What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Propanediol
Solvent
Bakuchiol
Antimicrobial
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Malus Domestica Fruit Cell Culture Extract
Skin ConditioningLaminaria Digitata Extract
Skin Protecting
Centella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Picea Abies Extract
Skin ConditioningAllantoin
Skin Conditioning
Acrylates Crosspolymer
AbsorbentPanax Ginseng Root Extract
Emollient
Glycolic Acid
Buffering
Tetrapeptide-21
Skin Conditioning
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Caffeine
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingWater, Glycerin, Propanediol, Bakuchiol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Malus Domestica Fruit Cell Culture Extract, Laminaria Digitata Extract, Centella Asiatica Extract, Picea Abies Extract, Allantoin, Acrylates Crosspolymer, Panax Ginseng Root Extract, Glycolic Acid, Tetrapeptide-21, Chlorphenesin, Caffeine, Sodium Benzoate, Xanthan Gum
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Propanediol
Solvent
Polyglyceryl-4 Caprate
EmulsifyingBakuchiol
Antimicrobial
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPolyacrylate Crosspolymer-6
Emulsion StabilisingCitric Acid
Buffering
Ganoderma Lucidum Stem Extract
Skin ConditioningTrisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Sodium Anisate
AntimicrobialSphingomonas Ferment Extract
Skin Conditioning
Beta-Glucan
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Citrate
BufferingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSorbic Acid
Preservative
Benzoic Acid
Masking
Algin
Masking
Tetrapeptide-30
Skin Conditioning
Polylysine
Water, Glycerin, Propanediol, Polyglyceryl-4 Caprate, Bakuchiol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Allantoin, Ethylhexylglycerin, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Citric Acid, Ganoderma Lucidum Stem Extract, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Sodium Anisate, Sphingomonas Ferment Extract, Beta-Glucan, Sodium Citrate, Xanthan Gum, Sorbic Acid, Benzoic Acid, Algin, Tetrapeptide-30, Polylysine
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 AllantoinBakuchiol is a plant-derived antioxidant from the seeds of the Psoralea corylifolia plant. It has antimicrobial, emollient, skin conditioning, and antioxidant properties.
You'll likely see it called a "retinol replacement" but the two are technically not related. This is because bakuchiol is able to flip many of the same switches in your skin cells to tell them to:
1) produce more collagen (type I, III, and IV)
2) activate the same genes retinoids do
Unlike retinoids, this ingredient will not increase photosensitivity and is safe to use during pregnancy (but please still check in with your doctor!).
The flagship clinical trial from Dhaliwal et al. 2019 found 0.5% bakuchiol (twice daily) and 0.5% retinol (once daily) reduced wrinkles and hyperpigmentation equally, but bakuchiol had significantly less irritation.
Systematic reviews also back this up:
Bakuchiol is comparable to retinol for photoaging but with better tolerability. It also has mild antibacterial properties against Cutibacterium acnes and antifungal activity in vitro against Candida and dermatophytes.
The reason bakuchiol works well is due to its structure; it is a meroterpene phenol, or a hybrid molecule. The phenol half acts as an antioxidant while the terpene half is fat-loving. This helps the molecule slip through the skin barrier.
This ingredient is usually used between 0.5-2%. Only one case of contact dermatitis has ever been reported for this ingredient.
Learn more about BakuchiolGlycerin (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 GlycerinPropanediol is an all-star ingredient. It softens, hydrates, and smooths the skin.Â
It’s often used to:
Propanediol is not likely to cause sensitivity and considered safe to use. It is derived from corn or petroleum with a clear color and no scent.
Learn more about PropanediolSodium 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 WaterXanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.
On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.
Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.
Learn more about Xanthan Gum
