What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
HumectantGlycerin
HumectantPanthenol
Skin Conditioning1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningAmmonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Soluble Proteoglycan
Skin ConditioningPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningAllantoin
Skin ConditioningMadecassoside
AntioxidantSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPantolactone
HumectantHydroxyphenyl Propamidobenzoic Acid
Skin ConditioningBeta-Glucan
Skin ConditioningCentella Asiatica Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningGlycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
BleachingCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialAloe Barbadensis Leaf Polysaccharides
EmollientAscorbyl Palmitate
AntioxidantCalendula Officinalis Flower Extract
MaskingPortulaca Oleracea Extract
Skin ConditioningWater, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Panthenol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Soluble Proteoglycan, Pentylene Glycol, Allantoin, Madecassoside, Sodium Hyaluronate, Xanthan Gum, Pantolactone, Hydroxyphenyl Propamidobenzoic Acid, Beta-Glucan, Centella Asiatica Leaf Extract, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Polysaccharides, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract, Portulaca Oleracea Extract
Water
Skin ConditioningAloe Barbadensis Leaf Water
MaskingButylene Glycol
HumectantSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantCentella Asiatica Extract
CleansingGlycerin
HumectantBetaine
HumectantPropanediol
SolventGlycyrrhiza Uralensis Root Extract
Skin ConditioningHieracium Umbellatum Extract
Skin ConditioningCynara Scolymus Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningSorbitol
HumectantAloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
EmollientDioscorea Japonica Root Extract
Skin ConditioningLaminaria Japonica Extract
Skin Protecting1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingLinum Usitatissimum Seed Extract
PerfumingHibiscus Esculentus Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin ConditioningArctium Lappa Root Extract
Skin ConditioningHibiscus Mutabilis Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningCorchorus Olitorius Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningRheum Palmatum Root Extract
AstringentAlthaea Rosea Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningDimethyl Sulfone
SolventChlorphenesin
AntimicrobialEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPolyglutamic Acid
Skin ConditioningBeta-Glucan
Skin ConditioningArginine
MaskingAllantoin
Skin ConditioningAdenosine
Skin ConditioningWater, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Water, Butylene Glycol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Centella Asiatica Extract, Glycerin, Betaine, Propanediol, Glycyrrhiza Uralensis Root Extract, Hieracium Umbellatum Extract, Cynara Scolymus Leaf Extract, Sorbitol, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Dioscorea Japonica Root Extract, Laminaria Japonica Extract, 1,2-Hexanediol, Xanthan Gum, Carbomer, Linum Usitatissimum Seed Extract, Hibiscus Esculentus Fruit Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Arctium Lappa Root Extract, Hibiscus Mutabilis Flower Extract, Corchorus Olitorius Leaf Extract, Rheum Palmatum Root Extract, Althaea Rosea Flower Extract, Dimethyl Sulfone, Chlorphenesin, Ethylhexylglycerin, Polyglutamic Acid, Beta-Glucan, Arginine, Allantoin, Adenosine
Reviews
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 AllantoinAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice comes from leaves of the aloe plant. Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice is best known for helping to soothe sunburns. It is also anti-inflammatory, moisturizing, antiseptic, and can help heal wounds.
Aloe is packed with good stuff including Vitamins A, C, and E. These vitamins are antioxidants, which help fight free-radicals and the damage they may cause. Free-radicals are molecules that may damage your skin cells, such as pollution.
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice also contains sugars. These sugars come in the form of monosaccharides and polysaccharides, folic acid, and choline. These sugars are able to help bind moisture to skin.
It also contains minerals such as calcium, 12 anthraquinones, fatty acids, amino acids, and Vitamin B12.
Learn more about Aloe Barbadensis Leaf JuiceBeta-Glucan is a soluble polysaccharide (a chain of glucose sugars) sourced from the cells walls of oats, baker's yeast, mushrooms, and seaweed.
It's a rare ingredient that pulls double-duty as a heavy-duty hydrator and skin-soothing repair agent.
On the surface, it acts as a humectant that holds water in place and reduces moisture loss for a plumper, smoother feel, while its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties make it a great pick for calming redness or sensitive skin
The more interesting story is underneath:
Despite its large molecular size, oat beta-glucan has been shown to penetrate the epidermis and reach the dermis by slipping between skin cells. Here, it interacts with fibroblasts and macrophages to nudge collagen synthesis and support wound repair.
A small 2005 split-face clinical study of 27 subjects found topical beta-glucan produced measurable reductions in wrinkle depth, height, and roughness after 8 weeks of use.
It is worth noting the trial was small and the penetration testing used frozen, irradiated skin so the anti-aging data is encouraging rather than definitive.
This ingredient gets along with pretty much everything and is typically used around 0.1-1%.
Fungal acne: This ingredient is not a food source for the Malassezia yeast because it is a glucose polysaccharide with no fatty acid or ester component.
Learn more about Beta-GlucanButylene 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 GlycerinSodium 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 WaterXanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.
On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.
Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.
Learn more about Xanthan Gum