What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Isodecyl Neopentanoate
EmollientDicaprylyl Carbonate
EmollientCetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Dimethicone
Emollient
Retinol
Skin Conditioning
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
PEG-100 Stearate
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Oryza Sativa Bran Oil
Emollient
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingCaffeine
Skin Conditioning
Whey Protein
Skin ConditioningSteareth-20
CleansingHesperidin Methyl Chalcone
Antioxidant
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingHexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningChlorhexidine Digluconate
Antimicrobial
Disodium EDTA
Anthemis Nobilis Flower Oil
Masking
Sodium Citrate
BufferingTocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
N-Hydroxysuccinimide
Skin ConditioningPotassium Sorbate
Preservative
Dipeptide-2
Skin Conditioning
Citric Acid
Buffering
Panax Ginseng Root Extract
Emollient
Undaria Pinnatifida Extract
Skin ConditioningCamellia Sinensis Flower Extract
Perfuming
Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Skin Conditioning
Chrysin
Skin ConditioningPalmitoyl Tripeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Biotin
AntiseborrhoeicWater, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Isodecyl Neopentanoate, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Cetyl Alcohol, Dimethicone, Retinol, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Stearic Acid, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Hyaluronate, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Oryza Sativa Bran Oil, Carbomer, Caffeine, Whey Protein, Steareth-20, Hesperidin Methyl Chalcone, Sodium Hydroxide, Hexylene Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Chlorhexidine Digluconate, Disodium EDTA, Anthemis Nobilis Flower Oil, Sodium Citrate, Tocopheryl Acetate, N-Hydroxysuccinimide, Potassium Sorbate, Dipeptide-2, Citric Acid, Panax Ginseng Root Extract, Undaria Pinnatifida Extract, Camellia Sinensis Flower Extract, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Chrysin, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Biotin
Water
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
C12-20 Acid PEG-8 Ester
Emulsifying
Glycerin
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
PEG-8
HumectantBisabolol
Masking
Caffeine
Skin Conditioning
Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate
Antioxidant
Fagus Sylvatica Bud Extract
TonicLecithin
Emollient
Cutaneous Lysate
MoisturisingTetrapeptide-21
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Glycyrrhetinic Acid
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
Antioxidant
Citric Acid
Buffering
Capryloyl Carnosine
Skin ConditioningAscorbyl Palmitate
Antioxidant
Tocotrienols
Skin ConditioningElaeis Guineensis Oil
Emollient
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1 Acetate
Skin Conditioning
Ascorbic Acid
Antioxidant
Benzoic Acid
Masking
Squalene
Emollient
Phytosterols
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Citrate
BufferingPotassium Cetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingPotassium Sorbate
Preservative
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingHexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingSaccharide Isomerate
Humectant
Sodium Polyacrylate
Absorbent
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingDisodium EDTA
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Water, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, C12-20 Acid PEG-8 Ester, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Cetyl Alcohol, PEG-8, Bisabolol, Caffeine, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Fagus Sylvatica Bud Extract, Lecithin, Cutaneous Lysate, Tetrapeptide-21, Sodium Hyaluronate, Glycyrrhetinic Acid, Tocopherol, Citric Acid, Capryloyl Carnosine, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Tocotrienols, Elaeis Guineensis Oil, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1 Acetate, Ascorbic Acid, Benzoic Acid, Squalene, Phytosterols, Sodium Citrate, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Potassium Sorbate, Caprylyl Glycol, Carbomer, Hexylene Glycol, Saccharide Isomerate, Sodium Polyacrylate, Sodium Hydroxide, Disodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol, Benzyl Alcohol
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Caffeine is most associated with coffee, tea, and cacao. In skincare, it helps with calming inflammation and is rich in antioxidants.
While caffeine is used to treat cellulite and and dark circles, further studies are needed to prove this. It has been believed to help with these skin conditions due to its ability to dilate blood vessels and increase blood flow.
Some studies are looking into caffeine's ability to protect against UV rays.
Learn more about CaffeineThis ingredient is an 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.
While there is an assumption Caprylic Triglyceride can clog pores due to it being derived from coconut oil, there is no research supporting this.
Learn more about Caprylic/Capric TriglycerideCaprylyl Glycol is a humectant and emollient, meaning it attracts and preserves moisture.
It is a common ingredient in many products, especially those designed to hydrate skin. The primary benefits are retaining moisture, skin softening, and promoting a healthy skin barrier.
