
Learn more about Cetearyl AlcoholGlyceryl Stearate is made by reacting glycerin with stearic acid (typically sourced from plant oils like palm or coconut). It's an emulsifier, emollient, and mild occlusive.
Emulsifiers help ingredients like oil and water stay mixed so your formula stays nicely blended and uniform in texture.
This ingredient is typically used in concentrations between 1-10%. Studies have found it to be non-sensitizing, non-phototoxic, and non-photoallergenic.
A close cousin of this ingredient is Glyceryl Stearate SE ("self-emulsifying"). This just has a small amount of sodium or potassium stearate added so it can emulsify without a co-emulsifier.
Since this ingredient is an ester of a C18 fatty acid, it may not be fungal acne safe. The Malassezia yeast can potentially metabolize within the C11-C24 range.
Fun fact: The human body also creates Glyceryl Stearate naturally.
Learn more about Glyceryl StearateNiacinamide 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 NiacinamideWater. 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
