What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningDimethicone
Emollient
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantGlycerin
Humectant
Zea Mays Germ Oil
Emollient
Elaeis Guineensis Oil
Emollient
Alcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
PEG-100 Stearate
Surfactant
Hydroxyethylpiperazine Ethane Sulfonic Acid
BufferingMyristyl Myristate
Emollient
Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin Conditioning
Cyclodextrin
AbsorbentPisum Sativum Extract
Skin ConditioningResveratrol
Antioxidant
Adenosine
Skin Conditioning
Carnosine
Skin Conditioning
Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
Antioxidant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Ascorbyl Glucoside
Antioxidant
Cetyl Palmitate
Emollient
Citric Acid
Buffering
Acrylamide/Sodium Acryloyldimethyltaurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingAmmonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate
Emulsion StabilisingCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Isohexadecane
EmollientMyristic Acid
Cleansing
Palmitic Acid
Emollient
Polysorbate 80
Emulsifying
Sorbitan Oleate
Emulsifying
Sorbitan Tristearate
EmulsifyingStearic Acid
Cleansing
Polysilicone-11
CI 15985
Cosmetic ColorantPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Parfum
Masking
Water, Dimethicone, Dipropylene Glycol, Glycerin, Zea Mays Germ Oil, Elaeis Guineensis Oil, Alcohol Denat., Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Hydroxyethylpiperazine Ethane Sulfonic Acid, Myristyl Myristate, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Cyclodextrin, Pisum Sativum Extract, Resveratrol, Adenosine, Carnosine, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Cetyl Palmitate, Citric Acid, Acrylamide/Sodium Acryloyldimethyltaurate Copolymer, Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Caprylyl Glycol, Isohexadecane, Myristic Acid, Palmitic Acid, Polysorbate 80, Sorbitan Oleate, Sorbitan Tristearate, Stearic Acid, Polysilicone-11, CI 15985, Phenoxyethanol, Parfum
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Dicaprylyl Ether
Emollient
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Polyglyceryl-6 Distearate
Emulsifying
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Propanediol
Solvent
Cetyl Esters
Emollient
Jojoba Esters
Emollient
Cetearyl Isononanoate
Emollient
Squalane
Emollient
Behenyl Alcohol
Emollient
Adenosine
Skin Conditioning
Capryloyl Salicylic Acid
Exfoliating
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Mineral Salts
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Vitreoscilla Ferment
Skin Conditioning
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Acacia Decurrens Flower Cera
Emollient
Acrylamide/Sodium Acryloyldimethyltaurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingCetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Helianthus Annuus Seed Cera
Emollient
Hydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate
Isohexadecane
EmollientPolyglycerin-3
Humectant
Polyglyceryl-3 Beeswax
Emulsifying
Polysorbate 80
Emulsifying
Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingSorbitan Oleate
Emulsifying
Parfum
Masking
Water, Glycerin, Dicaprylyl Ether, Pentylene Glycol, Polyglyceryl-6 Distearate, Niacinamide, Propanediol, Cetyl Esters, Jojoba Esters, Cetearyl Isononanoate, Squalane, Behenyl Alcohol, Adenosine, Capryloyl Salicylic Acid, Hydroxyacetophenone, Mineral Salts, Sodium Hyaluronate, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Vitreoscilla Ferment, Tocopherol, Acacia Decurrens Flower Cera, Acrylamide/Sodium Acryloyldimethyltaurate Copolymer, Cetyl Alcohol, Helianthus Annuus Seed Cera, Hydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate, Isohexadecane, Polyglycerin-3, Polyglyceryl-3 Beeswax, Polysorbate 80, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Sorbitan Oleate, Parfum
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
This ingredient is a synthetic polymer used to stabilize formulas and give products a "gel-cream" feel.
When applied, this ingredient mostly stays on the surface of skin. Safety reviews have found these polymers safe in cosmetics when made to proper quality standards. Testing also shows they’re unlikely to cause irritation or sensitization at normal use levels.
Adenosine is a purine nucleoside that your body already makes in every cell. In skincare, it acts mainly as a skin conditioning and anti-aging agent.
