What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Dibutyl Adipate
EmollientC12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Dicaprylyl Carbonate
EmollientSodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingPolyisobutene
Ethylhexyl Triazone
UV Absorber
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Cyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Disodium EDTA
Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate
UV Filter
Ethylparaben
Preservative
Methylparaben
Preservative
Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine
Skin Conditioning
Parfum
Masking
Dimethicone
Emollient
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingAllantoin
Skin Conditioning
Benzoic Acid
Masking
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingCaprylyl/Capryl Glucoside
CleansingDehydroacetic Acid
Preservative
Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Panicum Miliaceum Extract
Skin ConditioningChlorella Vulgaris/Lupinus Albus Protein Ferment
Skin ConditioningPectin
Emulsion StabilisingTocopherol
Antioxidant
Tannic Acid
AstringentCI 42051
Cosmetic ColorantPotassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Sulfate
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Citronellol
Perfuming
Water, Glycerin, Dibutyl Adipate, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Polyisobutene, Ethylhexyl Triazone, Phenoxyethanol, Panthenol, Cyclopentasiloxane, Tocopheryl Acetate, Disodium EDTA, Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate, Ethylparaben, Methylparaben, Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine, Parfum, Dimethicone, Sodium Hydroxide, Allantoin, Benzoic Acid, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Caprylyl/Capryl Glucoside, Dehydroacetic Acid, Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract, Panicum Miliaceum Extract, Chlorella Vulgaris/Lupinus Albus Protein Ferment, Pectin, Tocopherol, Tannic Acid, CI 42051, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Sulfate, Benzyl Alcohol, Citronellol
Water
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Glycerin
Humectant
Polyacrylamide
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide AP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide EOP
Skin Conditioning
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Betaine
Humectant
Isoamyl Laurate
Emollient
Sodium Polyacrylate
Absorbent
Phytosphingosine
Skin Conditioning
Cholesterol
Emollient
Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate
EmulsifyingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingC13-14 Isoparaffin
Emollient
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
Isoamyl Cocoate
Laureth-7
EmulsifyingWater, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glycerin, Polyacrylamide, Sodium Hyaluronate, Ceramide NP, Ceramide AP, Ceramide EOP, Allantoin, Betaine, Isoamyl Laurate, Sodium Polyacrylate, Phytosphingosine, Cholesterol, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Carbomer, Xanthan Gum, C13-14 Isoparaffin, Benzyl Alcohol, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Disodium EDTA, Isoamyl Cocoate, Laureth-7
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 AllantoinBenzyl Alcohol is an aromatic alcohol with several roles: it's a preservative, solvent, and mild fragrance component with a floral scent.
This ingredient has been deemed safe for use in cosmetic formulations at concentrations up to 5%, and up to 10% in hair dyes. You'll typically see 0.5-2% in most rinse-off or leave-on products.
As a preservative, it works by disrupting the membrane of microbial proteins. This helps keep bacteria and fungi from growing in your products.
The sensitization picture is actually quite assuring as well:of nearly 71,000 patients patch tested with benzyl alcohol, only 0.21% showed a positive reaction with most of them being weakly positive.
This led researchers to conclude that benzyl alcohol cannot be regarded as a significant contact allergen.
It is worth noting this ingredient is classified as one of the EU's regulated fragrance allergens and restricted to 1% in finished products.
Labels must also declare it in concentrations above 0.001% in leave-on products and 0.01% in rinse-off products.
At concentrations around 5%, localized redness and itching can appear as a direct irritant response and not as a true allergic reaction.
Learn more about Benzyl AlcoholDisodium 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 GlycerinPhenoxyethanol 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.
Water. 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
