What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Squalane
Emollient
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingTromethamine
BufferingGlyceryl Caprylate
EmollientEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
Natto Gum
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Hydroxypropyl Bispalmitamide Mea
Emollient
Mannitol
Humectant
PCA
Humectant
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Glucose
Humectant
Glycine
Buffering
Urea
Buffering
Sodium Glycerophosphate
Serine
Masking
Glutamic Acid
Humectant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Acrylates/Ammonium Methacrylate Copolymer
Potassium Magnesium Aspartate
BufferingAspartic Acid
Masking
Leucine
Skin ConditioningSodium Chloride
MaskingAlanine
Masking
Lysine
Skin ConditioningArginine
Masking
Calcium Gluconate
HumectantMagnesium Gluconate
Skin ConditioningTyrosine
MaskingPhenylalanine
Masking
Proline
Skin Conditioning
Threonine
Valine
MaskingIsoleucine
Skin ConditioningCitric Acid
Buffering
Cholesterol
Emollient
Histidine
Humectant
Silica
Abrasive
Acetyl Glucosamine
Skin Conditioning
Creatine
Skin ConditioningUric Acid
BufferingCysteine
Antioxidant
Methionine
Skin ConditioningWater, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Squalane, 1,2-Hexanediol, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Carbomer, Tromethamine, Glyceryl Caprylate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Disodium EDTA, Natto Gum, Stearic Acid, Hydroxypropyl Bispalmitamide Mea, Mannitol, PCA, Lactic Acid, Glucose, Glycine, Urea, Sodium Glycerophosphate, Serine, Glutamic Acid, Tocopherol, Acrylates/Ammonium Methacrylate Copolymer, Potassium Magnesium Aspartate, Aspartic Acid, Leucine, Sodium Chloride, Alanine, Lysine, Arginine, Calcium Gluconate, Magnesium Gluconate, Tyrosine, Phenylalanine, Proline, Threonine, Valine, Isoleucine, Citric Acid, Cholesterol, Histidine, Silica, Acetyl Glucosamine, Creatine, Uric Acid, Cysteine, Methionine
Water
Skin ConditioningAloe Barbadensis Extract
Skin Conditioning
Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil
Emollient
Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil
Masking
Cetearyl Ethylhexanoate
Emollient
Isopropyl Myristate
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Glyceryl Polyacrylate
Pvm/Ma Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Cyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
BHT
Antioxidant
Sodium Polyacrylate
Absorbent
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningIsohexadecane
EmollientPolysorbate 80
Emulsifying
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Retinol
Skin Conditioning
Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
Bleaching
Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate
Antioxidant
Glucosamine Hcl
Laminaria Digitata Extract
Skin Protecting
Saccharomyces Cerevisiae Extract
Skin Conditioning
Urea
Buffering
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Algae Extract
EmollientParfum
Masking
Water, Aloe Barbadensis Extract, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil, Cetearyl Ethylhexanoate, Isopropyl Myristate, Glycerin, Glyceryl Polyacrylate, Pvm/Ma Copolymer, Phenoxyethanol, Cyclopentasiloxane, BHT, Sodium Polyacrylate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Isohexadecane, Polysorbate 80, Propylene Glycol, Retinol, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Glucosamine Hcl, Laminaria Digitata Extract, Saccharomyces Cerevisiae Extract, Urea, Tocopheryl Acetate, Algae Extract, Parfum
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Ethylhexylglycerin 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 GlycerinUrea is also called carbamide and is the diamide of carbonic acid. In cosmetics, urea is used to hydrate the skin. It also provides exfoliation in higher concentrations.
As a humectant, urea helps draw moisture from the air and from deep within the skin. This helps hydrate your skin. Studies show urea is an effective moisturizer for dry skin conditions. 40% urea is typical in medications for treating eczema and other skin conditions.
Urea has the strongest exfoliation effect in concentrations higher than 10%. It is a keratolytic agent, meaning it breaks down the keratin protein in the top layer of skin. This helps remove dead skin cells and flaking skin.
In medicine, urea has been shown to help increase the potency of other ingredients, such as fungal treatments.
Humans and animals use urea to metabolize nitrogen-containing compounds. Urea is highly soluble in water. Once dissolved, it is neither acidic nor alkaline.
Urea is actually one of the more well-studied and well-supported ingredients out there if you have eczema.
Clinical trials have shown that urea creams in the 5 - 10% range can:
Higher concentrations (20 -30%) can also help with thickened, scaly patches but is also more likely to sting on active flares.
Skip urea if you have rosacea. The AAD (American Academy of Dermatology) lists it alongside alcohol, menthol, and fragrance as a potential irritant for rosacea-prone skin. Urea's keratolytic and penetration-enhancing properties can trigger stinging, burning, and redness.
As always, your skin is unique, so definitely check in with your dermatologist.
Learn more about UreaWater. 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
