What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Dibutyl Adipate
EmollientHydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Cholesterol
Emollient
Propanediol
Solvent
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningMadecassoside
Antioxidant
Phytosterols
Skin Conditioning
Beta-Glucan
Skin Conditioning
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Propanediol
Solvent
Niacinamide
Smoothing
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Alcohol
Antimicrobial
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Succinic Acid
BufferingGlycerin
Humectant
Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate
Skin Conditioning
Polyglycerin-3
Humectant
Tromethamine
BufferingAllantoin
Skin Conditioning
Salicylic Acid
Masking
Vinyldimethicone
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCoptis Japonica Root Extract
Skin ConditioningXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingDisodium EDTA
Cyanocobalamin
Skin ConditioningHydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Mentha Piperita Oil
Masking
Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil
Masking
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil
Masking
Protease
Exfoliating
Juniperus Virginiana Oil
Masking
Lavandula Hybrida Oil
Emollient
Elettaria Cardamomum Seed Extract
Perfuming
Foeniculum Vulgare Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningCrocus Sativus Flower Extract
MaskingCoriandrum Sativum Extract
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
Antioxidant
Water, Butylene Glycol, Propanediol, Niacinamide, 1,2-Hexanediol, Alcohol, Panthenol, Succinic Acid, Glycerin, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Polyglycerin-3, Tromethamine, Allantoin, Salicylic Acid, Vinyldimethicone, Ethylhexylglycerin, Coptis Japonica Root Extract, Xanthan Gum, Disodium EDTA, Cyanocobalamin, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Mentha Piperita Oil, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil, Protease, Juniperus Virginiana Oil, Lavandula Hybrida Oil, Elettaria Cardamomum Seed Extract, Foeniculum Vulgare Seed Extract, Crocus Sativus Flower Extract, Coriandrum Sativum Extract, Tocopherol
Reviews
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.Â
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 preservativesÂ
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 AllantoinButylene 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 GlycolEthylhexylglycerin 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 GlycerinHydrogenated Lecithin is a more stable version of lecithin.
It's made by taking lecithin (a phospholipid commonly found in soybeans and egg yolks) and hydrogenating it. This just means the unsaturated fatty acids are turned into saturated ones so they don't go bad as easily.
This ingredient is an emollient, emulsifier, and penetration enhancer. As an emollient, it helps soften and hydrate skin by trapping moisture within. As an emulsifier, it prevents oil and water ingredients from separating.
Hydrogenated Lecithin can form tiny spherical structures made of phospholipid bilayers called liposomes. These liposomes are able to capture compounds inside their structure and deliver them through the skin barrier.
Because phospholipids are a natural component of our cell membranes, this ingredient is inherently compatible with skin.
A 2021 study found lecithin-based surfactants were less harsh and more tolerable comared to Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS).
Learn more about Hydrogenated LecithinPropanediol is an all-star ingredient. It softens, hydrates, and smooths the skin.Â
It’s often used to:
Propanediol is not likely to cause sensitivity and considered safe to use. It is derived from corn or petroleum with a clear color and no scent.
Learn more about PropanediolTocopherol 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
