What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningDipropylene Glycol
HumectantGlycerin
Humectant
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Acetyl Hexapeptide-8
Humectant
Copper Tripeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Sh-Polypeptide-121
Skin Conditioning
Dipeptide Diaminobutyroyl Benzylamide Diacetate
Skin Conditioning
Oligopeptide-68
Bleaching
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-8
Skin Conditioning
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Acetyl Glucosamine
Skin Conditioning
Serine
Masking
Alanine
Masking
Glycine
Buffering
Threonine
Arginine
Masking
Proline
Skin Conditioning
Betaine
Humectant
Sodium PCA
Humectant
Sodium Lactate
Buffering
PCA
Humectant
Glutamic Acid
Humectant
Lysine Hcl
Skin Conditioning
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Dextran
Glycine Soja Oil
Emollient
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6
Emulsion StabilisingButylene Glycol
Humectant
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningAdenosine
Skin Conditioning
Polyquaternium-51
Skin Conditioning
Disodium EDTA
Citric Acid
Buffering
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
T-Butyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Oleate
CleansingWater, Dipropylene Glycol, Glycerin, Pentylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Niacinamide, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Copper Tripeptide-1, Sh-Polypeptide-121, Dipeptide Diaminobutyroyl Benzylamide Diacetate, Oligopeptide-68, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-8, Allantoin, Sodium Hyaluronate, Acetyl Glucosamine, Serine, Alanine, Glycine, Threonine, Arginine, Proline, Betaine, Sodium PCA, Sodium Lactate, PCA, Glutamic Acid, Lysine Hcl, Tocopherol, Dextran, Glycine Soja Oil, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Butylene Glycol, Xanthan Gum, Ethylhexylglycerin, Adenosine, Polyquaternium-51, Disodium EDTA, Citric Acid, Caprylyl Glycol, T-Butyl Alcohol, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Oleate
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Matrixyl 3000
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Portulaca Oleracea Extract
Skin Conditioning
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Codium Tomentosum Extract
Skin ProtectingCitrus Paradisi Seed Extract
Masking
Cereus Grandiflorus Extract
Antioxidant
Polyglyceryl-6 Caprylate
EmulsifyingTrehalose
Humectant
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Cocos Nucifera Oil
Masking
Rosa Canina Fruit Oil
Emollient
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingWater, Butylene Glycol, Matrixyl 3000, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Glycerin, Portulaca Oleracea Extract, Hyaluronic Acid, Codium Tomentosum Extract, Citrus Paradisi Seed Extract, Cereus Grandiflorus Extract, Polyglyceryl-6 Caprylate, Trehalose, Hydroxyacetophenone, 1,2-Hexanediol, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Rosa Canina Fruit Oil, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Allantoin, Stearic Acid, Xanthan Gum
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 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 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 GlycerinWater. 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
