What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Glyceryl Myristate
EmollientCoco-Caprylate/Caprate
Emollient
Hydrogenated Polyisobutene
EmollientPotassium Cetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingCitrus Aurantium Amara Flower Water
MaskingRosa Centifolia Flower Water
Skin ConditioningStearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Isopropyl Palmitate
Emollient
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Caffeine
Skin Conditioning
Cedrus Atlantica Bark Extract
Perfuming
Avena Sativa Kernel Extract
Abrasive
Hydrolyzed Soy Protein
Humectant
Bisabolol
Antioxidant
Saccharide Hydrolysate
HumectantAdenosine
Skin Conditioning
Albizia Julibrissin Bark Extract
MaskingPunica Granatum Fruit Extract
Antioxidant
Passiflora Edulis Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Yeast Protein
Skin ConditioningHydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingCeteareth-33
CleansingButylene Glycol
Humectant
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Disodium EDTA
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingPolysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Sorbitan Isostearate
Emulsifying
Citric Acid
Buffering
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
BHT
Antioxidant
Water, Glycerin, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Glyceryl Myristate, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Citrus Aurantium Amara Flower Water, Rosa Centifolia Flower Water, Stearyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Isopropyl Palmitate, Panthenol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Caffeine, Cedrus Atlantica Bark Extract, Avena Sativa Kernel Extract, Hydrolyzed Soy Protein, Bisabolol, Saccharide Hydrolysate, Adenosine, Albizia Julibrissin Bark Extract, Punica Granatum Fruit Extract, Passiflora Edulis Fruit Extract, Hydrolyzed Yeast Protein, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Ceteareth-33, Butylene Glycol, Carbomer, Ethylhexylglycerin, Pentylene Glycol, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Hydroxide, Polysorbate 60, Sorbitan Isostearate, Citric Acid, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, BHT
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 AdenosineThis ingredient is also known as shea butter. It is a plant-derived extract from the nuts of the Africa shea tree and one of the most well-studied emollients.
Because it has a high concentration of fatty acids (primarily oleic, stearic, and linoleic) it is able to form a protective barrier on the skin's surface. This helps seal in moisture and prevents transepidermal water loss (TEWL).
In vitro research found an increase in skin hydration by 58% and a decrease in TEWL by 37.8% after 24 hours of applying this ingredient (pretty impressive for a single ingredient!).
Besides hydration, shea butter also contains triterpenes that have anti-inflammatory potential. In particule, lupeol cinnamate has shown the highest anti-inflammatory activity in vivo.
Shea butter also contains vitamins A and E which may contribute to antioxidant activity.
While Shea Butter has an SPF rating of about 3-4, it is not a sunscreen replacement.
This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe because its fatty acids fall within the C11-C24 range that the Malassezia yeast can metabolize.
Learn more about Butyrospermum Parkii ButterCaffeine 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 CaffeineCarbomer is a high-molecular weight polymer of acrylic acid. It is used to form gels and thicken formulas.
Due to its large molecular size, carbomer has minimal skin penetration and is considered an inert ingredient.
A high amount of carbomer can cause pilling or balling up of products. Don't worry, most products contain 1% or less of carbomer.
Learn more about CarbomerCitric Acid is an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) naturally found in citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, and limes.
Like other AHAs, citric acid can exfoliate skin by breaking down the bonds that hold dead skin cells together. This helps reveal smoother and brighter skin underneath.
However, this exfoliating effect only happens at high concentrations (20%) which can be hard to find in cosmetic products.
Due to this, citric acid is usually included in small amounts as a pH adjuster. This helps keep products slightly more acidic and compatible with skin's natural pH.
In skincare formulas, citric acid can:
While it can provide some skin benefits, research shows lactic acid and glycolic acid are generally more effective and less irritating exfoliants.
Most citric acid used in skincare today is made by fermenting sugars (usually from molasses). This synthetic version is identical to the natural citrus form but easier to stabilize and use in formulations.
Read more about some other popular AHA's here:
Learn more about Citric AcidGlycerin (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.
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
