What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningC12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialEthylhexyl Methoxycinnamate
UV Absorber
Dimethicone
Emollient
Sodium Acrylates Copolymer
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane
UV Absorber
Glycerin
Humectant
Benzophenone-3
UV Absorber
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Lecithin
Emollient
Sodium Levulinate
Skin ConditioningXylitol
Humectant
Glucose
Humectant
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Phospholipids
Skin Conditioning
Anhydroxylitol
Humectant
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Oxothiazolidine
Skin ProtectingVaccinium Corymbosum Seed
Abrasive
Vaccinium Angustifolium Fruit Extract
Skin Protecting
Citrus Paradisi Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningPhoenix Dactylifera Seed Extract
MoisturisingGlyceryl Glucoside
Humectant
Zinc Oxide
Cosmetic Colorant
Cyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Carica Papaya Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningPEG-10 Dimethicone
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide AP
Skin Conditioning
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Ascorbic Acid
Antioxidant
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
C9-12 Alkane
SolventHydrogen Dimethicone
Titanium Dioxide
Cosmetic Colorant
Aluminum Hydroxide
EmollientPolyhydroxystearic Acid
Emulsifying
Water, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Dimethicone, Sodium Acrylates Copolymer, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, Glycerin, Benzophenone-3, Butylene Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Lecithin, Sodium Levulinate, Xylitol, Glucose, Propylene Glycol, Phospholipids, Anhydroxylitol, Glyceryl Stearate, Allantoin, Tocopheryl Acetate, Oxothiazolidine, Vaccinium Corymbosum Seed, Vaccinium Angustifolium Fruit Extract, Citrus Paradisi Fruit Extract, Phoenix Dactylifera Seed Extract, Glyceryl Glucoside, Zinc Oxide, Cyclopentasiloxane, Carica Papaya Fruit Extract, PEG-10 Dimethicone, Ceramide AP, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Ascorbic Acid, Hyaluronic Acid, C9-12 Alkane, Hydrogen Dimethicone, Titanium Dioxide, Aluminum Hydroxide, Polyhydroxystearic Acid
Water
Skin ConditioningCyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Hamamelis Virginiana Leaf Extract
Skin Conditioning
Polyacrylate-13
Polyisobutene
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Betaine
Humectant
Sodium PCA
Humectant
Sodium Lactate
Buffering
PCA
Humectant
Serine
Masking
Alanine
Masking
Glycine
Buffering
Glutamic Acid
Humectant
Lysine Hcl
Skin Conditioning
Threonine
Arginine
Masking
Proline
Skin Conditioning
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Glycerin
Humectant
Artemisinin
AntimicrobialSodium Benzoate
Masking
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCystoseira Tamariscifolia Extract
Skin ConditioningHyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Sodium Gluconate
Skin ConditioningNiacinamide
Smoothing
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Ribes Nigrum Bud Oil
Perfuming
Rapeseed Sophorolipids
AntimicrobialSqualane
Emollient
Hydrogenated Polydecene
EmollientGlyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Cholesterol
Emollient
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Ceramide AP
Skin Conditioning
Phytosphingosine
Skin Conditioning
Tetraacetylphytosphingosine
Skin ConditioningXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCeramide EOP
Skin Conditioning
Glycosphingolipids
EmollientWater, Cyclopentasiloxane, Hamamelis Virginiana Leaf Extract, Polyacrylate-13, Polyisobutene, Polysorbate 20, Betaine, Sodium PCA, Sodium Lactate, PCA, Serine, Alanine, Glycine, Glutamic Acid, Lysine Hcl, Threonine, Arginine, Proline, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Glycerin, Artemisinin, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Cystoseira Tamariscifolia Extract, Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Gluconate, Niacinamide, Allantoin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Ribes Nigrum Bud Oil, Rapeseed Sophorolipids, Squalane, Hydrogenated Polydecene, Glyceryl Stearate, Cetearyl Alcohol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Ceramide NP, Cholesterol, Stearic Acid, Ceramide AP, Phytosphingosine, Tetraacetylphytosphingosine, Xanthan Gum, Ceramide EOP, Glycosphingolipids
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 AllantoinCeramide AP is is a skin-identical lipid that mimics what your skin already makes naturally. Ceramides help maintain epidermal integrity and barrier function.
You'll often see this ingredient paired with other ceramides (like ceramide NP), cholesterol, or fatty acids because this combination best mimics the natural lipid mix your skin already has.
The skin's ability to produce ceramides gets disrupted in skin conditions like eczema. This in turn weakens the skin barrier and applying ceramides topically has been shown to replenish what's been lost to restore barrier function.
Most of the studies with Ceramide AP test it as part of a multi-ceramide complex; studies reinforce ceramide AP's role in rebalancing ceramides in skin and improving skin hydration.
Learn more about Ceramide APCyclopentasiloxane, or D5, is a silicone used to improve texture of products and trap moisture.
D5 is considered lightweight and volatile. Volatile means it evaporates quickly after application. Once evaporated, D5 leaves a thin barrier that helps keep skin hydrated.
It is also an emollient. Emollients help soften the skin and prevent water loss. Silicones create a silky texture in products. D5 helps other ingredients become more spreadable.
Studies show D5 is safe to use in skincare products. We recommend speaking with a skincare professional if you have concerns.
Learn more about CyclopentasiloxaneGlycerin (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 GlycerinGlyceryl Stearate is made by reacting glycerin with stearic acid (typically sourced from plant oils like palm or coconut). It's an emulsifier, emollient, and mild occlusive.
Emulsifiers help ingredients like oil and water stay mixed so your formula stays nicely blended and uniform in texture.
This ingredient is typically used in concentrations between 1-10%. Studies have found it to be non-sensitizing, non-phototoxic, and non-photoallergenic.
A close cousin of this ingredient is Glyceryl Stearate SE ("self-emulsifying"). This just has a small amount of sodium or potassium stearate added so it can emulsify without a co-emulsifier.
Since this ingredient is an ester of a C18 fatty acid, it may not be fungal acne safe. The Malassezia yeast can potentially metabolize within the C11-C24 range.
Fun fact: The human body also creates Glyceryl Stearate naturally.
Learn more about Glyceryl StearateHyaluronic acid (HA) is a glycosaminoglycan (basically a long sugar chain) that your skin already makes on its own. In your skin, HA lives in the extracellular matrix and acts as the body's moisture reservoir.
Topically, HA is a humectant that binds water and helps skin look more plump, smooth, and hydrated.
The only catch is that HA isn't a single thing; it actually comes in a wide range of molecular weights (~50 - 2,000+ kDA) and size matters.
Some clinical evidence links low molecular weight versions to improved wrinkle depth, elasticity, anti-inflammatory effects, and barrier repair.
This is why the best HA serums blend the two sizes together so you get the best of both worlds.
The majority of cosmetic HA is produced by bacterial fermentation, typically using Streptococcus or Bacillus strains. Typical use levels in skincare sit around 0.1-2%.
A clinical study using a 0.2% low-molecular weight HA gel showed improvement in facial seborrheic dermatitis with excellent tolerance.
These are some other common types of Hyaluronic Acid:
Learn more about Hyaluronic AcidPhenoxyethanol 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.
Water. 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
