What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantButylene Glycol
HumectantSorbitol
HumectantPropylene Glycol
HumectantNiacinamide
SmoothingCarnosine
Skin ConditioningCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingArginine
MaskingAllantoin
Skin ConditioningChlorphenesin
AntimicrobialHyaluronic Acid
HumectantHydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingRhamnose
HumectantXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCaprylhydroxamic Acid
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
PreservativePEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
EmulsifyingDisodium EDTA
Polysorbate 20
EmulsifyingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningParfum
MaskingCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientPalmitoyl Tripeptide-1
Skin ConditioningAcetyl Hexapeptide-8
HumectantPalmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Skin ConditioningWater, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Sorbitol, Propylene Glycol, Niacinamide, Carnosine, Carbomer, Arginine, Allantoin, Chlorphenesin, Hyaluronic Acid, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Rhamnose, Xanthan Gum, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, 1,2-Hexanediol, Phenoxyethanol, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Disodium EDTA, Polysorbate 20, Ethylhexylglycerin, Parfum, Caprylyl Glycol, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Water
Skin ConditioningAscorbic Acid
AntioxidantGlycerin
HumectantBetaine
HumectantPolysorbate 20
EmulsifyingTriethylene Glycol
MaskingHamamelis Virginiana Extract
AntiseborrhoeicCarica Papaya Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningTerminalia Ferdinandiana Fruit Extract
AntioxidantMorus Alba Root Extract
BleachingCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialCitrus Limon Peel Extract
EmollientHydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantSaccharide Isomerate
HumectantAllantoin
Skin ConditioningCitric Acid
Buffering2-Bromo-2-Nitropropane-1,3-Diol
PreservativeAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningTamarindus Indica Seed Gum
Emulsion StabilisingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeEDTA
Water, Ascorbic Acid, Glycerin, Betaine, Polysorbate 20, Triethylene Glycol, Hamamelis Virginiana Extract, Carica Papaya Fruit Extract, Terminalia Ferdinandiana Fruit Extract, Morus Alba Root Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Citrus Limon Peel Extract, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Sodium Hyaluronate, Saccharide Isomerate, Allantoin, Citric Acid, 2-Bromo-2-Nitropropane-1,3-Diol, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Pentylene Glycol, Tamarindus Indica Seed Gum, Phenoxyethanol, EDTA
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 AllantoinGlycerin (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 GlycerinHydroxyethylcellulose is used to improve the texture of products. It is created from a chemical reaction involving ethylene oxide and alkali-cellulose. Cellulose is a sugar found in plant cell walls and help give plants structure.
This ingredient helps stabilize products by preventing ingredients from separating. It can also help thicken the texture of a product.
This ingredient can also be found in pill medicines to help our bodies digest other ingredients.
Learn more about HydroxyethylcellulosePhenoxyethanol 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.
Polysorbate 20 is a gentle, water-soluble emulsifier and mild surfactant. It stops oil and water from separating to keep your formulas blended and stable.
It also acts as a mild penetration enhancer by helping active ingredients absorb slightly better.
The common safety discussion around this ingredient involves a manufacturing byproduct called 1,4-dioxane.
Trace amounts can form during production but the EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety has concluded that levels at/below 10 ppm in finished products are safe (commercial products consistently fall within acceptable margins).
True allergic reactions are uncommon and the CIR Expert Panel has confirmed this ingredient to be safe as used in cosmetics.
Because it is derived from lauric acid, it may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Polysorbate 20Water. 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