What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningNiacinamide
SmoothingGlycerin
HumectantCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingButylene Glycol
HumectantC12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialDiisostearyl Malate
EmollientJojoba Esters
EmollientSodium Acrylates Copolymer
Palmitoyl Hexapeptide-12
Skin ConditioningCeramide Ng
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin ConditioningTremella Fuciformis Sporocarp Extract
AntioxidantBrassica Oleracea Italica Seed Oil
EmollientHydrolyzed Jojoba Esters
Skin ConditioningLecithin
EmollientAnhydroxylitol
HumectantXylitol
HumectantXylitylglucoside
HumectantSaccharide Isomerate
HumectantXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingTocopherol
AntioxidantTribehenin
EmollientArginine
MaskingHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
EmollientCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingCitric Acid
BufferingSodium Citrate
BufferingPotassium Sorbate
PreservativeSodium Benzoate
MaskingPhenethyl Alcohol
MaskingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientWater, Niacinamide, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Butylene Glycol, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Diisostearyl Malate, Jojoba Esters, Sodium Acrylates Copolymer, Palmitoyl Hexapeptide-12, Ceramide Ng, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Tremella Fuciformis Sporocarp Extract, Brassica Oleracea Italica Seed Oil, Hydrolyzed Jojoba Esters, Lecithin, Anhydroxylitol, Xylitol, Xylitylglucoside, Saccharide Isomerate, Xanthan Gum, Tocopherol, Tribehenin, Arginine, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Carbomer, Citric Acid, Sodium Citrate, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Phenethyl Alcohol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Caprylyl Glycol
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingLactobacillus Ferment
Skin ConditioningAcrylamide/Sodium Acryloyldimethyltaurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingAlbizia Julibrissin Bark Extract
MaskingCalophyllum Inophyllum Seed Oil
AntimicrobialNiacinamide
SmoothingOctadecenedioic Acid
EmulsifyingRosa Canina Seed Oil
EmollientSimmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
EmollientSqualane
EmollientRibose
HumectantCentella Asiatica Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningGlycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
BleachingSaccharomyces/Xylinum/Black Tea Ferment
Skin ConditioningMel
EmollientZinc PCA
HumectantCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialCaffeine
Skin ConditioningAllantoin
Skin ConditioningSuperoxide Dismutase
AntioxidantPlantago Lanceolata Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialMoringa Oleifera Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningCentella Asiatica Meristem Cell Culture
AntioxidantSyringa Vulgaris Leaf Cell Culture Extract
Skin ConditioningPalmitoyl Tripeptide-8
Skin ConditioningPhospholipids
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantMarrubium Vulgare Meristem Cell Culture
Skin ProtectingHydrolyzed Jojoba Esters
Skin ConditioningGlutamylamidoethyl Imidazole
Bisabolol
AntioxidantCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningHyaluronic Acid
HumectantSphingolipids
EmollientTocopherol
AntioxidantRosmarinyl Glucoside
AntioxidantCaffeyl Glucoside
AntioxidantGallyl Glucoside
AntioxidantTetrahydrodiferuloylmethane
AntioxidantTetrahydrodemethoxydiferuloylmethane
AntioxidantTetrahydrobisdemethoxydiferuloylmethane
AntioxidantMaltodextrin
AbsorbentDextran
Hydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingCetearyl Olivate
Sorbitan Olivate
EmulsifyingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingIsosorbide Dicaprylate
Skin ConditioningWater, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Lactobacillus Ferment, Acrylamide/Sodium Acryloyldimethyltaurate Copolymer, Albizia Julibrissin Bark Extract, Calophyllum Inophyllum Seed Oil, Niacinamide, Octadecenedioic Acid, Rosa Canina Seed Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Squalane, Ribose, Centella Asiatica Leaf Extract, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Saccharomyces/Xylinum/Black Tea Ferment, Mel, Zinc PCA, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Caffeine, Allantoin, Superoxide Dismutase, Plantago Lanceolata Leaf Extract, Moringa Oleifera Seed Extract, Centella Asiatica Meristem Cell Culture, Syringa Vulgaris Leaf Cell Culture Extract, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-8, Phospholipids, Sodium Hyaluronate, Marrubium Vulgare Meristem Cell Culture, Hydrolyzed Jojoba Esters, Glutamylamidoethyl Imidazole, Bisabolol, Ceramide NP, Hyaluronic Acid, Sphingolipids, Tocopherol, Rosmarinyl Glucoside, Caffeyl Glucoside, Gallyl Glucoside, Tetrahydrodiferuloylmethane, Tetrahydrodemethoxydiferuloylmethane, Tetrahydrobisdemethoxydiferuloylmethane, Maltodextrin, Dextran, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, Xanthan Gum, Isosorbide Dicaprylate
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride (aka MCT Oil) is a lightweight emollient, solvent, and texture enhancer. It is considered a skin-softener by helping to prevent moisture loss.
Though it behaves like an oil, it is not technically one due to its chemical composition. One perk of this ingredient is that it is very stable, resistant to oxidation, and unlikely to go rancid.
