What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantCetyl-Pg Hydroxyethyl Palmitamide
Skin ConditioningTrisiloxane
Skin ConditioningDimethicone
EmollientHydrogenated Polydecene
EmollientPEG-3 Dimethicone
Skin ConditioningAllantoin
Skin ConditioningMagnesium Sulfate
Butylene Glycol
HumectantIsostearyl Glyceryl Ether
Skin ConditioningPEG-12 Dimethicone
Skin ConditioningSuccinic Acid
BufferingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingEucalyptus Globulus Leaf Extract
PerfumingTocopherol
AntioxidantMethylparaben
PreservativeWater, Glycerin, Cetyl-Pg Hydroxyethyl Palmitamide, Trisiloxane, Dimethicone, Hydrogenated Polydecene, PEG-3 Dimethicone, Allantoin, Magnesium Sulfate, Butylene Glycol, Isostearyl Glyceryl Ether, PEG-12 Dimethicone, Succinic Acid, Sodium Hydroxide, Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Extract, Tocopherol, Methylparaben
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantDimethicone
EmollientMyristyl Alcohol
EmollientC12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialZea Mays Starch
AbsorbentButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningHydrogenated Polydecene
EmollientCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingDicaprylyl Ether
EmollientStearyl Alcohol
EmollientBehenamidopropyl Dimethylamine
EmulsifyingCetyl-Pg Hydroxyethyl Palmitamide
Skin ConditioningTrisiloxane
Skin ConditioningPolyquaternium-37
Allantoin
Skin ConditioningPanthenol
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
HumectantCetyl Alcohol
EmollientLactic Acid
BufferingBenzalkonium Chloride
AntimicrobialCitrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil
MaskingAloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
EmollientEucalyptus Globulus Leaf Extract
PerfumingSodium Lauroyl Lactylate
EmulsifyingCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningCeramide AP
Skin ConditioningCholesterol
EmollientPhytosphingosine
Skin ConditioningCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCeramide EOP
Skin ConditioningMethylparaben
PreservativeEthylparaben
PreservativeWater, Glycerin, Dimethicone, Myristyl Alcohol, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Zea Mays Starch, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Hydrogenated Polydecene, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Dicaprylyl Ether, Stearyl Alcohol, Behenamidopropyl Dimethylamine, Cetyl-Pg Hydroxyethyl Palmitamide, Trisiloxane, Polyquaternium-37, Allantoin, Panthenol, Butylene Glycol, Cetyl Alcohol, Lactic Acid, Benzalkonium Chloride, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Extract, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Ceramide NP, Ceramide AP, Cholesterol, Phytosphingosine, Carbomer, Xanthan Gum, Ceramide EOP, Methylparaben, Ethylparaben
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 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 GlycolThis ingredient is a synthetic mimic for ceramide NS and is often called a "pseudo-ceramide". It was developed by Kao Corporation in Japan (the same corporation that owns Biore and Curel).
Ceramides play a big role in your stratum corneum, or the outermost layer of skin. Your stratum corneum is structured like a brick wall where skin cells are bricks and ceramides are a big part of the mortar holding everything together.
Aging, harsh cleansers, environmental damage, or skin conditions can cause ceramide levels to drop. This leads to moisture loss, irritation, and dryness.
This is where this ingredient steps in: it's structurally designed with the same key features as natural ceramides. Because of this, it can slot into the lipid layers of your stratum corneum and behave just like real ceramides.
Research on patients with atopic dermatitis, seborrheic dermatitis, and sensitive skin has shown that topical application of this ingredient enhances stratum corneum function.
Another four-week randomized study on lip care found formulas containing 0.5% or 2% of this ingredient improved lip dryness and roughness.
A study on hairdressers with occupational hand dermatitis found that a barrier cream containing this ingredient reduced dryness, scaling, cracking, redness, and itching.
And a more recent study confirmed that this ingredient is absorbed into the stratum corneum and reduces transepidermal water loss (TEWL), just like a real ceramide.
This ingredient is more stable, free from contaminants, and significantly cheaper to produce. This makes it more practical for everyday skincare formulations.
Learn more about Cetyl-Pg Hydroxyethyl PalmitamideDimethicone is a type of synthetic silicone created from natural materials such as quartz. It is also known as polydimethylsiloxane.
What it does:
Dimethicone comes in different viscosities:
Depending on the viscosity, dimethicone has different properties.
Ingredients lists don't always show which type is used, so we recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about the viscosity.
This ingredient is unlikely to cause irritation because it does not get absorbed into skin. However, people with silicone allergies should be careful about using this ingredient.
Note: Dimethicone may contribute to pilling. This is because it is not oil or water soluble, so pilling may occur when layered with products. When mixed with heavy oils in a formula, the outcome is also quite greasy.
Learn more about DimethiconeEucalyptus globulus leaf extract comes from the leaves of the blue gum tree. It has perfuming and skin conditioning properties.
According to a manufacturer, this ingredient has antioxidants to help protect skin against free radicals.
This ingredient is water-soluble.
Learn more about Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf ExtractGlycerin (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 GlycerinHydrogenated Polydecene is a synthetic emollient. It forms a non-occlusive film on the skin's surface to provide a silky feel without being greasy.
In vivo studies in volunteers with atopic and dry skin showed no irritation or intolerance. The volunteers also saw a positive effect in dryness, scaling, and roughness after 28 days of use.
Concentrations up to 100% in guinea pig tests found it to be non-sensitizing and completely safe for use in cosmetics.
Learn more about Hydrogenated PolydeceneMethylparaben is a preservative and is a paraben. It is used to prevent the growth of fungus, mold, and other harmful bacteria. Parabens are chemicals used as preservatives in both cosmetics and food.
Methylparaben can be synthetically created. It can also be found naturally in some fruits, such as blueberries.
Oftentimes, Methylparaben is combined with other parabens to help increase the shelf life.
The safety of Methylparaben is currently being studied. While ongoing studies are looking into the safety of parabens, the results have been very mixed. Some studies have not found Methylparaben to be harmful.
Learn more about MethylparabenTrisiloxane is a type of silicone.
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