What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningDimethicone
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Skin Conditioning
Vinyl Dimethicone/Methicone Silsesquioxane Crosspolymer
Hydroxypropyl Tetrahydropyrantriol
Skin ConditioningIsononyl Isononanoate
EmollientPropylene Glycol
Humectant
Ascorbyl Glucoside
Antioxidant
Octyldodecanol
Emollient
Lauryl PEG-9 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone
Skin Conditioning
Methyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer
Boron Nitride
Absorbent
CI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantMica
Cosmetic ColorantPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
PEG/PPG-18/18 Dimethicone
Emulsifying
Silica Silylate
Emollient
Hydrolyzed Soy Protein
Humectant
CI 77163
Cosmetic Colorant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Magnesium Sulfate
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingCaffeine
Skin Conditioning
Retinyl Palmitate
Skin Conditioning
Vitis Vinifera Seed Extract
Antimicrobial
Capryloyl Salicylic Acid
Exfoliating
Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
Antioxidant
Tetrasodium EDTA
CI 77491
Cosmetic ColorantAdenosine
Skin Conditioning
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Water, Dimethicone, Glycerin, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Vinyl Dimethicone/Methicone Silsesquioxane Crosspolymer, Hydroxypropyl Tetrahydropyrantriol, Isononyl Isononanoate, Propylene Glycol, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Octyldodecanol, Lauryl PEG-9 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone, Methyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer, Boron Nitride, CI 77891, Mica, Phenoxyethanol, PEG/PPG-18/18 Dimethicone, Silica Silylate, Hydrolyzed Soy Protein, CI 77163, Sodium Hyaluronate, Chlorphenesin, Magnesium Sulfate, Sodium Hydroxide, Caffeine, Retinyl Palmitate, Vitis Vinifera Seed Extract, Capryloyl Salicylic Acid, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Tetrasodium EDTA, CI 77491, Adenosine, Pentylene Glycol, Tocopherol
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Adenosine is in every living organism. It is one of four components in nucleic acids that helps store our DNA.
Adenosine has many benefits when used. These benefits include hydrating the skin, smoothing skin, and reducing wrinkles. Once applied, adenosine increases collagen production. It also helps with improving firmness and tissue repair.
Studies have found adenosine may also help with wound healing.
In skincare products, Adenosine is usually derived from yeast.
Learn more about AdenosineCaffeine 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 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.
Sodium 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 HyaluronateWater. 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
