What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningAzelaic Acid
Buffering
Glycerin
Humectant
CI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantPolymethyl Methacrylate
Batyl Alcohol
EmollientStearic Acid
Cleansing
Dicaprylyl Carbonate
EmollientDipentaerythrityl Pentaisononanoate
EmollientPalmitamide Mea
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Talc
Abrasive
Triethylhexanoin
MaskingAmmonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Azelamidopropyl Dimethyl Amine
AntimicrobialCeramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Cholesterol
Emollient
Glycyrrhetinic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Hydrogenated Retinol
Skin Conditioning
Isopropyl Palmitate
Emollient
Phytosphingosine Hcl
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Disodium EDTA
Lecithin
Emollient
Mica
Cosmetic ColorantPentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
Antioxidant
Potassium Cetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingTin Oxide
Abrasive
Undecylenoyl Glycine
CleansingWater, Azelaic Acid, Glycerin, CI 77891, Polymethyl Methacrylate, Batyl Alcohol, Stearic Acid, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Dipentaerythrityl Pentaisononanoate, Palmitamide Mea, Pentylene Glycol, Talc, Triethylhexanoin, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Azelamidopropyl Dimethyl Amine, Ceramide NP, Cholesterol, Glycyrrhetinic Acid, Hydrogenated Retinol, Isopropyl Palmitate, Phytosphingosine Hcl, Butylene Glycol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Caprylyl Glycol, Disodium EDTA, Lecithin, Mica, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Tin Oxide, Undecylenoyl Glycine
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Azelaic acid is a multitasker ingredient that helps treat acne, pigmentation, and irritation. It is a great option for sensitive skin.
What makes it special?
OTC Azelaic acid is usually available in concentrations from 10-15% and anything over requires a prescription.
Here's what each tier does best:
Unlike other acids, azelaic acid will not make your skin more photosensitive/sun sensitive.
Though this ingredient is naturally occurring in grains like wheat, rye, and barley, it is usually synthetically created for cosmetics to ensure stability and effectiveness.
Learn more about Azelaic AcidGlycerin (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 GlycerinWater. 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
