What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Dicaprylyl Carbonate
EmollientCetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Stearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Gluconolactone
Skin Conditioning
Bis-PEG/PPG-16/16 PEG/PPG-16/16 Dimethicone
Emollient
Dimethicone
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Betaine
Humectant
Ceteareth-25
CleansingRosa Damascena Flower Water
Masking
Lactobionic Acid
Buffering
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingAllantoin
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningBiosaccharide Gum-1
Humectant
Phospholipids
Skin Conditioning
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sphingolipids
Emollient
Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
Humectant
Sodium Citrate
BufferingDehydroacetic Acid
Preservative
Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
Humectant
Ascorbyl Palmitate
Antioxidant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Lecithin
Emollient
Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
Skin Conditioning
Hydrogenated Palm Glycerides Citrate
Emollient
Citric Acid
Buffering
Water, Glycerin, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Cetyl Alcohol, Stearyl Alcohol, Gluconolactone, Bis-PEG/PPG-16/16 PEG/PPG-16/16 Dimethicone, Dimethicone, Glyceryl Stearate, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Betaine, Ceteareth-25, Rosa Damascena Flower Water, Lactobionic Acid, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Tocopheryl Acetate, Xanthan Gum, Carbomer, Allantoin, Sodium Hydroxide, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Sodium Hyaluronate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Biosaccharide Gum-1, Phospholipids, Benzyl Alcohol, Pentylene Glycol, Potassium Sorbate, Sphingolipids, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Sodium Citrate, Dehydroacetic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Tocopherol, Lecithin, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydrogenated Palm Glycerides Citrate, Citric Acid
Water
Skin ConditioningDicaprylyl Carbonate
EmollientGlycerin
Humectant
Propanediol
Solvent
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingShea Butter Ethyl Esters
Emollient
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Water
Masking
Betaine
Humectant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Brassica Campestris Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Parfum
Masking
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Opuntia Ficus-Indica Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningCamelina Sativa Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Alpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide
Cleansing
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningBiosaccharide Gum-1
Humectant
Collagen
Moisturising
Saccharide Isomerate
Humectant
Citric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Citrate
BufferingLeuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate
Antimicrobial
Dehydroacetic Acid
Preservative
Water, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Glycerin, Propanediol, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Shea Butter Ethyl Esters, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Water, Betaine, Phenoxyethanol, Brassica Campestris Seed Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Parfum, Allantoin, Opuntia Ficus-Indica Flower Extract, Camelina Sativa Seed Oil, Benzyl Alcohol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Alpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide, Ethylhexylglycerin, Biosaccharide Gum-1, Collagen, Saccharide Isomerate, Citric Acid, Sodium Citrate, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Dehydroacetic Acid
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 AllantoinBenzyl Alcohol is an aromatic alcohol with several roles: it's a preservative, solvent, and mild fragrance component with a floral scent.
This ingredient has been deemed safe for use in cosmetic formulations at concentrations up to 5%, and up to 10% in hair dyes. You'll typically see 0.5-2% in most rinse-off or leave-on products.
As a preservative, it works by disrupting the membrane of microbial proteins. This helps keep bacteria and fungi from growing in your products.
The sensitization picture is actually quite assuring as well:of nearly 71,000 patients patch tested with benzyl alcohol, only 0.21% showed a positive reaction with most of them being weakly positive.
This led researchers to conclude that benzyl alcohol cannot be regarded as a significant contact allergen.
It is worth noting this ingredient is classified as one of the EU's regulated fragrance allergens and restricted to 1% in finished products.
Labels must also declare it in concentrations above 0.001% in leave-on products and 0.01% in rinse-off products.
At concentrations around 5%, localized redness and itching can appear as a direct irritant response and not as a true allergic reaction.
Learn more about Benzyl AlcoholBetaine is a humectant. Like hyaluronic acid, it helps attract and retain moisture in the skin. Itβs known for being gentle and for helping the skin maintain balanced hydration.
Betaine is mainly used to improve hydration and support calmer skin. It helps skin cells regulate water balance because it functions as an osmolyte.
Some studies suggest betaine may support making skin tone more even.
Fun fact: Betaine naturally exists in the skin and the body. In cosmetic products, it can be either plant-derived (most commonly from sugar beets) or synthetically produced for consistency and stability.
Betaine is also known as trimethylglycine.
Learn more about BetaineBiosaccharide Gum-1 is a sugar created by fermenting sorbitol (which usually comes from potato starch!). It is known for its soothing and moisturizing properties.
Manufacturer tests show this ingredient helped reduce irritation from lactic acid by almost half and kept skin hydrated long-term as a humectant
Beyond hydration, Biosaccharide Gum-1 gives formulas a silky, non-sticky feel.
This ingredient is gentle, versatile, and suitable for all skin types.
Fun fact: Similar sugars can be found naturally in fruits like apples and pears.
Learn more about Biosaccharide Gum-1Citric 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 AcidDehydroacetic Acid is a synthetic preservative that keeps your products safe from microbes.
As an organic acid, it penetrates microbial cell walls and disrupts cellular metabolism. This makes it effective against bacteria, yeast, and mold.
It is effective at low concentrations (<0.6%). Clinical studies have found it to be non-irritating, non-sensitizing, and non-photosensitizing.
Learn more about Dehydroacetic AcidDicaprylyl Carbonate comes from carbonic acid and caprylyl alcohol, a fatty alcohol. It is an emollient and gives skin a velvet feel. The sources of Dicaprylyl Carbonate may be synthetic or from animals.
As an emollient, Dicaprylyl Carbonate creates a film on the skin. This film traps moisture in, keeping your skin soft and hydrated.
Ethylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:
The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure.
Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.
Learn more about EthylhexylglycerinGlycerin (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 GlycerinPhenoxyethanol 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.
Sodium Citrate is the sodium salts of citric acid. In skincare, it is used to alter pH levels and acts as a preservative.
Its main functions are to maintain the pH of a product and neutralize metal ions.
The acidity of our skin is maintained by our glands and skin biome; normal pH level of skin is slightly acidic (~4.75-5.5).
Being slightly acidic allows our skin to create an "acid mantle". This acid mantle is a thin barrier that protects our skin from bacteria and contaminants.
Learn more about Sodium CitrateTocopheryl Acetate is AKA Vitamin E. It is an antioxidant and protects your skin from free radicals. Free radicals damage the skin by breaking down collagen.
One study found using Tocopheryl Acetate with Vitamin C decreased the number of sunburned cells.
Tocopheryl Acetate is commonly found in both skincare and dietary supplements.
Learn more about Tocopheryl AcetateWater. 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
