What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin ConditioningWater
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantNiacinamide
SmoothingTrehalose
HumectantCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingArginine
MaskingChenopodium Quinoa Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningHimanthalia Elongata Extract
Skin ProtectingBrassica Oleracea Italica Seed Oil
EmollientTremella Fuciformis Sporocarp Extract
AntioxidantTocopherol
AntioxidantHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
EmollientAllantoin
Skin ConditioningPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingHydroxyacetophenone
AntioxidantAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Water, Glycerin, Niacinamide, Trehalose, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Arginine, Chenopodium Quinoa Seed Extract, Himanthalia Elongata Extract, Brassica Oleracea Italica Seed Oil, Tremella Fuciformis Sporocarp Extract, Tocopherol, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Allantoin, Pentylene Glycol, Carbomer, Hydroxyacetophenone
Water
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingGlycerin
HumectantNiacinamide
SmoothingStearyl Alcohol
EmollientCoco-Caprylate
EmollientGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientCapryloyl Glycerin/Sebacic Acid Copolymer
Skin ConditioningDiheptyl Succinate
EmollientDimethyl Mea
BufferingLycium Barbarum Fruit Extract
AstringentHamamelis Virginiana Extract
AntiseborrhoeicCopernicia Cerifera Wax
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialCentella Asiatica Meristem Cell Culture
AntioxidantCitrus Aurantium Dulcis Fruit Extract
MaskingCitrus Medica Limonum Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningPyrus Malus Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningSaccharum Officinarum Extract
MoisturisingTerminalia Ferdinandiana Fruit Extract
AntioxidantHydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin
MaskingPalmitoyl Tripeptide-38
Skin ConditioningAcetyl Hexapeptide-8
HumectantSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantThioctic Acid
AntioxidantPanthenol
Skin ConditioningAscorbyl Palmitate
AntioxidantSimmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
EmollientResveratrol
AntioxidantCopper PCA
HumectantTetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate
AntioxidantCaffeine
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
HumectantAllantoin
Skin ConditioningXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingGlyceryl Stearate Citrate
EmollientSodium Hydroxide
BufferingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningWater, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glycerin, Niacinamide, Stearyl Alcohol, Coco-Caprylate, Glyceryl Stearate, Capryloyl Glycerin/Sebacic Acid Copolymer, Diheptyl Succinate, Dimethyl Mea, Lycium Barbarum Fruit Extract, Hamamelis Virginiana Extract, Copernicia Cerifera Wax, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Centella Asiatica Meristem Cell Culture, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Fruit Extract, Citrus Medica Limonum Fruit Extract, Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract, Saccharum Officinarum Extract, Terminalia Ferdinandiana Fruit Extract, Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-38, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Sodium Hyaluronate, Thioctic Acid, Panthenol, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Resveratrol, Copper PCA, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Caffeine, Butylene Glycol, Allantoin, Xanthan Gum, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Sodium Hydroxide, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Allantoin is a soothing ingredient known for its protective and moisturizing properties; it's basically a quiet workhorse ingredient you can find in a huge range of cosmetics.
Though it can be derived from the comfrey plant, allantoin is produced synthetically for cosmetic products to ensure purity.
Research shows it can encourage your skin cells to turn over and renew by stimulating keratinocyte and fibroblast proliferation.
It also has mild keratolytic properties to help loosen and shed dead skin cells without being harsh.
Studies also suggest allantoin can help calm inflammation by dialing down some of the chemical signals your skin sends out when it is irritated.
This ingredient is typically used in the 0.1-0.5% range, and the FDA recognizes it as a skin protectant in OTC products up to 2%.
Overall, allantoin is a wonderful addition to most routines; it is stable across a wide pH range (~4-8), works well with other ingredients, and is considered non-sensitizing/non-irritating.
Fun fact: Allantoin is naturally occurring in comfrey root, beets, chamomile, and wheat sprouts. Our bodies even produce it as a byproduct of uric acid metabolism.
Learn more about AllantoinThis ingredient is a lightweight emollient, solvent, and texture enhancer. It is considered a skin-softener by helping the skin prevent moisture loss.
It helps thicken a product's formula and makes it easier to spread by dissolving clumping compounds.
Caprylic Triglyceride is made by combining glycerin with coconut oil, forming a clear liquid. Though it behaves like an oil, it is not technically one due to its chemical composition. 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. Be sure to 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.
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 GlycerinNiacinamide 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 NiacinamideWater. 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