What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
C13-15 Alkane
SolventPhenyl Trimethicone
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Acrylates Copolymer
Propanediol
Solvent
Hydrolyzed Soy Protein
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Alpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide
Cleansing
Arginine
Masking
Ascorbic Acid
Antioxidant
Ascorbyl Palmitate
Antioxidant
Bisabolol
Antioxidant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Chondrus Crispus Powder
Abrasive
Citric Acid
Buffering
Diethylhexyl Syringylidenemalonate
Skin ProtectingDisodium EDTA
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningFructose
Humectant
Glucose
Humectant
Glyceryl Laurate
Emollient
Glyceryl Oleate Citrate
Emulsifying
Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein
Skin ConditioningLecithin
Emollient
Maltose
MaskingPanthenol
Skin Conditioning
Parfum
Masking
Pectin
Emulsion StabilisingPEG-8
HumectantPentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Proline
Skin Conditioning
Pyrus Cydonia Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningSerine
Masking
Sodium Chloride
MaskingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingSodium Lactate
Buffering
Sodium PCA
Humectant
Sodium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate
Emulsion StabilisingTapioca Starch
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Trehalose
Humectant
Urea
Buffering
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Water, Glycerin, C13-15 Alkane, Phenyl Trimethicone, Sodium Acrylates Copolymer, Propanediol, Hydrolyzed Soy Protein, Sodium Hyaluronate, Allantoin, Alpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide, Arginine, Ascorbic Acid, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Bisabolol, Butylene Glycol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Caprylyl Glycol, Chondrus Crispus Powder, Citric Acid, Diethylhexyl Syringylidenemalonate, Disodium EDTA, Ethylhexylglycerin, Fructose, Glucose, Glyceryl Laurate, Glyceryl Oleate Citrate, Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein, Lecithin, Maltose, Panthenol, Parfum, Pectin, PEG-8, Pentylene Glycol, Proline, Pyrus Cydonia Fruit Extract, Serine, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Hydroxide, Sodium Lactate, Sodium PCA, Sodium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Tapioca Starch, Tocopherol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Trehalose, Urea, Xanthan Gum, Phenoxyethanol
Water
Skin ConditioningDimethicone
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Hexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingPentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Disodium EDTA
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningAloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
Emollient
4-T-Butylcyclohexanol
Masking
PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Trideceth-9
EmulsifyingCitric Acid
Buffering
Hydroxyphenyl Propamidobenzoic Acid
Skin ConditioningLavandula Angustifolia Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract
Masking
Bisabolol
Antioxidant
Water, Dimethicone, Glycerin, Panthenol, Hexylene Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Carbomer, Sodium Hydroxide, Pentylene Glycol, Disodium EDTA, Propylene Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, 4-T-Butylcyclohexanol, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Trideceth-9, Citric Acid, Hydroxyphenyl Propamidobenzoic Acid, Lavandula Angustifolia Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract, Bisabolol
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Bisabolol is a gentle skin conditioner, antioxidant, and soothing ingredient.
It's primary claim to fame is soothing and research shows topically applied bisabolol can quiet the chemical messengers that cause your skin to become inflamed, helping to sooth any irritation.
A clinical study found that applying 0.5% bisabolol daily for 8 weeks produced an average 9% decrease in skin pigmentation. Researchers found it can also suppress the process that leads to excess melanin production in skin.
In vitro studies found that bisabolol combined with propylene glycol significantly increased skin permeability by increasing lipid fluidity in the stratum corneum.
You'll likely see use concentrations quite low, usually 0.1-0.2%.
Overall, this is a well-tolerated ingredient that works well in formulas designed for sensitive, reactive, or post-procedure skin.
Learn more about BisabololCitric 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 AcidDisodium 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 EDTAEthylhexylglycerin 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 GlycerinPanthenol 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 PanthenolPentylene glycol is typically used within a product to thicken it. It also adds a smooth, soft, and moisturizing feel to the product. It is naturally found in plants such as sugar beets.
The hydrophilic trait of Pentylene Glycol makes it a humectant. As a humectant, Pentylene Glycol helps draw moisture from the air to your skin. This can help keep your skin hydrated.
This property also makes Pentylene Glycol a great texture enhancer. It can also help thicken or stabilize a product.
Pentylene Glycol also acts as a mild preservative and helps to keep a product microbe-free.
Some people may experience mild eye and skin irritation from Pentylene Glycol. We always recommend speaking with a professional about using this ingredient in your routine.
Pentylene Glycol has a low molecular weight and is part of the 1,2-glycol family.
Learn more about Pentylene GlycolPhenoxyethanol 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 Hydroxide is also known as lye or caustic soda. It is used to adjust the pH of products; many ingredients require a specific pH to be effective.
In small amounts, sodium hydroxide is considered safe to use. However, large amounts may cause chemical burns due to its high alkaline.
Your skin has a natural pH and acid mantle. This acid mantle helps prevent harmful bacteria from breaking through. The acid mantle also helps keep your skin hydrated.
"Alkaline" refers to a high pH level. A low pH level would be considered acidic.
Learn more about Sodium 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 Water
