This acne serum is formulated around Niacinamide and Zinc PCA to clear breakouts and balance excess oil.
This anti-aging serum is formulated around Retinyl Retinoate and Ceramide NP to soften the look of wrinkles and brighten dull-looking skin.
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6
Emulsion StabilisingZinc PCA
Humectant
Retinyl Retinoate
Skin Conditioning
Curcuma Longa Root Extract
Antioxidant
Glycerin
Humectant
Canola Oil
Emollient
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Portulaca Oleracea Extract
Skin Conditioning
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningBiosaccharide Gum-4
Skin Conditioning
T-Butyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Water, Butylene Glycol, Pentylene Glycol, Niacinamide, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Zinc PCA, Retinyl Retinoate, Curcuma Longa Root Extract, Glycerin, Canola Oil, Sodium Hyaluronate, Portulaca Oleracea Extract, Lactic Acid, Ethylhexylglycerin, Biosaccharide Gum-4, T-Butyl Alcohol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Phenoxyethanol
Water
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Palmitic Acid
Emollient
C12-16 Alcohols
EmollientSqualane
Emollient
Palmitoyl Glycine
CleansingRetinyl Retinoate
Skin Conditioning
Curcuma Longa Root Extract
Antioxidant
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Magnesium Palmitoyl Glutamate
Skin ConditioningTetrahydrodiferuloylmethane
Antioxidant
Tetrahydropiperine
Skin ConditioningCanola Oil
Emollient
Palmitoyl Proline
Skin ConditioningPseudostellaria Heterophylla Extract
Sodium Palmitoyl Sarcosinate
CleansingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingPropanediol
Solvent
Caprylhydroxamic Acid
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Parfum
Masking
Water, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Pentylene Glycol, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Glycerin, Palmitic Acid, C12-16 Alcohols, Squalane, Palmitoyl Glycine, Retinyl Retinoate, Curcuma Longa Root Extract, Ceramide NP, Tocopheryl Acetate, Magnesium Palmitoyl Glutamate, Tetrahydrodiferuloylmethane, Tetrahydropiperine, Canola Oil, Palmitoyl Proline, Pseudostellaria Heterophylla Extract, Sodium Palmitoyl Sarcosinate, Xanthan Gum, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Caprylyl Glycol, Sodium Hydroxide, Propanediol, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, Tocopherol, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Parfum
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Canola Oil is a plant-oil and low-erucic-acid variety of rapeseed. Like other seed oils, it functions as an emollient that softens skin and slows water loss.
Its fatty acid profile is mostly linoleic acid (55-65%) with some oleic, palmitic, and stearic acids. There are also some small amounts of vitamin E and plant sterols.
The sterol content is pretty interesting:
In a controlled human study, a single application of canola oil and especially its sterol-enriched fraction reduced visible irritation, redness, and water loss caused by SLS. Plain canola oil and most other tested oils did little on healthy, un-irritated skin.
It's pretty much just a calm, moisturizing oil that helps with soothing if your skin is already irritated.
Since canola oil is made up of C18 fatty acids, it may not be fungal acne safe. The Malassezia yeast feeds on chain lengths C11-24.
Fun fact: Canadian growers bred the low-erucic variety in the 1970's, and the name stands for "Canadian oil, Low Acid").
Learn more about Canola OilCurcuma Longa Root Extract comes from the rhizome (underground stem) of the turmeric plant.
While the official EU Cosing Database lists this ingredient as a fragrance, it actually does more than give products a scent.
This ingredient contains a group of yellow pigments called curcuminoids (mostly curcumin) that give it genuine antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity in skin.
Reviews of topical clinical studies have found turmeric/curcumin to be generally well-tolerated and useful across conditions like eczema and mild inflammation.
One thing working in its favor is that curcumin barely penetrates; in lab skin-permeation testing, the curcuminoids mostly stayed in the outermost layer of skin. This is a good thing because its soothing and antioxidant activity is a surface-level job anyway.
At this time, industry data shows there's no single "correct" cosmetic percentage. It's used across a wide range depending on the product and varies from tiny fractions of a percent up to a few percent.
Allergy-wise, curcumin is a documented (but uncommon) contact allergen. It can also cross react with related plants, so anyone with a turmeric/ginger/cinnamon allergy or reactive skin should patch test first.
Learn more about Curcuma Longa Root ExtractGlycerin (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 GlycerinPentylene Glycol (1,2-pentanediol) is a multitasking little diol with three main roles in a formula:
Research on alkanediols (the family pentylene glycol belongs to) show they work by disrupting microbial cell membranes. This disruption helps the primary preservative system in a product work more effectively at lower doses.
On the safety side, the Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has concluded this ingredient to be safe as used in current cosmetic practices + concentrations.
Typical use levels in a formula run about 1-5%.
Learn more about Pentylene GlycolRetinyl Retinoate is a new member of the retinoid family. It is created by combining retinoic acid (aka Tretinoin) and retinol.
Upcoming research shows this ingredient to be as effective but less irritating than retinol. Retinoids are the anti-aging gold standard of the skincare world.
All retinoids are inactive until they are converted into retinoic acid, a biologically active drug.
Retinoids undergo a conversion process until it reaches the last step, which is retinoic acid. Therefore, retinoic acid/Tretinoin is the most effective of all retinoids because it does not need to be converted.
Retinyl Retinoate is immediately broken down into retinoic acid and retinol, therefore becoming active right away.
Retinoids are best used to:
Further research is needed for this upcoming ingredient, but the results look promising so far.
Learn more about Retinyl RetinoateTocopheryl Acetate is a stable, shelf-friendly form of vitamin E.
Formulators love it because plain vitamin E oxidizes quickly once it hits air. This acetate version stays stable and resists going off, helping to extend a product's shelf life.
It's actually inactive on its own and works like a slow-release "storage" form; the enzymes in your skin called esterases gradually convert it into active vitamin E over time.
One in vivo study showed 5% of the acetate in the living layer of the epidermis converted to vitamin E after 5 days of application. This study also found the skin gained protection against UV damage even though the conversion was slow and small.
Once converted, vitamin E acts as a skin's main fat-soluble antioxidant that fights free radicals to protect skin from damage.
Topical vitamin E generally boosts the skin's photoprotection, and it reduced UV-damage in animal models.
This ingredient has some brightening potential but it's more of a prevention ingredient than spot-fader. Cell studies show it can slow down melanin production but it's worth noting that it's not the most powerful brightener out there.
Overall, it has a pretty solid safety profile and has been found to be non-irritating and non-comedogenic. Allergic reactions may happen but stay rare due to how widely the ingredient gets used.
The concentration will vary depending on the formula; industry data shows 0.1% in baby lotions, 3% in lipsticks, and 5% in foot powders. You can also find this ingredient at 100% in a pure vitamin E oil.
Most leave-on skincare keeps it at the lower end, often between 0.5-1%.
Learn more about Tocopheryl AcetateWater. 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
