What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningMethylpropanediol
SolventGlycerin
HumectantCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningHydroxyacetophenone
AntioxidantDimethicone
EmollientPolysorbate 60
EmulsifyingPolyacrylate-13
Sorbitan Sesquioleate
EmulsifyingAllantoin
Skin ConditioningPanthenol
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Collagen
EmollientCentella Asiatica Extract
CleansingBambusa Vulgaris Water
Skin ConditioningRubus Idaeus Fruit Extract
AstringentRubus Fruticosus Fruit Extract
AstringentEuterpe Oleracea Fruit Extract
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingPolyisobutene
Potassium Hydroxide
BufferingAdenosine
Skin ConditioningTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantDisodium EDTA
Parfum
MaskingPolysorbate 20
EmulsifyingCitronellol
PerfumingPseudoalteromonas Ferment Extract
HumectantHydrolyzed Wheat Protein
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Soy Protein
HumectantTripeptide-10 Citrulline
Skin ConditioningTripeptide-1
Skin ConditioningLecithin
EmollientThioctic Acid
AntioxidantHydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin
MaskingTremella Fuciformis Extract
HumectantWater, Methylpropanediol, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, 1,2-Hexanediol, Hydroxyacetophenone, Dimethicone, Polysorbate 60, Polyacrylate-13, Sorbitan Sesquioleate, Allantoin, Panthenol, Hydrolyzed Collagen, Centella Asiatica Extract, Bambusa Vulgaris Water, Rubus Idaeus Fruit Extract, Rubus Fruticosus Fruit Extract, Euterpe Oleracea Fruit Extract, Xanthan Gum, Carbomer, Polyisobutene, Potassium Hydroxide, Adenosine, Tocopheryl Acetate, Disodium EDTA, Parfum, Polysorbate 20, Citronellol, Pseudoalteromonas Ferment Extract, Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein, Hydrolyzed Soy Protein, Tripeptide-10 Citrulline, Tripeptide-1, Lecithin, Thioctic Acid, Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin, Tremella Fuciformis Extract
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantMethylpropanediol
SolventNiacinamide
Smoothing1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningHydroxyacetophenone
AntioxidantCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingAllantoin
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantMentha Piperita Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningHoney Extract
HumectantGlycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
BleachingMelaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Extract
PerfumingHydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingPotassium Hydroxide
BufferingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingAdenosine
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
Parfum
MaskingLinalool
PerfumingCitrus Limon Fruit Extract
MaskingWater, Glycerin, Methylpropanediol, Niacinamide, 1,2-Hexanediol, Hydroxyacetophenone, Carbomer, Allantoin, Sodium Hyaluronate, Mentha Piperita Leaf Extract, Honey Extract, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Extract, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Potassium Hydroxide, Xanthan Gum, Adenosine, Disodium EDTA, Parfum, Linalool, Citrus Limon Fruit Extract
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
Adenosine is in every living organism. It is one of four components in nucleic acids that helps store our DNA.
Adenosine has many benefits when used. These benefits include hydrating the skin, smoothing skin, and reducing wrinkles. Once applied, adenosine increases collagen production. It also helps with improving firmness and tissue repair.
Studies have found adenosine may also help with wound healing.
In skincare products, Adenosine is usually derived from yeast.
Learn more about AdenosineAllantoin 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 AllantoinCarbomer is a high-molecular weight polymer of acrylic acid. It is used to form gels and thicken formulas.
Due to its large molecular size, carbomer has minimal skin penetration and is considered an inert ingredient.
A high amount of carbomer can cause pilling or balling up of products. Don't worry, most products contain 1% or less of carbomer.
Learn more about CarbomerDisodium EDTA is a chelating agent. It grabs onto and deactivates metal ions that sneak into your products from water, packaging, or air.
This ingredient mainly works behind the scenes and helps with:
On top of that, this ingredient can counteract the effects of hard water by binding to the minerals in it.
One thing worth knowing is that Disodium EDTA has been shown to be a mild penetration enhancer. It can help other ingredients absorb into skin more effectively which can be a double-edged sword (great for actives, but can also make the active too strong if you have sensitive skin).
Clinical patch testing showed no significant skin irritation at typical use concentrations and minimal dermal absorption.
You'll most likely see this ingredient near the end of an ingredient list. It's typically found in concentrations less than 1%.
Learn more about Disodium EDTAGlycerin (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 GlycerinHydroxyacetophenone is antioxidant with skin conditioning and soothing properties. It also boosts the efficiency of preservatives.
Though naturally occuring in Norwegian spruce needles, this ingredient is usually synthetically created.
This ingredient is not irritating or sensitizing. Recent research also suggests it may have skin-brightening effects through tyrosinase inhibition.
Learn more about HydroxyacetophenoneMethylpropanediol is a synthetic solvent and humectant.
As a solvent, it helps dissolve other ingredients, helping to evenly distribute ingredients throughout the product. This ingredient has also been shown to have antimicrobial properties which makes it a preservative booster.
Methylpropanediol is able to add a bit of moisture to the skin. It also helps other ingredients be better absorbed into the skin, such as salicylic acid.
Learn more about MethylpropanediolParfum is a catch-all term for an ingredient or more that is used to give a scent to products.
Also called "fragrance", this ingredient can be a blend of hundreds of chemicals or plant oils. This means every product with "fragrance" or "parfum" in the ingredients list is a different mixture.
For instance, Habanolide is a proprietary trade name for a specific aroma chemical. When used as a fragrance ingredient in cosmetics, most aroma chemicals fall under the broad labeling category of “FRAGRANCE” or “PARFUM” according to EU and US regulations.
The term 'parfum' or 'fragrance' is not regulated in many countries. In many cases, it is up to the brand to define this term.
For instance, many brands choose to label themselves as "fragrance-free" because they are not using synthetic fragrances. However, their products may still contain ingredients such as essential oils that are considered a fragrance by INCI standards.
One example is Calendula flower extract. Calendula is an essential oil that still imparts a scent or 'fragrance'.
Depending on the blend, the ingredients in the mixture can cause allergies and sensitivities on the skin. Some ingredients that are known EU allergens include linalool and citronellol.
Parfum can also be used to mask or cover an unpleasant scent.
The bottom line is: not all fragrances/parfum/ingredients are created equally. If you are worried about fragrances, we recommend taking a closer look at an ingredient. And of course, we always recommend speaking with a professional.
Learn more about ParfumPotassium hydroxide is commonly known as caustic potash. It is used to fix the pH of a product or as a cleaning agent in soap. In cleansers, it is used for the saponification of oils.
Sapnification is the process of creating fatty acid metal salts from triglycerides and a strong base. During this process, Potassium Hydroxide is used up and is not present in the final product.
Using high concentrations of Potassium Hydroxide have shown to irritate the skin.
Learn more about Potassium HydroxideWater. 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