What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
Solvent
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingSalvia Hispanica Seed Oil
Emollient
Isodecyl Neopentanoate
EmollientGlycerin
Humectant
Squalane
Emollient
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Imperata Cylindrica Root Extract
Skin ConditioningSilica
Abrasive
Dimethicone
Emollient
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Malpighia Emarginata Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningPentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Polysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Isononyl Isononanoate
EmollientMaltodextrin
Absorbent
Cetearyl Glucoside
Emulsifying
Parfum
Masking
Salix Alba Bark Extract
Astringent
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Humectant
PEG-8
HumectantPentadecalactone
Masking
Stearyl Glycyrrhetinate
Skin ConditioningLecithin
Emollient
Sorbitan Isostearate
Emulsifying
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Centipeda Cunninghamii Extract
Skin ConditioningSaccharide Isomerate
Humectant
Salvia Hispanica Seed Extract
Emollient
Punica Granatum Fruit Extract
Antioxidant
Biosaccharide Gum-1
Humectant
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingZinc PCA
Humectant
Rubus Fruticosus Leaf Extract
MaskingSodium Citrate
BufferingCeramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Beta-Sitosterol
Emulsion Stabilising
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Citric Acid
Buffering
Oenothera Biennis Oil
Emollient
Perilla Ocymoides Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Glycine Soja Oil
Emollient
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
CI 42090
Cosmetic ColorantBiotin
AntiseborrhoeicBHT
Antioxidant
Hexyl Cinnamal
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Geraniol
Perfuming
Water, Propanediol, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Salvia Hispanica Seed Oil, Isodecyl Neopentanoate, Glycerin, Squalane, Butylene Glycol, Dipropylene Glycol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Imperata Cylindrica Root Extract, Silica, Dimethicone, Chlorphenesin, Malpighia Emarginata Fruit Extract, Pentylene Glycol, Allantoin, Polysorbate 60, Isononyl Isononanoate, Maltodextrin, Cetearyl Glucoside, Parfum, Salix Alba Bark Extract, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, PEG-8, Pentadecalactone, Stearyl Glycyrrhetinate, Lecithin, Sorbitan Isostearate, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Centipeda Cunninghamii Extract, Saccharide Isomerate, Salvia Hispanica Seed Extract, Punica Granatum Fruit Extract, Biosaccharide Gum-1, Carbomer, Zinc PCA, Rubus Fruticosus Leaf Extract, Sodium Citrate, Ceramide NP, Beta-Sitosterol, Potassium Sorbate, Tocopherol, Citric Acid, Oenothera Biennis Oil, Perilla Ocymoides Seed Oil, Glycine Soja Oil, Sodium Benzoate, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, CI 42090, Biotin, BHT, Hexyl Cinnamal, Linalool, Geraniol
Reviews
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 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 GlycolCarbomer is a synthetic thickening and gelling agent. It's basically the ingredient that gives a lot of serums, gels, creams, and sunscreens their smooth, non-sticky texture.
Although legally permitted at very high levels, carbomers are normally used at concentrations below 1%.
It also needs to be neutralized to actually thicken, and because it is a large molecule, it doesn't really penetrate the skin barrier.
Allergy-wise, the risk is very low. Clinical studies show carbomers have low potential for skin irritation/sensitization even at concentrations up to 100%.
A 2024 UK study patch-tested 1,302 patients and found true allergy to the parent group of carbomer to be rare with no confirmed relevant reactions.
Learn more about CarbomerPhenoxyethanol is one of the most widely used preservatives in skincare (and for good reason!).
It has a large spectrum of antimicrobial activity and especially effective bacteria, yeast, and mold while only having a weak effect on your skin's natural microbiome.
On a cellular level, it disrupts the cell membranes of microbes by poking holes that make the cell leak. This shuts down the chemical reactions the microbe needs to make energy so it can no longer survive.
Another perk of this ingredient is that it stays functional across a wide pH range (3-10).
You'll often see it paired with boosters like Ethylhexylglycerin; one study showed that a 1:9 ratio of Ethylhexylglycerin to Phenoxyethanol damages bacterial membranes as effectively as doubling the Phenoxyethanol concentration on its own.
Typical use concentrations range from 0.3-1% depending on the formula, and this ingredient is capped at 1% int the EU.
Safety-wise, the fear mongering does not hold up to the evidence. The EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety and FDA consider it safe as a preservative at up to 1%, including for children of all ages.
Adverse systemic effects only showed up in animal studies at exposures roughly 200x higher than what people get from cosmetics. And despite its very widespread use, this ingredient is a rare sensitizer and allergic reactions are uncommon.
Learn more about PhenoxyethanolSodium Hyaluronate is the salt form of hyaluronic acid. It is a long sugar chain that is naturally found in your skin, joints, and connective tissue that maintains hydration and elasticity.
In skincare, it works as a humectant. It pulls water from the environment and deeper layers of skin and binds it to the surface.
Interestingly, the size of the molecule affects its behavior:
Some clinical evidence links low molecular weight versions to improved wrinkle depth, elasticity, anti-inflammatory effects, and barrier repair.
Many serums use a blend of both weights so you can get surface hydration plus longer-lasting and deeper effects.
You'll typically see concentrations between 0.1-2% for this ingredient.
Learn more about Sodium HyaluronateWater. 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
