What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycereth-7 Caprylate/Caprate
EmulsifyingGlycerin
Humectant
Cetrimonium Bromide
Antimicrobial
PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Disodium EDTA
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Parfum
Masking
Alpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide
Cleansing
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Allantoin Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Betaine
Humectant
Almond Oil Glycereth-8 Esters
Emollient
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Zinc Gluconate
Skin Conditioning
Magnesium Aspartate
Skin ConditioningFructose
Humectant
Citric Acid
Buffering
Urea
Buffering
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingSodium Lactate
Buffering
Sodium PCA
Humectant
Sodium Chloride
MaskingTrehalose
Humectant
Copper Gluconate
Skin Conditioning
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Maltose
MaskingCaramel
Cosmetic ColorantCrocus Sativus Flower Extract
MaskingGlucose
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Linalool
Perfuming
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Water, Glycereth-7 Caprylate/Caprate, Glycerin, Cetrimonium Bromide, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Disodium EDTA, Lactic Acid, Parfum, Alpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide, Tocopheryl Acetate, Allantoin Panthenol, Betaine, Almond Oil Glycereth-8 Esters, Pentylene Glycol, Zinc Gluconate, Magnesium Aspartate, Fructose, Citric Acid, Urea, Sodium Hydroxide, Sodium Lactate, Sodium PCA, Sodium Chloride, Trehalose, Copper Gluconate, Allantoin, Maltose, Caramel, Crocus Sativus Flower Extract, Glucose, Sodium Hyaluronate, Linalool, Phenoxyethanol, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate
Water
Skin ConditioningPEG-6 Caprylic/Capric Glycerides
EmulsifyingPropanediol
Solvent
PPG-26-Buteth-26
Skin ConditioningPEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Disodium EDTA
Parfum
Masking
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Alpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide
Cleansing
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Ascorbyl Tetraisopalmitate
Antioxidant
Bisabolol
Antioxidant
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Acetyl Glucosamine
Skin Conditioning
Broussonetia Kazinoki Root Extract
Skin ConditioningCentella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Camellia Japonica Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningMorus Alba Bark Extract
Skin ConditioningPyrus Malus Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Galactoarabinan
Tricholoma Matsutake Extract
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Hexyl Cinnamal
Perfuming
Citronellol
Perfuming
Benzyl Salicylate
Perfuming
Water, PEG-6 Caprylic/Capric Glycerides, Propanediol, PPG-26-Buteth-26, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Panthenol, Disodium EDTA, Parfum, Niacinamide, Alpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide, Allantoin, Ascorbyl Tetraisopalmitate, Bisabolol, Sodium Hydroxide, Sodium Hyaluronate, Acetyl Glucosamine, Broussonetia Kazinoki Root Extract, Centella Asiatica Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Camellia Japonica Leaf Extract, Morus Alba Bark Extract, Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract, Galactoarabinan, Tricholoma Matsutake Extract, Phenoxyethanol, Chlorphenesin, Hexyl Cinnamal, Citronellol, Benzyl Salicylate
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 AllantoinAlpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide is a prebiotic. It prevents harmful bacteria from growing on skin by keeping the skin's microbiome in balance.
Another benefit of this ingredient is its antioxidant properties. Antioxidants protect our skin from oxidative damage.
Disodium 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 EDTAParfum 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 ParfumPEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil is an emulsifier derived from castor oil.
As an emulsifying agent, it helps other ingredients like fragrances and fat-soluble vitamins dissolve cohesively.
Due to its large molecule size, it doesn't penetrate beyond the skin's surface.
This ingredient has a solid regulatory track record; the CIR Expert Panel first concluded it was safe for use in cosmetics at concentrations up to 100% in 1997. A 2012 reassessment reaffirmed that finding. Safety studies have also found no irritation or evidence of toxicity.
A 2019 study did find this ingredient to grow Malassezia, so this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor OilPhenoxyethanol 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 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 HyaluronateSodium 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
