What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantSodium Cocoamphoacetate
CleansingSerine
MaskingPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningPanthenol
Skin ConditioningEctoin
Skin ConditioningXylitylglucoside
HumectantAlpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide
CleansingAsiaticoside
AntioxidantMadecassoside
AntioxidantBeta-Glucan
Skin ConditioningAllantoin
Skin ConditioningGluconolactone
Skin ConditioningInulin
Skin ConditioningCentella Asiatica Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningAnhydroxylitol
HumectantSodium Cocoyl Amino Acids
CleansingPersea Gratissima Oil
Skin ConditioningXylitol
HumectantFructose
HumectantCalcium Gluconate
HumectantGlucose
HumectantLactic Acid
BufferingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCellulose Gum
Emulsion StabilisingCellulose
AbsorbentHydrolyzed Caesalpinia Spinosa Gum
AbsorbentCaesalpinia Spinosa Gum
Skin ConditioningHydroxyacetophenone
AntioxidantSodium Benzoate
MaskingPotassium Sorbate
PreservativeWater, Glycerin, Sodium Cocoamphoacetate, Serine, Pentylene Glycol, Panthenol, Ectoin, Xylitylglucoside, Alpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide, Asiaticoside, Madecassoside, Beta-Glucan, Allantoin, Gluconolactone, Inulin, Centella Asiatica Leaf Extract, Anhydroxylitol, Sodium Cocoyl Amino Acids, Persea Gratissima Oil, Xylitol, Fructose, Calcium Gluconate, Glucose, Lactic Acid, Xanthan Gum, Cellulose Gum, Cellulose, Hydrolyzed Caesalpinia Spinosa Gum, Caesalpinia Spinosa Gum, Hydroxyacetophenone, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium Cocoyl Alaninate
SurfactantGlycerin
HumectantDisodium Cocoamphodiacetate
CleansingAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingPotassium Cocoate
EmulsifyingCoco-Glucoside
CleansingDecyl Glucoside
CleansingCentella Asiatica Extract
CleansingHouttuynia Cordata Powder
Skin ConditioningMadecassoside
AntioxidantCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningPanthenol
Skin ConditioningGluconolactone
Skin ConditioningCapryloyl Salicylic Acid
ExfoliatingHyaluronic Acid
HumectantTheobroma Cacao Seed Extract
AntioxidantSodium Chloride
MaskingDisodium EDTA
Dextrin
AbsorbentHexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingPotassium Benzoate
PreservativeHydroxyacetophenone
AntioxidantWater, Sodium Cocoyl Alaninate, Glycerin, Disodium Cocoamphodiacetate, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Potassium Cocoate, Coco-Glucoside, Decyl Glucoside, Centella Asiatica Extract, Houttuynia Cordata Powder, Madecassoside, Ceramide NP, Panthenol, Gluconolactone, Capryloyl Salicylic Acid, Hyaluronic Acid, Theobroma Cacao Seed Extract, Sodium Chloride, Disodium EDTA, Dextrin, Hexylene Glycol, Potassium Benzoate, Hydroxyacetophenone
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Gluconolactone is a PHA. PHAs are a great gentle alternative to traditional AHAs.
When applied, Gluconolactone has the same affect on skin as AHAs such as lactic acid. It helps dissolve the dead skin cells in the top layer of your skin. This improves texture and brightens the skin.
PHAs are more gentle than AHAs due to their larger structure. They do not penetrate as deeply as AHAs and take a longer time to dissolve dead cells. Studies show PHAs do not cause as much irritation.
Gluconolactone has some interesting properties:
In a 2004 study, Gluconolactone was found to prevent UV damage in mouse skin cells and has not been found to increase sun sensitivity. However, we still recommend wearing SPF daily.
This ingredient is is an created by reacting gluconic acid with an alcohol.
Learn more about GluconolactoneGlycerin (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 a small phenolic molecule that earns its place in a formulas as an antioxidant and preservative booster.
As a phenol, it is able to neutralize free radicals to protect both the product and the skin from oxidative stress.
Though it can't kill microbes on its own, it works as a good supporting agent when combined with other preservatives like Phenoxyethanol or 1,2-Hexanediol.
This ingredient naturally occurs as piceol in Norwegian spruce needles (~0.4-1.1% dry weight and in cloudberries). Though the cosmetic-grade material is synthesized for purity and consistency.
You'll usually see it used at low levels and suppliers recommend up to 1% added to a water phase.
Safety testing was done at concentrations like 0.05% in SPF products and 0.5% in a Human Repeated Insult Patch Test. The safety evidence is assuring; this ingredient is safe for cosmetics in current use and also holds safety status as a food flavoring as well.
An honest caveat: the "soothing" and "anti-inflammatory" claims come mostly from supplier marketing rather than published clinical trials. The Cosmetic Ingredient Review's own literature search found no useful efficacy studies on this ingredient.
So the antioxidant and preservative-boosting roles are the well supported ones while the calming benefit is plausible but thinly evidenced.
Overall, this is a well-tolerated, low-irritation multitasker that quietly helps a formula stay fresh and stable.
Learn more about HydroxyacetophenoneMadecassoside is one of four active compounds found in Centella asiatica and is one of the main reasons Centella is so effective at calming irritated skin and supporting the moisture barrier.
There's a solid body of peer-reviewed research backing Madecassoside for several skin benefits. Studies have found:
Madecassoside pairs well with other hydrating or antioxidant ingredients like Ascorbic Acid or Hyaluronic Acid.
Learn more about MadecassosidePanthenol is a common ingredient that helps hydrate and soothe the skin. It is found naturally in our skin and hair.
There are two forms of panthenol: D and L.
D-panthenol is also known as dexpanthenol. Most cosmetics use dexpanthenol or a mixture of D and L-panthenol.
Panthenol is famous due to its ability to go deeper into the skin's layers. Using this ingredient has numerous pros (and no cons):
Like hyaluronic acid, panthenol is a humectant. Humectants are able to bind and hold large amounts of water to keep skin hydrated.
This ingredient works well for wound healing. It works by increasing tissue in the wound and helps close open wounds.
Once oxidized, panthenol converts to pantothenic acid. Panthothenic acid is found in all living cells.
This ingredient is also referred to as pro-vitamin B5.
Learn more about PanthenolWater. 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