In practice, that translates to a long shelf life and a consistently elegant skin feel.
While there is an assumption Caprylic Triglyceride can clog pores due to it being derived from coconut oil, there is no research supporting this. Just patch test if you have concerns.
Fractionated coconut oil and MCT Oil are both listed as Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride according to INCI. This is because INCI names are based on the ingredient’s final chemical composition and not its marketing name or source.
This ingredient is treated as the gold standard fungal acne safe oil. Even though it is coconut derived, the problematic lauric acid is stripped out.
This leaves just caprylic (C8) and capric (C10) acid. These chain lengths actually trend antifungal; a 2020 study found caprylic acid was enough to disrupt Malassezia furfur cell membrane, with a caprylic acid derivative damaging membrane structures at concentrations as low as 0.2%.
Learn more about Caprylic/Capric TriglycerideGlycerin (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 GlycerinHydrolyzed Jojoba Esters (HJE) are an emollient and skin-conditioning agent made by breaking down jojoba oil into a blend of fatty acids and fatty alcohols.
Jojoba is pretty cool because it's a liquid wax ester rather than a triglyceride like most plant oils. Its structure closely resembles the wax esters in human sebum so it slots nicely into the skin's own lipid layer.
In cosmetics, HJE works mainly to soften skin, reinforce the barrier, and lock in moisture by reducing water loss. This ingredient also holds onto the skin even after rinsing which is why you'll see it in cleansers or wipes.
There's a decent clinical backing for the moisturizing claims: a small controlled study found that pairing HJE with glycerin lowered transepidermal water loss significantly than glycerin alone (and this effect lasted up to 24 hours).
Follow-up work showed HJE appear to "trap" glycerin in the film they form on skin to boost its hydrating power.
Typical use levels are low: the glycering-synergy research used around 1.25% (a common pairing is roughly 1.25% HJE and 3.75% glycerin).
This ingredient has been found safe as used in cosmetics with low irritation risk.
As for fungal acne, the fatty acids and alcohols in jojoba fall in roughly the C18-24 range. This overlaps the C11-24 window that Malassezia yeast can feed on in lab studies, so this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Hydrolyzed Jojoba EstersNiacinamide is a multitasking form of vitamin B3 that strengthens the skin barrier, reduces pores and dark spots, regulates oil, and improves signs of aging.
And the best part? It's gentle and well-tolerated by most skin types, including sensitive and reactive skin.
You might have heard of "niacin flush", or the reddening of skin that causes itchiness. Niacinamide has not been found to cause this.
In very rare cases, some individuals may not be able to tolerate niacinamide at all or experience an allergic reaction to it.
If you are experiencing flaking, irritation, and dryness with this ingredient, be sure to double check all your products as this ingredient can be found in all categories of skincare.
When incorporating niacinamide into your routine, look out for concentration amounts. Typically, 5% niacinamide provides benefits such as fading dark spots. However, if you have sensitive skin, it is better to begin with a smaller concentration.
When you apply niacinamide to your skin, your body converts it into nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD). NAD is an essential coenzyme that is already found in your cells as "fuel" and powers countless biological processes.
In your skin, NAD helps repair cell damage, produce new healthy cells, support collagen production, strengthen the skin barrier, and fight environmental stressors (like UV and pollution).
Our natural NAD levels start to decline with age, leading to slower skin repair, visible aging, and a weaker skin barrier. By providing your skin niacinamide, you're recharging your skin's NAD levels. This leads to stronger, healthier, and younger looking skin.
Another name for vitamin B3 is nicotinamide. This vitamin is water-soluble and our bodies don't store it. We obtain Vitamin B3 from either food or skincare. Meat, fish, wheat, yeast, and leafy greens contain vitamin B3.
The type of niacinamide used in skincare is synthetically created.
Learn more about NiacinamideSodium 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 HyaluronateTocopherol is a fat-soluble antioxidant known as Vitamin E.
You'll find this ingredient in the vast majority of skincare (for good reason). It works to neutralize free radicals, or unstable molecules generated by UV exposure, pollution, and other environmental stressors, before they can cause oxidative damage to your skin cells.
Topically applied tocopherol has been shown to protect against UV damage by ramping up the skin's own natural defense enzymes.
It also acts as a skin conditioning agent; some studies show that regular topical use can improve the skin's water-binding capacity over 2-4 weeks.
This ingredient is especially loved for being a team player. When combined with Vitamin C, the photoprotective effect of both ingredients roughly doubles and the combo also helps reduce UV-induced DNA damage.
This ingredient has some brightening potential but it's more of a prevention ingredient than spot-fader. Cell studies show it can slow down melanin production but it's worth noting that it's not the most powerful brightener out there.
In formulations, it also serves as a stabilizer that helps protect other oxidation-prone ingredients from degrading.
Concentrations usually range from 0.1-1% in most leave-on products.
Learn more about TocopherolWater. 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 WaterXanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.
On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.
Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.
Learn more about Xanthan Gum