What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningDimethicone
Emollient
Hydrogenated Polyisobutene
EmollientGlycerin
Humectant
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Polymethyl Acrylate
Methyl Methacrylate
PEG-40 Stearate
Emulsifying
Cera Alba
Emollient
Beeswax
Emulsion Stabilising
Potassium Cetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingStearic Acid
Cleansing
Stearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Sorbitan Tristearate
EmulsifyingTriethanolamine
BufferingCaffeine
Skin Conditioning
Methylparaben
Preservative
Silica
Abrasive
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Sodium Dextran Sulfate
Gel Forming
Myristyl Alcohol
Emollient
Escin
TonicPalmitic Acid
Emollient
Rhamnose
HumectantPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Adenosine
Skin Conditioning
Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate
Antioxidant
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Poloxamer 338
EmulsifyingAscorbyl Glucoside
Antioxidant
Hydrolyzed Rice Protein
Skin ConditioningPentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Water, Dimethicone, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Glycerin, Cetyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, Polymethyl Acrylate, Methyl Methacrylate, PEG-40 Stearate, Cera Alba, Beeswax, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Stearic Acid, Stearyl Alcohol, Sorbitan Tristearate, Triethanolamine, Caffeine, Methylparaben, Silica, Sodium Benzoate, Sodium Dextran Sulfate, Myristyl Alcohol, Escin, Palmitic Acid, Rhamnose, Phenoxyethanol, Adenosine, Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Poloxamer 338, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Hydrolyzed Rice Protein, Pentylene Glycol
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Nylon-12
PEG-100 Stearate
Surfactant
Glycerin
Humectant
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Squalane
Emollient
Dicaprylyl Ether
Emollient
Behenyl Alcohol
Emollient
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Octyldodecanol
Emollient
Palmitoyl Dipeptide-5 Diaminobutyroyl Hydroxythreonine
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Dipeptide-5 Diaminohydroxybutyrate
Skin Conditioning
Phytosterols
Skin Conditioning
Polysorbate 80
Emulsifying
Glycine Soja Oil
Emollient
Glycolic Acid
Buffering
Caffeine
Skin Conditioning
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Fraxinus Excelsior Bark Extract
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
Antioxidant
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter Extract
Skin Conditioning
Sucrose Polystearate
EmollientCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingLimnanthes Alba Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Xylitylglucoside
Humectant
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPanthenol
Skin Conditioning
Anhydroxylitol
Humectant
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingHydrogenated Polyisobutene
EmollientDisodium EDTA
Xylitol
Humectant
Glucose
Humectant
Parfum
Masking
Alcohol
Antimicrobial
Silanetriol
Lecithin
Emollient
Soy Isoflavones
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Water, Butylene Glycol, Glyceryl Stearate, Nylon-12, PEG-100 Stearate, Glycerin, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Squalane, Dicaprylyl Ether, Behenyl Alcohol, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Octyldodecanol, Palmitoyl Dipeptide-5 Diaminobutyroyl Hydroxythreonine, Palmitoyl Dipeptide-5 Diaminohydroxybutyrate, Phytosterols, Polysorbate 80, Glycine Soja Oil, Glycolic Acid, Caffeine, Niacinamide, Fraxinus Excelsior Bark Extract, Tocopherol, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter Extract, Sucrose Polystearate, Carbomer, Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil, Xylitylglucoside, Ethylhexylglycerin, Panthenol, Anhydroxylitol, Sodium Hydroxide, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Disodium EDTA, Xylitol, Glucose, Parfum, Alcohol, Silanetriol, Lecithin, Soy Isoflavones, Phenoxyethanol
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 CaffeineGlycerin (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 GlycerinGlyceryl 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 StearateHydrogenated Polyisobutene is a synthetic polymer. Polymers are compounds with high molecular weight. Hydrogenated Polyisobutene is an emollient and texture enhancer.
In one study, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene showed better skin hydration levels than Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride. As an emollient, it helps keep your skin soft and hydrated by trapping moisture in.
Hydrogenated Polyisobutene is often used as a mineral oil replacement.
Learn more about Hydrogenated PolyisobutenePhenoxyethanol 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 Water
