What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningPropylene Glycol
HumectantPotassium Azeloyl Diglycinate
Skin ConditioningSaccharomyces/Xylinum/Black Tea Ferment
Skin ConditioningNiacinamide
SmoothingGlycerin
HumectantPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingAllantoin
Skin ConditioningChlorphenesin
AntimicrobialTetrasodium EDTA
Sodium Bisulfite
AntioxidantHydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingBiosaccharide Gum-1
HumectantSodium Citrate
BufferingCitric Acid
BufferingCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientPotassium Sorbate
PreservativeSodium Hydroxide
BufferingWater, Propylene Glycol, Potassium Azeloyl Diglycinate, Saccharomyces/Xylinum/Black Tea Ferment, Niacinamide, Glycerin, Phenoxyethanol, Xanthan Gum, Allantoin, Chlorphenesin, Tetrasodium EDTA, Sodium Bisulfite, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Biosaccharide Gum-1, Sodium Citrate, Citric Acid, Caprylyl Glycol, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Hydroxide
Water
Skin ConditioningNiacinamide
SmoothingGlycerin
HumectantDipropylene Glycol
HumectantCoco-Caprylate/Caprate
EmollientCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingPEG-4
HumectantButylene Glycol
HumectantPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeBorago Officinalis Seed Oil
EmollientAllantoin
Skin ConditioningCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingArginine
Masking4-Butylresorcinol
AntioxidantSodium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate
Emulsion StabilisingHydroxyethyl Urea
HumectantPropylene Glycol
HumectantDisodium EDTA
BHT
AntioxidantDextrin
AbsorbentOryza Sativa Germ Extract
EmollientSoy Isoflavones
Skin ConditioningSodium Polyacrylate
AbsorbentOryza Sativa Seed Water
AntimicrobialUrea
BufferingLecithin
EmollientSnail Secretion Filtrate
Skin Conditioning1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningTriethanolamine
BufferingPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPotassium Sorbate
PreservativeSodium Benzoate
MaskingCitric Acid
BufferingWater, Niacinamide, Glycerin, Dipropylene Glycol, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, PEG-4, Butylene Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Borago Officinalis Seed Oil, Allantoin, Carbomer, Arginine, 4-Butylresorcinol, Sodium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Hydroxyethyl Urea, Propylene Glycol, Disodium EDTA, BHT, Dextrin, Oryza Sativa Germ Extract, Soy Isoflavones, Sodium Polyacrylate, Oryza Sativa Seed Water, Urea, Lecithin, Snail Secretion Filtrate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Triethanolamine, Pentylene Glycol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Citric Acid
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 AllantoinCitric 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 AcidGlycerin (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 GlycerinNiacinamide is a multitasking form of vitamin B3 that strengthens the skin barrier, reduces pores and dark spots, regulates oil, and improves signs of aging.
And the best part? It's gentle and well-tolerated by most skin types, including sensitive and reactive skin.
You might have heard of "niacin flush", or the reddening of skin that causes itchiness. Niacinamide has not been found to cause this.
In very rare cases, some individuals may not be able to tolerate niacinamide at all or experience an allergic reaction to it.
If you are experiencing flaking, irritation, and dryness with this ingredient, be sure to double check all your products as this ingredient can be found in all categories of skincare.
When incorporating niacinamide into your routine, look out for concentration amounts. Typically, 5% niacinamide provides benefits such as fading dark spots. However, if you have sensitive skin, it is better to begin with a smaller concentration.
When you apply niacinamide to your skin, your body converts it into nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD). NAD is an essential coenzyme that is already found in your cells as "fuel" and powers countless biological processes.
In your skin, NAD helps repair cell damage, produce new healthy cells, support collagen production, strengthen the skin barrier, and fight environmental stressors (like UV and pollution).
Our natural NAD levels start to decline with age, leading to slower skin repair, visible aging, and a weaker skin barrier. By providing your skin niacinamide, you're recharging your skin's NAD levels. This leads to stronger, healthier, and younger looking skin.
Another name for vitamin B3 is nicotinamide. This vitamin is water-soluble and our bodies don't store it. We obtain Vitamin B3 from either food or skincare. Meat, fish, wheat, yeast, and leafy greens contain vitamin B3.
The type of niacinamide used in skincare is synthetically created.
Learn more about NiacinamidePhenoxyethanol 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.
Potassium Sorbate is a preservative used to prevent yeast and mold in products. It is commonly found in both cosmetic and food products.
This ingredient comes from potassium salt derived from sorbic acid. Sorbic acid is a natural antibiotic and effective against fungus.
Both potassium sorbate and sorbic acid can be found in baked goods, cheeses, dried meats, dried fruit, ice cream, pickles, wine, yogurt, and more.
You'll often find this ingredient used with other preservatives.
Learn more about Potassium SorbatePropylene Glycol is a synthetic, colorless, odorless liquid that has been a staple in cosmetics for decades. It is a skin conditioning agent, humectant, and solvent.
As a humectant, it draw water to the skin to reduce flaking and restore suppleness. It's also a solvent that helps dissolve other actives and keeps formulas stable across temperature changes.
The CIR Expert Panel has confirmed this ingredient to be nontoxic and clinical studies show no sensitization at cosmetic use concentrations.
True allergic reactions are quite rare: a 15-year retrospective study of 6,751 patients found only 0.31% had a positive reaction (and less than half were considered clinically relevant).
It seemed that when sensitization does occur, it's most commonly linked to topical medication (like corticosteroids) and not cosmetics. Allergic contact dermatitis also appears largely limited to individuals with underlying skin conditions.
Overall, propylene glycol is a well-studied ingredient that most people can tolerate without issue.
Learn more about Propylene GlycolWater. 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