What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycol
HumectantGlyceryl Polyacrylate
Glycerin
Humectant
Dendrobium Nobile Stem Extract
Skin ConditioningSophora Angustifolia Root Extract
Skin ConditioningAloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
Emollient
Echinacea Purpurea Extract
MoisturisingLycium Barbarum Fruit Extract
Astringent
Polyacrylic Acid
Emulsion StabilisingBetaine
Humectant
Hydrogenated Starch Hydrolysate
HumectantPvm/Ma Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingAllantoin
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingHydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Water, Glycol, Glyceryl Polyacrylate, Glycerin, Dendrobium Nobile Stem Extract, Sophora Angustifolia Root Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Echinacea Purpurea Extract, Lycium Barbarum Fruit Extract, Polyacrylic Acid, Betaine, Hydrogenated Starch Hydrolysate, Pvm/Ma Copolymer, Allantoin, Sodium Hyaluronate, Xanthan Gum, Hydroxyacetophenone, 1,2-Hexanediol
Water
Skin ConditioningPropylene Glycol
Humectant
Glyceryl Polyacrylate
Glycerin
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Elastin
EmollientDendrobium Nobile Stem Extract
Skin ConditioningSophora Angustifolia Root Extract
Skin ConditioningAloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
Emollient
Echinacea Purpurea Extract
MoisturisingLycium Barbarum Fruit Extract
Astringent
Polyacrylic Acid
Emulsion StabilisingBetaine
Humectant
Aminobutyric Acid
Dipeptide Diaminobutyroyl Benzylamide Diacetate
Skin Conditioning
Maltooligosyl Glucoside
Skin ConditioningHydrogenated Starch Hydrolysate
HumectantPvm/Ma Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingGold
Cosmetic ColorantAllantoin
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingDiazolidinyl Urea
Preservative
Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate
Preservative
Disodium EDTA
Water, Propylene Glycol, Glyceryl Polyacrylate, Glycerin, Hydrolyzed Elastin, Dendrobium Nobile Stem Extract, Sophora Angustifolia Root Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Echinacea Purpurea Extract, Lycium Barbarum Fruit Extract, Polyacrylic Acid, Betaine, Aminobutyric Acid, Dipeptide Diaminobutyroyl Benzylamide Diacetate, Maltooligosyl Glucoside, Hydrogenated Starch Hydrolysate, Pvm/Ma Copolymer, Gold, Allantoin, Sodium Hyaluronate, Xanthan Gum, Diazolidinyl Urea, Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate, Disodium EDTA
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 AllantoinAloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract is an extract of the leaves of the aloe, Aloe barbadensis, Liliaceae.
Aloe is one of the most well-known natural soothing ingredients, and for good reason. It’s full of water and has a cooling, calming effect on the skin, especially when it’s sunburned, itchy, or irritated. Aloe also helps your skin stay hydrated and smooth by mimicking what healthy skin naturally produces. On top of that, it contains vitamins and nutrients that support skin recovery.Â
It doesn’t protect you from the sun, but it can help your skin bounce back after too much time in it.
Let’s get into the details:
Aloe contains antioxidant Vitamins A, C, and E, which help fight off free radicals (unstable molecules from things like pollution that can damage your skin).
It’s also rich in polysaccharides, which are natural sugars that help hydrate the skin by acting like the skin’s own moisturizing agents. These, along with other sugars like monosaccharides, help form a protective barrier that locks in moisture.
Aloe works as both a humectant and an emollient. That means it draws water into the skin (humectant) and helps trap it there (emollient), making it an effective natural moisturizer.
You’ll also find a mix of other skin-supporting ingredients in aloe, including folic acid, choline, calcium, amino acids, fatty acids, and even Vitamin B12.
Out of the 420+ species of aloe, Aloe barbadensis is the most widely used in skincare products thanks to its gentle yet effective properties.
There are over 420 species of aloe but Aloe Barbadensis is the most commonly used for topical products.
Learn more about Aloe Barbadensis Leaf ExtractBetaine is a humectant. Like hyaluronic acid, it helps attract and retain moisture in the skin. It’s known for being gentle and for helping the skin maintain balanced hydration.
Betaine is mainly used to improve hydration and support calmer skin. It helps skin cells regulate water balance because it functions as an osmolyte.
Some studies suggest betaine may support making skin tone more even.
Fun fact: Betaine naturally exists in the skin and the body. In cosmetic products, it can be either plant-derived (most commonly from sugar beets) or synthetically produced for consistency and stability.
Betaine is also known as trimethylglycine.
Learn more about BetaineWe don't have a description for Dendrobium Nobile Stem Extract yet.
We don't have a description for Echinacea Purpurea Extract yet.
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 GlycerinWe don't have a description for Glyceryl Polyacrylate yet.
Hydrogenated Starch Hydrolysate is a made up of a mixture of sugar alcohols (like sorbitol) and is created by hydrogenating corn, wheat, or potato starch.
It acts as a humectant and draws water to the skin to keep it hydrated. Generally, this is a well-tolerated and non-irritating ingredient.
Lycium Barbarum Fruit Extract comes from the Goji Berry. Goji berries are native to China and can be found across Eurasia.
Goji berries contain polysaccharides, carotenoids and flavonoids. Antioxidants help your body fight off free-radical molecules. These molecules are unstable and may damage your skin. By making free-radicals more stable, antioxidants can help with anti-aging.
Polysaccharides help hydrate the top layer of skin due to its ability to mimic natural carbohydrates.
Learn more about Lycium Barbarum Fruit ExtractWe don't have a description for Polyacrylic Acid yet.
PVM/MA Copolymer is a synthetic and high-molecular weight polymer. It is used to create a flexible film that helps ingredients "stick together" on hair or skin. It also helps reduce static, help emulsions behave, and tweaks the thickness and flow of a product.
You'll most likely find this ingredient in hair styling products because that film is what helps styles last.
Sodium 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 HyaluronateWe don't have a description for Sophora Angustifolia Root Extract yet.
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 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
