What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCoco-Caprylate/Caprate
Emollient
Ethyl Macadamiate
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
C10-18 Triglycerides
Emollient
Propanediol
Solvent
Polyglyceryl-6 Distearate
Emulsifying
Bisabolol
Antioxidant
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Glycereth-26
Humectant
Copernicia Cerifera Wax Extract
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Rice Bran Oil Polyglyceryl-3 Esters
Emulsifying
Sclerotium Gum
Emulsion StabilisingIsosorbide Dicaprylate
Skin ConditioningZinc Hydrolyzed Hyaluronate
HumectantLinoleic Acid
Cleansing
Linolenic Acid
Cleansing
Squalene
Emollient
Morinda Citrifolia Callus Culture Lysate
Skin ConditioningPotassium Cetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Citric Acid
Buffering
Beta-Sitosterol
Emulsion Stabilising
Phosphoric Acid
BufferingMalic Acid
Buffering
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Water, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Ethyl Macadamiate, Glycerin, C10-18 Triglycerides, Propanediol, Polyglyceryl-6 Distearate, Bisabolol, Allantoin, Glycereth-26, Copernicia Cerifera Wax Extract, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Rice Bran Oil Polyglyceryl-3 Esters, Sclerotium Gum, Isosorbide Dicaprylate, Zinc Hydrolyzed Hyaluronate, Linoleic Acid, Linolenic Acid, Squalene, Morinda Citrifolia Callus Culture Lysate, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Tocopherol, Citric Acid, Beta-Sitosterol, Phosphoric Acid, Malic Acid, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenoxyethanol
Water
Skin ConditioningDicaprylyl Carbonate
EmollientGlycerin
Humectant
Dimethylimidazolidinone Rice Starch
AbsorbentHydrogenated Vegetable Glycerides
EmollientCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Potassium Cetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingPrunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil
Masking
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Salicylic Acid
Masking
Zinc PCA
Humectant
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Hydrogenated Palm Glycerides
Emollient
Sclerotium Gum
Emulsion StabilisingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingBisabolol
Antioxidant
Sodium Cetearyl Sulfate
Cleansing
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Pantolactone
Humectant
Citric Acid
Buffering
Water, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Glycerin, Dimethylimidazolidinone Rice Starch, Hydrogenated Vegetable Glycerides, Cetearyl Alcohol, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil, Tocopheryl Acetate, Panthenol, Salicylic Acid, Zinc PCA, Allantoin, Hydrogenated Palm Glycerides, Sclerotium Gum, Xanthan Gum, Bisabolol, Sodium Cetearyl Sulfate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Hydroxide, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Tocopherol, Pantolactone, Citric Acid
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 AllantoinBisabolol is a gentle skin conditioner, antioxidant, and soothing ingredient.
It's primary claim to fame is soothing and research shows topically applied bisabolol can quiet the chemical messengers that cause your skin to become inflamed, helping to sooth any irritation.
A clinical study found that applying 0.5% bisabolol daily for 8 weeks produced an average 9% decrease in skin pigmentation. Researchers found it can also suppress the process that leads to excess melanin production in skin.
In vitro studies found that bisabolol combined with propylene glycol significantly increased skin permeability by increasing lipid fluidity in the stratum corneum.
You'll likely see use concentrations quite low, usually 0.1-0.2%.
Overall, this is a well-tolerated ingredient that works well in formulas designed for sensitive, reactive, or post-procedure skin.
Learn more about BisabololCitric 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 AcidEthylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:
The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure.
Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.
Learn more about EthylhexylglycerinGlycerin (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 GlycerinHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil is a plant oil derived from the seeds of a sunflower.
It is rich in fatty acids, primarily linoleic acid and oleic acid. This gives it emollient and skin conditioning properties.
The reason this ingredient is so effective is because it forms a thin film on the skin that reduces transepidermal water loss (TEWL) while supplying linoleic acid to the stratum corneum to improve barrier strength.
The high linoleic acid content is particularly noteworthy for acne-prone skin.
Research suggests that acne-prone skin tends to be deficient in linoleic acid in sebum. Topical application may help replenish this to support a healthier follicular environment and less comedone-promoting sebum.
One randomized study found sunflower seed oil preserved skin barrier integrity in adult volunteers with and without atopic dermatitis (outperforming olive oil).
This ingredient is well-studied, gentle, and an effective emollient suitable for most skin types.
On fungal acne: This ingredient may not be Fungal acne (Malassezia folliculitis) safe. This is because it contains fatty acids with carbon chain lengths in the C11-C24 range.
Learn more about Helianthus Annuus Seed OilPhenoxyethanol 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 Cetyl Phosphate is the potassium salt of a mixture. This mixture consists of the esters from phosphoricacid and cetyl alcohol.
Potassium Cetyl Phosphate is an emulsifier and cleansing agent. Emulsifiers help stabilize a product. It does this by preventing certain ingredients from separating.
As a cleansing agent, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate helps gather oils, dirts, and pollutants from your skin. This makes it easier to rinse them away with water.
Learn more about Potassium Cetyl PhosphateSclerotium Gum is a polysaccharide gum made by the fungus, Sclerotium rolfssii. It is similar to xanthan gum.
In cosmetics, Sclerotium Gum is used to thicken the texture and to help stabilize other ingredients.
As an emulsifier, Sclerotium Gum helps prevent ingredients from separating, such as water and oil.
Learn more about Sclerotium GumTocopherol 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 Water
