What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
Solvent
Glycerin
Humectant
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Vinyldimethicone
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantAllantoin
Skin Conditioning
Polyglyceryl-4 Caprate
EmulsifyingHydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate
Skin Conditioning
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingDipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Humectant
Tromethamine
BufferingAdenosine
Skin Conditioning
Disodium EDTA
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Octyldodecanol
Emollient
PEG-5 Rapeseed Sterol
Cleansing
Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate
Emulsifying
Sodium PCA
Humectant
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Olea Europaea Fruit Oil
Masking
Bentonite
Absorbent
Lycium Barbarum Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil Unsaponifiables
Emollient
Olive Oil Decyl Esters
Phytosphingosine
Skin Conditioning
Citric Acid
Buffering
Cyclohexylglycerin
HumectantTocopherol
Antioxidant
Cardiospermum Halicacabum Flower/Leaf/Vine Extract
Skin ConditioningHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Hydrolyzed Extensin
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Polylactic Acid
Abrasive
Squalane
Emollient
Ceramide Ns
Skin Conditioning
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
Emollient
Cholesterol
Emollient
Dioleoyl Pg-Trimonium Chloride
Skin ConditioningSodium DNA
Skin Conditioning
Chlorella Vulgaris Extract
Skin ConditioningCeramide AP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide As
Skin Conditioning
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialSh-Oligopeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Sea Salt
Abrasive
Ceramide EOP
Skin Conditioning
Water, Propanediol, Glycerin, Niacinamide, Vinyldimethicone, 1,2-Hexanediol, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Dipropylene Glycol, Allantoin, Polyglyceryl-4 Caprate, Hydroxyacetophenone, Xanthan Gum, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Carbomer, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Tromethamine, Adenosine, Disodium EDTA, Ceramide NP, Octyldodecanol, PEG-5 Rapeseed Sterol, Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate, Sodium PCA, Cetearyl Alcohol, Stearic Acid, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Bentonite, Lycium Barbarum Seed Oil, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil Unsaponifiables, Olive Oil Decyl Esters, Phytosphingosine, Citric Acid, Cyclohexylglycerin, Tocopherol, Cardiospermum Halicacabum Flower/Leaf/Vine Extract, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Hydrolyzed Extensin, Butylene Glycol, Polylactic Acid, Squalane, Ceramide Ns, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Cholesterol, Dioleoyl Pg-Trimonium Chloride, Sodium DNA, Chlorella Vulgaris Extract, Ceramide AP, Ceramide As, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Sh-Oligopeptide-1, Sea Salt, Ceramide EOP
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Sh-Oligopeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Sh-Polypeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Vaccinium Angustifolium Fruit Extract
Skin Protecting
Lecithin
Emollient
Sorbitan Sesquioleate
Emulsifying
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Glycerin
Humectant
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Guaiazulene
Antimicrobial
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningAdenosine
Skin Conditioning
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
1,2-Hexanediol is a synthetic liquid and another multi-functional powerhouse.
It is a:
- Humectant, drawing moisture into the skin
- Emollient, helping to soften skin
- Solvent, dispersing and stabilizing formulas
- Preservative booster, enhancing the antimicrobial activity of other preservatives
Adenosine is a purine nucleoside that your body already makes in every cell. In skincare, it acts mainly as a skin conditioning and anti-aging agent.
The way it works is fairly well mapped out:
Your skin has cells called fibroblasts that build collagen (the stuff that keeps skin firm and smooth). Adenosine basically flips a switch on these cells that tells them to get to work making more collagen and other proteins. These cells slow down on their own as skin ages, so Adenosine helps give them a little nudge to keep going.
The clinical backing is pretty solid too.
A blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial of 126 women aged 45-65 tested a 0.1% cream twice daily and found real improvements in crow's feet and frown lines using a precise 3D skin-mapping technique; these changes showed up by week 3 and held at 2 months.
A later study using Adenosine-loaded dissolving microneedle patches reported gains in wrinkle depth, dermal density, elasticity, and hydration.
On concentrations, South Korea's Ministry of Food and Drug Safety has set 0.04% as the approved functional anti-wrinkle level. You'll typically see this ingredient used somewhere in the 0.04-0.1% range since it works at low doses.
This ingredient has been found safe for cosmetics with the data showing no irritation or sensitization.
Overall, this is a great ingredient for any anti-aging routine and has no photosensitizing effect, so it suits both AM and PM use.
Learn more about AdenosineButylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:
Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient that works well with other ingredients.
Though this ingredient works well with most skin types, some people with sensitive skin may experience a reaction such as allergic rashes, closed comedones, or itchiness.
Learn more about Butylene GlycolGlycerin (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 Glycerinsh-Oligopeptide-1 is a peptide found naturally in our bodies. Peptides are the building blocks for collagen and elastin in our skin.
In cosmetics, this ingredient is bioengineered to be identical to a human gene that codes for epidermal growth factor (EGF). EGF are signal molecules that simulate cell growth and healing.
Studies find EGF help with:
In South Korea and China, EGF is considered a controversial ingredient. The South Korean Ministry of Food and Drug Safety has cracked down on companies with products including EGF due to false advertisement claims.
According to Dr. Zoe Draelos, growth factors have some drawbacks:
There is also controversy surrounding growth factors. The controversy is due to their mitogenic activity, or their ability to increase the number of cells. It is best to avoid using growth factors if you have psoriasis or are at risk of skin cancer. However, it should be noted EGF are not mutagenic - meaning they will not cause cancer.
Learn more about Sh-Oligopeptide-1Water. 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
