What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningAlcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Glycerin
Humectant
Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil
Masking
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Dimethicone
Emollient
Hydroxypropyl Tetrahydropyrantriol
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
Solvent
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Isononyl Isononanoate
EmollientZea Mays Starch
Absorbent
Silica Silylate
Emollient
Poloxamer 338
EmulsifyingHydroxyethylpiperazine Ethane Sulfonic Acid
BufferingOctyldodecanol
Emollient
Dimethiconol
Emollient
Caffeine
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Acrylates Crosspolymer-2
AbsorbentSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Silica
Abrasive
Perlite
Absorbent
Adenosine
Skin Conditioning
Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate
Emulsion StabilisingAmmonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Steareth-25 Methacrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Capryloyl Salicylic Acid
Exfoliating
Laureth-7
EmulsifyingCitric Acid
Buffering
Cassia Angustifolia Seed Polysaccharide
Skin ConditioningTrisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Menthoxypropanediol
Masking
Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
Antioxidant
Polyacrylamide
C13-14 Isoparaffin
Emollient
Parfum
Masking
Water, Alcohol Denat., Glycerin, Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil, Niacinamide, Dimethicone, Hydroxypropyl Tetrahydropyrantriol, Propanediol, Propylene Glycol, Isononyl Isononanoate, Zea Mays Starch, Silica Silylate, Poloxamer 338, Hydroxyethylpiperazine Ethane Sulfonic Acid, Octyldodecanol, Dimethiconol, Caffeine, Sodium Acrylates Crosspolymer-2, Sodium Hyaluronate, Silica, Perlite, Adenosine, Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Steareth-25 Methacrylate Crosspolymer, Caprylyl Glycol, Capryloyl Salicylic Acid, Laureth-7, Citric Acid, Cassia Angustifolia Seed Polysaccharide, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Menthoxypropanediol, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Polyacrylamide, C13-14 Isoparaffin, Parfum
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Isopropyl Palmitate
Emollient
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Hydrogenated Coco-Glycerides
Emollient
Octyldodecanol
Emollient
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Glyceryl Stearate Citrate
Emollient
Stearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glycine Soja Germ Extract
EmollientSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Methyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingDimethicone
Emollient
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Trisodium EDTA
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Parfum
Masking
Water, Glycerin, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Isopropyl Palmitate, Panthenol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Hydrogenated Coco-Glycerides, Octyldodecanol, Butylene Glycol, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Stearyl Alcohol, Cetyl Alcohol, Glycine Soja Germ Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Tocopherol, Methyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Dimethicone, Carbomer, Caprylyl Glycol, Trisodium EDTA, 1,2-Hexanediol, Phenoxyethanol, 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.
Caprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.
Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.
Because it is not a free-fatty acid, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolDimethicone is a type of synthetic silicone created from natural materials such as quartz. It is also known as polydimethylsiloxane.
What it does:
Dimethicone comes in different viscosities:
Depending on the viscosity, dimethicone has different properties.
Ingredients lists don't always show which type is used, so we recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about the viscosity.
This ingredient is unlikely to cause irritation because it does not get absorbed into skin. However, people with silicone allergies should be careful about using this ingredient.
Note: Dimethicone may contribute to pilling. This is because it is not oil or water soluble, so pilling may occur when layered with products. When mixed with heavy oils in a formula, the outcome is also quite greasy.
Learn more about DimethiconeGlycerin (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 GlycerinOctyldodecanol is a fatty alcohol sourced from plant oils like coconut or palm (or made synthetically).
It is:
You'll likely see this in many BHA products because this is the go-to solvent for salicylic acid.
This ingredient is typically used at levels between 2-20%.
Regarding fungal acne:
In 2019, this ingredient was tested against multiple Malassezia species (the yeast that causes fungal acne) and showed no growth.
Parfum 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 ParfumSodium 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
