What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Coco-Betaine
Cleansing
Sodium Cocoyl Alaninate
Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate
Cleansing
Acrylates Copolymer
Sodium Cocoamphoacetate
CleansingPEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Lauryl Glucoside
Cleansing1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Lauryl Glucose Carboxylate
CleansingSodium Cocoyl Glutamate
Cleansing
Potassium Cocoyl Glycinate
Glyceryl Caprylate
EmollientPotassium Cocoate
Emulsifying
Citric Acid
Buffering
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningDipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Humectant
Disodium EDTA
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Centella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Parfum
Masking
Water, Glycerin, Coco-Betaine, Sodium Cocoyl Alaninate, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Acrylates Copolymer, Sodium Cocoamphoacetate, PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Lauryl Glucoside, 1,2-Hexanediol, Sodium Lauryl Glucose Carboxylate, Sodium Cocoyl Glutamate, Potassium Cocoyl Glycinate, Glyceryl Caprylate, Potassium Cocoate, Citric Acid, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Disodium EDTA, Allantoin, Centella Asiatica Extract, Butylene Glycol, Parfum
Centella Asiatica Leaf Water 69%
Skin Conditioning
Water
Skin ConditioningDisodium Cocoamphodiacetate
Cleansing1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Chloride
MaskingTea-Cocoyl Glutamate
Cleansing
Hexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingCitric Acid
Buffering
Polyglyceryl-4 Caprate
EmulsifyingPentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Trehalose
Humectant
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Water
AntimicrobialOryza Sativa Bran Extract
Skin Conditioning
Portulaca Oleracea Extract
Skin Conditioning
Perilla Frutescens Leaf Extract
MaskingAspalathus Linearis Extract
Skin ConditioningCommiphora Myrrha Resin Extract
Skin ConditioningGlycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
Bleaching
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCentella Asiatica Leaf Water 69%, Water, Disodium Cocoamphodiacetate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Sodium Chloride, Tea-Cocoyl Glutamate, Hexylene Glycol, Citric Acid, Polyglyceryl-4 Caprate, Pentylene Glycol, Butylene Glycol, Caprylyl Glycol, Trehalose, Allantoin, Glycerin, Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Water, Oryza Sativa Bran Extract, Portulaca Oleracea Extract, Perilla Frutescens Leaf Extract, Aspalathus Linearis Extract, Commiphora Myrrha Resin Extract, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Ethylhexylglycerin
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
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 GlycolCaprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.
Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.
Because it is not a free-fatty acid or alcohol, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolCitric 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 GlycerinWater. 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
