What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Trehalose
Humectant
Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Hydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingDextrin
AbsorbentGardenia Florida Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningGuaiazulene
Antimicrobial
Centella Asiatica Leaf Extract
Skin Conditioning
Centella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Hamamelis Virginiana Leaf Extract
Skin Conditioning
Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract
Astringent
Protease
Exfoliating
Phosphatidylcholine
EmulsifyingDiospyros Kaki Leaf Extract
Skin Protecting
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Vitis Vinifera Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningPotassium Hyaluronate
Skin ConditioningCarthamus Tinctorius Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningCoffea Arabica Seed Extract
Masking
Polygonum Cuspidatum Root Extract
Antioxidant
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Castanea Crenata Shell Extract
Skin ConditioningZanthoxylum Piperitum Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningDimethylsilanol Hyaluronate
Humectant
Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
Humectant
Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate
Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
Skin Conditioning
Hydrolyzed Calcium Hyaluronate
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Sodium Sulfated Hyaluronate
Emollient
Sodium Stearoyl Hyaluronate
Skin ConditioningSodium Oleoyl Hyaluronate
Skin ConditioningSh-Oligopeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Sh-Polypeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Water, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Allantoin, Trehalose, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Caprylyl Glycol, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Xanthan Gum, Dextrin, Gardenia Florida Fruit Extract, Guaiazulene, Centella Asiatica Leaf Extract, Centella Asiatica Extract, Hamamelis Virginiana Leaf Extract, Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract, Protease, Phosphatidylcholine, Diospyros Kaki Leaf Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Vitis Vinifera Fruit Extract, Potassium Hyaluronate, Carthamus Tinctorius Flower Extract, Coffea Arabica Seed Extract, Polygonum Cuspidatum Root Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Castanea Crenata Shell Extract, Zanthoxylum Piperitum Fruit Extract, Dimethylsilanol Hyaluronate, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Calcium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Sulfated Hyaluronate, Sodium Stearoyl Hyaluronate, Sodium Oleoyl Hyaluronate, Sh-Oligopeptide-1, Sh-Polypeptide-1
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Propanediol
Solvent
Chondrus Crispus Extract
Skin Conditioning
Saccharum Officinarum Extract
MoisturisingSea Water
Humectant1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Protease
Exfoliating
Betaine
Humectant
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningAllantoin
Skin Conditioning
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingDisodium EDTA
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.Â
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 preservativesÂ
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 GlycolEthylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:
The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure.
Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.
Learn more about EthylhexylglycerinGlycerin (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 GlycerinProtease is an enzyme that works as a gentle exfoliant by mimicking something your skin already does naturally.
Your skin uses proteolytic enzymes to carry out desquamation; this is the process of shedding dead skin cells from the stratum corneum.
In skincare, proteases act as biological catalysts that mimic this natural desquamation process. You can think of it as giving your skin's own renewal system a nudge.
By breaking down the bonds that hold dead skin cells together, proteases help accelerate cell turnover to:
One reason they're becoming a popular AHA alternative is because proteases are considered effective while also being well-tolerated on skin. Because they work at a protein level rather than by lowering the skin pH, they can be a good option for those sensitive to AHAs.
Available in vitro and in vivo studies show positive exfoliant results but clinical (human) trials specifically on enzymatic exfoliation are still limited at this time.
Just one thing worth noting: temperature, pH, and stabilization are important factors that affect enzyme activity. The formulation quality definitely matters with this ingredient.
This ingredient can be either microbial sourced or plant-derived (papain from papaya, bromelain from pineapple).
Learn more about ProteaseWater. 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
