What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantDimethicone
EmollientRhamnose
HumectantIsohexadecane
EmollientAlcohol Denat.
AntimicrobialPropanediol
SolventIsopropyl Isostearate
EmollientVinyl Dimethicone/Methicone Silsesquioxane Crosspolymer
Cetyl Alcohol
EmollientDimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Skin ConditioningBehenyl Alcohol
EmollientNylon-12
PEG-100 Stearate
CI 77163
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantStearic Acid
CleansingStearyl Alcohol
EmollientArachidyl Alcohol
EmollientCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientCetearyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingCaffeine
Skin ConditioningNeohesperidin Dihydrochalcone
MaskingPalmitic Acid
EmollientPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeAdenosine
Skin ConditioningAmmonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate
Emulsion StabilisingDisodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingDisodium EDTA
Caprylyl Glycol
EmollientCitric Acid
BufferingSynthetic Fluorphlogopite
Acrylamide/Sodium Acryloyldimethyltaurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingEthylhexyl Hydroxystearate
EmollientPolysorbate 80
EmulsifyingParfum
MaskingWater, Glycerin, Dimethicone, Rhamnose, Isohexadecane, Alcohol Denat., Propanediol, Isopropyl Isostearate, Vinyl Dimethicone/Methicone Silsesquioxane Crosspolymer, Cetyl Alcohol, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Behenyl Alcohol, Nylon-12, PEG-100 Stearate, CI 77163, CI 77891, Stearic Acid, Stearyl Alcohol, Arachidyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Glucoside, Caffeine, Neohesperidin Dihydrochalcone, Palmitic Acid, Phenoxyethanol, Adenosine, Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Disodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Disodium EDTA, Caprylyl Glycol, Citric Acid, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Acrylamide/Sodium Acryloyldimethyltaurate Copolymer, Ethylhexyl Hydroxystearate, Polysorbate 80, Parfum
Water
Skin ConditioningAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin ConditioningCarthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil
MaskingGlycerin
HumectantHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
EmollientStearic Acid
CleansingGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientCetyl Alcohol
EmollientStearyl Alcohol
EmollientAlgae Extract
EmollientTaraxacum Officinale Extract
Skin ConditioningCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSodium Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingNiacinamide
SmoothingSqualane
EmollientPalmitoyl Tripeptide-1
Skin ConditioningCaffeine
Skin ConditioningTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantEscin
TonicButylene Glycol
HumectantAlcohol
AntimicrobialLecithin
EmollientCentella Asiatica Extract
CleansingPalmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Skin ConditioningPolysorbate 20
EmulsifyingSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantPotassium Phosphate
BufferingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeGlyceryl Stearate Citrate
EmollientLavandula Angustifolia Oil
MaskingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningGeranium Maculatum Extract
TonicCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialWater, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil, Glycerin, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Stearic Acid, Glyceryl Stearate, Cetyl Alcohol, Stearyl Alcohol, Algae Extract, Taraxacum Officinale Extract, Carbomer, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Carbomer, Niacinamide, Squalane, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Caffeine, Tocopheryl Acetate, Escin, Butylene Glycol, Alcohol, Lecithin, Centella Asiatica Extract, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Polysorbate 20, Sodium Hyaluronate, Potassium Phosphate, Phenoxyethanol, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Lavandula Angustifolia Oil, Ethylhexylglycerin, Geranium Maculatum Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
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 CaffeineCetyl Alcohol is a fatty alcohol. Fatty Alcohols are most often used as an emollient or to thicken a product.
Its main roles are:
Though it has "alcohol" in the name, it is not related to denatured alcohol or ethyl alcohol.
The FDA allows products labeled "alcohol-free" to have fatty alcohols.
Learn more about Cetyl AlcoholGlycerin (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 GlycerinPhenoxyethanol 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.
Stearic Acid is a fatty acid that is already found in your skin. It's one of the free fatty acids that works alongside ceramides and cholesterols to maintain your barrier.
In cosmetics, it is a multitasker:
Safety-wise, the CIR Expert Panel has concluded it to be safe in cosmetics when formulated to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing.
Free stearic acid is a C18 fatty acid that the Malassezia yeast can substrate, so this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Stearic AcidStearyl Alcohol is a type of fatty alcohol from stearic acid. It is a white, waxy compound used to emulsify ingredients used as an emollient or to thicken a product.
Emollients help soothe and hydrate the skin by trapping moisture.
Fatty alcohols are usually derived from natural fats and oils and therefore do not have the same drying or irritating effect as solvent (ethanol) alcohols.
The FDA allows products labeled "alcohol-free" to have fatty alcohols.
Learn more about Stearyl AlcoholWater. 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