Though Caprylyl Glycol is an alcohol derived from fatty acids, it is not the kind that can dry out skin.
This ingredient is also used as a preservative to extend the life of products. It has slight antimicrobial properties.
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolCarbomer is a polymer of acrylic acid. Its main role is to create a gel consistency.
A high amount of carbomer can cause pilling or balling up of products. Don't worry, most products contain 1% or less of carbomer.
Cetyl Alcohol is a fatty alcohol. Fatty Alcohols are most often used as an emollient or to thicken a product.
Its main roles are:
Though it has "alcohol" in the name, it is not related to denatured alcohol or ethyl alcohol.
The FDA allows products labeled "alcohol-free" to have fatty alcohols.
Learn more about Cetyl AlcoholCitric 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 AcidDisodium EDTA plays a role in making products more stable by aiding other preservatives.
It is a chelating agent, meaning it neutralizes metal ions that may be found in a product.
Disodium EDTA is a salt of edetic acid and is found to be safe in cosmetic ingredients.
Learn more about Disodium EDTAGlycerin is already naturally found in your skin. It helps moisturize and protect your skin.
A study from 2016 found glycerin to be more effective as a humectant than AHAs and hyaluronic acid.
As a humectant, it helps the skin stay hydrated by pulling moisture to your skin. The low molecular weight of glycerin allows it to pull moisture into the deeper layers of your skin.
Hydrated skin improves your skin barrier; Your skin barrier helps protect against irritants and bacteria.
Glycerin has also been found to have antimicrobial and antiviral properties. Due to these properties, glycerin is often used in wound and burn treatments.
In cosmetics, glycerin is usually derived from plants such as soybean or palm. However, it can also be sourced from animals, such as tallow or animal fat.
This ingredient is organic, colorless, odorless, and non-toxic.
Glycerin is the name for this ingredient in American English. British English uses Glycerol/Glycerine.
Learn more about GlycerinHexylene Glycol is a surfactant. Glycols are a class of alcohols. Hexylene Glycol is a surfactant and emulsifier.
As a surfactant, Hexylene Glycol helps gather dirt and oil on your skin to be washed away.
As an emulsifier, Hexylene Glycol helps keep water and oil together. This prevents them from separating in a product. Hexylene Glycol also thins out the texture of a product by lessening viscosity.
Hexylene Glycol has a small molecular weight.
Learn more about Hexylene GlycolPhenoxyethanol 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.
Potassium Sorbate is a preservative used to prevent yeast and mold in products. It is commonly found in both cosmetic and food products.
This ingredient comes from potassium salt derived from sorbic acid. Sorbic acid is a natural antibiotic and effective against fungus.
Both potassium sorbate and sorbic acid can be found in baked goods, cheeses, dried meats, dried fruit, ice cream, pickles, wine, yogurt, and more.
You'll often find this ingredient used with other preservatives.
Learn more about Potassium SorbateSodium Citrate is the sodium salts of citric acid. In skincare, it is used to alter pH levels and acts as a preservative.
Its main functions are to maintain the pH of a product and neutralize metal ions.
The acidity of our skin is maintained by our glands and skin biome; normal pH level of skin is slightly acidic (~4.75-5.5).
Being slightly acidic allows our skin to create an "acid mantle". This acid mantle is a thin barrier that protects our skin from bacteria and contaminants.
Learn more about Sodium CitrateSodium Hyaluronate is hyaluronic acid's salt form. It is commonly derived from the sodium salt of hyaluronic acid.
Like hyaluronic acid, it is great at holding water and acts as a humectant. This makes it a great skin hydrating ingredient.
Sodium Hyaluronate is naturally occurring in our bodies and is mostly found in eye fluid and joints.
These are some other common types of Hyaluronic Acid:
Learn more about Sodium HyaluronateSodium Hydroxide is also known as lye or caustic soda. It is used to adjust the pH of products; many ingredients require a specific pH to be effective.
In small amounts, sodium hydroxide is considered safe to use. However, large amounts may cause chemical burns due to its high alkaline.
Your skin has a natural pH and acid mantle. This acid mantle helps prevent harmful bacteria from breaking through. The acid mantle also helps keep your skin hydrated.
"Alkaline" refers to a high pH level. A low pH level would be considered acidic.
Learn more about Sodium HydroxideWater. 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. Stay hydrated!
Learn more about Water