The way it works is fairly well mapped out:
Your skin has cells called fibroblasts that build collagen (the stuff that keeps skin firm and smooth). Adenosine basically flips a switch on these cells that tells them to get to work making more collagen and other proteins. These cells slow down on their own as skin ages, so Adenosine helps give them a little nudge to keep going.
The clinical backing is pretty solid too.
A blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial of 126 women aged 45-65 tested a 0.1% cream twice daily and found real improvements in crow's feet and frown lines using a precise 3D skin-mapping technique; these changes showed up by week 3 and held at 2 months.
A later study using Adenosine-loaded dissolving microneedle patches reported gains in wrinkle depth, dermal density, elasticity, and hydration.
On concentrations, South Korea's Ministry of Food and Drug Safety has set 0.04% as the approved functional anti-wrinkle level. You'll typically see this ingredient used somewhere in the 0.04-0.1% range since it works at low doses.
This ingredient has been found safe for cosmetics with the data showing no irritation or sensitization.
Overall, this is a great ingredient for any anti-aging routine and has no photosensitizing effect, so it suits both AM and PM use.
Learn more about AdenosineGlycerin (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 GlycerinIsohexadecane is added to enhance texture, emulsify, and to help cleanse. It is an isoparrafin. It is a component of petrolatum.
Due to its large size, Isohexadecane is not absorbed by the skin. Instead, it sits on top and acts as an emollient. Emollients help keep your skin soft and smooth by trapping moisture within.
Isohexadecane is often used in products designed to help oily skin. It is lightweight and non-greasy while helping to moisturize. When mixed with silicones, it gives a product a silky feel.
Learn more about IsohexadecaneParfum is a catch-all term for an ingredient or more that is used to give a scent to products.
Also called "fragrance", this ingredient can be a blend of hundreds of chemicals or plant oils. This means every product with "fragrance" or "parfum" in the ingredients list is a different mixture.
For instance, Habanolide is a proprietary trade name for a specific aroma chemical. When used as a fragrance ingredient in cosmetics, most aroma chemicals fall under the broad labeling category of “FRAGRANCE” or “PARFUM” according to EU and US regulations.
The term 'parfum' or 'fragrance' is not regulated in many countries. In many cases, it is up to the brand to define this term.
For instance, many brands choose to label themselves as "fragrance-free" because they are not using synthetic fragrances. However, their products may still contain ingredients such as essential oils that are considered a fragrance by INCI standards.
One example is Calendula flower extract. Calendula is an essential oil that still imparts a scent or 'fragrance'.
Depending on the blend, the ingredients in the mixture can cause allergies and sensitivities on the skin. Some ingredients that are known EU allergens include linalool and citronellol.
Parfum can also be used to mask or cover an unpleasant scent.
The bottom line is: not all fragrances/parfum/ingredients are created equally. If you are worried about fragrances, we recommend taking a closer look at an ingredient. And of course, we always recommend speaking with a professional.
Learn more about ParfumPolysorbate 80 is a synthetic surfactant and emulsifier derived from sorbitol and oleic acid.
It reduces the surface tension between oil and water phases to help them stay mixed and stable in a formulation. In other words, it prevents your formulas from separating into an oily mess.
The CIR Expert Panel has evaluated the scientific data and found this ingredient to be safe, non-irritating, and non-sensitizing at concentrations up to 5% (it's even approved by the FDA as an OTC eye drop ingredient).
Learn more about Polysorbate 80Sodium 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 HyaluronateSorbitan Oleate is a PEG-free emulsifier made by esterifying sorbitol with oleic acid.
You'll likely see it paired with Polysorbate 80 to create the right emulsification balance.
Typical use levels in formulas range from 2-10%.
The CIR Expert Panel has concluded this ingredient to be safe as a cosmetic ingredient.
Since this ingredient is an ester of oleic acid, it may not be fungal acne safe. Oleic acid is a fatty acid that falls into the C11-24 range that Malassezia can metabolize.
Learn more about Sorbitan OleateTrisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate is used to help stabilize a product.
It is a chelating agent, meaning it helps prevent metal ions from binding to other ingredients. This prevents unwanted reactions in products. Metal ions can come into a product via the water ingredient. They are found in trace amounts and are not known to be harmful.
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 Water
