What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
HumectantGlycerin
Humectant1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningMyrtus Communis Extract
AstringentCommiphora Myrrha Resin Extract
Skin ConditioningAllium Cepa Bulb Extract
Skin ConditioningOryza Sativa Bran Extract
Skin ConditioningCarthamus Tinctorius Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialBrassica Oleracea Italica Extract
AstringentAsparagus Officinalis Extract
Skin ConditioningWine Extract
AntioxidantPeucedanum Japonicum Extract
Skin ConditioningScutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract
AstringentLavandula Angustifolia Oil
MaskingDipotassium Glycyrrhizate
HumectantAllantoin
Skin ConditioningBeta-Glucan
Skin ConditioningBisabolol
AntioxidantArginine
MaskingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingPropylene Glycol
HumectantPEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
EmulsifyingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
SolventAmmonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
T-Butyl Alcohol
PerfumingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeGlycine Soja Sterols
EmollientLinalool
PerfumingWater, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Myrtus Communis Extract, Commiphora Myrrha Resin Extract, Allium Cepa Bulb Extract, Oryza Sativa Bran Extract, Carthamus Tinctorius Flower Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Brassica Oleracea Italica Extract, Asparagus Officinalis Extract, Wine Extract, Peucedanum Japonicum Extract, Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract, Lavandula Angustifolia Oil, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Allantoin, Beta-Glucan, Bisabolol, Arginine, Carbomer, Propylene Glycol, PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Ethylhexylglycerin, Propanediol, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, T-Butyl Alcohol, Phenoxyethanol, Glycine Soja Sterols, Linalool
Water
Skin ConditioningCyclopentasiloxane
EmollientIsopropyl Palmitate
EmollientEthylhexyl Isononanoate
EmollientCetearyl Olivate
Ethylhexyl Palmitate
EmollientPhytonadione Epoxide
AstringentSorbitan Olivate
EmulsifyingGlyceryl Stearate Se
EmulsifyingAlcohol
AntimicrobialStearic Acid
CleansingCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientGlucosyl Hesperidin
HumectantLecithin
EmollientDimethicone
EmollientPhosphatidylcholine
EmulsifyingGluconolactone
Skin ConditioningEscin
TonicGlycerin
HumectantTetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate
AntioxidantAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingBeta-Sitosterol
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Benzoate
MaskingBisabolol
AntioxidantDisodium EDTA
Potassium Sorbate
PreservativeAllantoin
Skin ConditioningPropylene Glycol
HumectantArnica Montana Extract
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
HumectantChamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
MaskingCitrus Paradisi Peel Oil
MaskingSymphytum Officinale Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningVitis Vinifera Seed Extract
AntimicrobialLimonene
PerfumingWater, Cyclopentasiloxane, Isopropyl Palmitate, Ethylhexyl Isononanoate, Cetearyl Olivate, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Phytonadione Epoxide, Sorbitan Olivate, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Alcohol, Stearic Acid, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glucosyl Hesperidin, Lecithin, Dimethicone, Phosphatidylcholine, Gluconolactone, Escin, Glycerin, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Beta-Sitosterol, Sodium Benzoate, Bisabolol, Disodium EDTA, Potassium Sorbate, Allantoin, Propylene Glycol, Arnica Montana Extract, Butylene Glycol, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Citrus Paradisi Peel Oil, Symphytum Officinale Leaf Extract, Vitis Vinifera Seed Extract, Limonene
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 AllantoinBisabolol is a gentle skin conditioner, antioxidant, and soothing ingredient.
It's primary claim to fame is soothing and research shows topically applied bisabolol can quiet the chemical messengers that cause your skin to become inflamed, helping to sooth any irritation.
A clinical study found that applying 0.5% bisabolol daily for 8 weeks produced an average 9% decrease in skin pigmentation. Researchers found it can also suppress the process that leads to excess melanin production in skin.
In vitro studies found that bisabolol combined with propylene glycol significantly increased skin permeability by increasing lipid fluidity in the stratum corneum.
You'll likely see use concentrations quite low, usually 0.1-0.2%.
Overall, this is a well-tolerated ingredient that works well in formulas designed for sensitive, reactive, or post-procedure skin.
Learn more about BisabololButylene 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 GlycolGlycerin (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 GlycerinPropylene Glycol is a synthetic, colorless, odorless liquid that has been a staple in cosmetics for decades. It is a skin conditioning agent, humectant, and solvent.
As a humectant, it draw water to the skin to reduce flaking and restore suppleness. It's also a solvent that helps dissolve other actives and keeps formulas stable across temperature changes.
The CIR Expert Panel has confirmed this ingredient to be nontoxic and clinical studies show no sensitization at cosmetic use concentrations.
True allergic reactions are quite rare: a 15-year retrospective study of 6,751 patients found only 0.31% had a positive reaction (and less than half were considered clinically relevant).
It seemed that when sensitization does occur, it's most commonly linked to topical medication (like corticosteroids) and not cosmetics. Allergic contact dermatitis also appears largely limited to individuals with underlying skin conditions.
Overall, propylene glycol is a well-studied ingredient that most people can tolerate without issue.
Learn more about Propylene 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