What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningLavandula Angustifolia Flower Water
Skin Conditioning
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil
Emollient
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingTromethamine
BufferingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningAllantoin
Skin Conditioning
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Xylitylglucoside
Humectant
Disodium EDTA
Bacillus/Corn Seed Ferment Filtrate 0.015%
Skin ConditioningAnhydroxylitol
Humectant
Pearl Extract
Antioxidant
Xylitol
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Dextrin
AbsorbentGardenia Florida Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningGlucose
Humectant
Ulmus Davidiana Root Extract
Skin Conditioning
Hizikia Fusiforme Extract
Skin ConditioningChamaenerion Angustifolium Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract
Pearl Powder
Water, Lavandula Angustifolia Flower Water, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Carbomer, Tromethamine, Ethylhexylglycerin, Allantoin, Panthenol, Xylitylglucoside, Disodium EDTA, Bacillus/Corn Seed Ferment Filtrate 0.015%, Anhydroxylitol, Pearl Extract, Xylitol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Dextrin, Gardenia Florida Flower Extract, Glucose, Ulmus Davidiana Root Extract, Hizikia Fusiforme Extract, Chamaenerion Angustifolium Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract, Pearl Powder
Water
Skin ConditioningLavandula Angustifolia Flower Water
Skin Conditioning
Propanediol
Solvent
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Glycerin
Humectant
Butylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate
EmollientCrithmum Maritimum Callus Culture Filtrate
Skin ProtectingHydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Erythritol
Humectant
Squalane
Emollient
Hydroxyethyl Urea
Humectant
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Dextrin
AbsorbentGardenia Taitensis Callus Extract
Antioxidant
Ceteareth-6 Olivate
EmulsifyingAmmonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Humectant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Disodium EDTA
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Water, Lavandula Angustifolia Flower Water, Propanediol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate, Crithmum Maritimum Callus Culture Filtrate, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Ceramide NP, Sodium Hyaluronate, Erythritol, Squalane, Hydroxyethyl Urea, Allantoin, Dextrin, Gardenia Taitensis Callus Extract, Ceteareth-6 Olivate, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Cetyl Alcohol, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Tocopherol, Disodium EDTA, Butylene Glycol, Pentylene Glycol, Caprylyl Glycol, Hydroxyacetophenone, 1,2-Hexanediol
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
1,2-Hexanediol is a synthetic liquid and another multi-functional powerhouse.
It is a:
- Humectant, drawing moisture into the skin
- Emollient, helping to soften skin
- Solvent, dispersing and stabilizing formulas
- Preservative booster, enhancing the antimicrobial activity of other preservatives
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 AllantoinButylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:
Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient that works well with other ingredients.
Though this ingredient works well with most skin types, some people with sensitive skin may experience a reaction such as allergic rashes, closed comedones, or itchiness.
Learn more about Butylene GlycolDextrin is used to thicken a product and helps bind ingredients together. It is created from starch and glycogen.
As an emulsifier, dextrin prevents ingredients from separating. This helps elongate a product's shelf life.
Studies show coating UV filters with dextrin prevents these ingredients from being absorbed. This helps UV ingredients last longer on the skin.
Learn more about DextrinDisodium 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 EDTAGlycerin (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 GlycerinLavandula Angustifolia Flower Water is created by distilling parts of the lavender plant. Lavender flower water is a diluted version of lavender essential oil. It contains linalool and linalyl acetate.
When exposed to air, these two compounds become strong allergens. This ingredient exhibits cytotoxicity at low concentrations; amounts of 0.25% have been shown to damage skin cells.
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 HyaluronateWater. 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
