What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningOctocrylene
UV AbsorberIsopropyl Lauroyl Sarcosinate
Skin ConditioningEthylhexyl Salicylate
UV AbsorberGlycerin
HumectantDimethicone
EmollientButyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane
UV AbsorberDiisopropyl Sebacate
EmollientSucrose Tristearate
EmollientAluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate
AbsorbentSilica
AbrasivePolymethyl Methacrylate
Polysorbate 61
EmulsifyingPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningAllantoin
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingDimethiconol
EmollientDisodium EDTA
Glycyrrhetinic Acid
Skin ConditioningHydroxypalmitoyl Sphinganine
Skin ConditioningPanthenol
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
PreservativePotassium Sorbate
PreservativeSodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantTriethanolamine
BufferingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingZinc Gluconate
Skin ConditioningWater, Octocrylene, Isopropyl Lauroyl Sarcosinate, Ethylhexyl Salicylate, Glycerin, Dimethicone, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, Diisopropyl Sebacate, Sucrose Tristearate, Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate, Silica, Polymethyl Methacrylate, Polysorbate 61, Pentylene Glycol, Allantoin, Caprylyl Glycol, Carbomer, Dimethiconol, Disodium EDTA, Glycyrrhetinic Acid, Hydroxypalmitoyl Sphinganine, Panthenol, Phenoxyethanol, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Triethanolamine, Xanthan Gum, Zinc Gluconate
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantDimethicone
EmollientCetearyl Olivate
Sorbitan Olivate
EmulsifyingSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantSerine
MaskingGlycine
BufferingAlanine
MaskingThreonine
Arginine
MaskingProline
Skin ConditioningLysine Hcl
Skin ConditioningGlutamic Acid
HumectantSodium PCA
HumectantPCA
HumectantSodium Lactate
BufferingUrea
BufferingSodium Chloride
MaskingCitric Acid
BufferingBetaine
HumectantAllantoin
Skin ConditioningFructose
HumectantMaltose
MaskingTrehalose
HumectantGlucose
HumectantPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningSynthetic Beeswax
Emulsion StabilisingPolyacrylate Crosspolymer-6
Emulsion StabilisingDimethicone Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingDimethiconol
EmollientEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientSodium Hydroxide
BufferingWater, Glycerin, Dimethicone, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Serine, Glycine, Alanine, Threonine, Arginine, Proline, Lysine Hcl, Glutamic Acid, Sodium PCA, PCA, Sodium Lactate, Urea, Sodium Chloride, Citric Acid, Betaine, Allantoin, Fructose, Maltose, Trehalose, Glucose, Pentylene Glycol, Synthetic Beeswax, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Dimethiconol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Caprylyl Glycol, Sodium Hydroxide
Reviews
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 AllantoinCaprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.
Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.
Because it is not a free-fatty acid or alcohol, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolDimethicone is a type of synthetic silicone created from natural materials such as quartz. It is also known as polydimethylsiloxane.
What it does:
Dimethicone comes in different viscosities:
Depending on the viscosity, dimethicone has different properties.
Ingredients lists don't always show which type is used, so we recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about the viscosity.
This ingredient is unlikely to cause irritation because it does not get absorbed into skin. However, people with silicone allergies should be careful about using this ingredient.
Note: Dimethicone may contribute to pilling. This is because it is not oil or water soluble, so pilling may occur when layered with products. When mixed with heavy oils in a formula, the outcome is also quite greasy.
Learn more about DimethiconeDimethiconol is a silicone that resembles the popular dimethicone. Like other silicones, it is an emollient. Emollients create a thin film on skin to prevent moisture from escaping.
This ingredient helps to create a silky texture and improve spreadability. Due to its high molecular weight and thickness, it is often combined with cyclopentasiloxane.
Glycerin (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 GlycerinPentylene 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 GlycolWater. 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