What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningEthylhexyl Methoxycinnamate
UV AbsorberButyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane
UV AbsorberBenzophenone-3
UV AbsorberPEG-100 Stearate
SurfactantButylene Glycol
HumectantPhospholipids
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeGlycerin
HumectantEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningNiacinamide
SmoothingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingLecithin
EmollientSclerotium Gum
Emulsion StabilisingPullulan
Sodium Acrylates Copolymer
Allantoin
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
Water
Skin ConditioningC12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialCaprylyl Methicone
Skin ConditioningAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin ConditioningSodium Acrylates Copolymer
Methylene Bis-Benzotriazolyl Tetramethylbutylphenol
UV FilterBis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine
Skin ConditioningEthylhexyl Triazone
UV AbsorberDiethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate
UV FilterGlycerin
HumectantDimethicone
EmollientAcrylates/C12-22 Alkyl Methacrylate Copolymer
Titanium Dioxide
Cosmetic ColorantZinc Oxide
Cosmetic ColorantBiosaccharide Gum-4
Skin ConditioningCitrullus Lanatus Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningNiacinamide
SmoothingVaccinium Angustifolium Fruit Extract
Skin ProtectingCitrus Paradisi Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningLaminaria Digitata Extract
Skin ProtectingSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantCeramide EOP
Skin ConditioningCeramide Ns
Skin ConditioningCeramide Ng
Skin ConditioningCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningCeramide As
Skin ConditioningCeramide AP
Skin ConditioningXylitylglucoside
HumectantAnhydroxylitol
HumectantXylitol
HumectantArginine
MaskingTrehalose
HumectantAllantoin
Skin Conditioning1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingHydrogenated Lecithin
EmulsifyingCetyl-Pg Hydroxyethyl Palmitamide
Skin ConditioningPropylene Glycol
HumectantPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeLecithin
EmollientGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientTriethoxycaprylylsilane
Silica
AbrasiveGlyceryl Glucoside
HumectantCoco-Glucoside
CleansingDisodium Lauryl Sulfosuccinate
CleansingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningDecyl Glucoside
CleansingCitric Acid
BufferingWater, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Caprylyl Methicone, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Sodium Acrylates Copolymer, Methylene Bis-Benzotriazolyl Tetramethylbutylphenol, Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine, Ethylhexyl Triazone, Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate, Glycerin, Dimethicone, Acrylates/C12-22 Alkyl Methacrylate Copolymer, Titanium Dioxide, Zinc Oxide, Biosaccharide Gum-4, Citrullus Lanatus Fruit Extract, Niacinamide, Vaccinium Angustifolium Fruit Extract, Citrus Paradisi Fruit Extract, Laminaria Digitata Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Ceramide EOP, Ceramide Ns, Ceramide Ng, Ceramide NP, Ceramide As, Ceramide AP, Xylitylglucoside, Anhydroxylitol, Xylitol, Arginine, Trehalose, Allantoin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Xanthan Gum, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Cetyl-Pg Hydroxyethyl Palmitamide, Propylene Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Lecithin, Glyceryl Stearate, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Silica, Glyceryl Glucoside, Coco-Glucoside, Disodium Lauryl Sulfosuccinate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Decyl Glucoside, Citric Acid
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 AllantoinEthylhexylglycerin 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 GlycerinLecithin is a term for a group of substances found in the cell membranes of plants, animals, and humans. They are made up of phospholipids.
Thanks to its amphiphilic structure (water-loving head and oil-loving tail), it is a true multitasker:
It plays well with most ingredients and is typically used at 0.1-1%. However, concentrations up to 50% have been reported in moisturizers.
Depending on the source of this ingredient, lecithin may not be fungal acne safe. This is because some sources of lecithin come from soybean oil, which may feed the malassezia yeast that causes fungal acne.
We recommend reaching out to the brand you are purchasing from to inquire about the source of their lecithin.
Learn more about LecithinNiacinamide is a multitasking form of vitamin B3 that strengthens the skin barrier, reduces pores and dark spots, regulates oil, and improves signs of aging.
And the best part? It's gentle and well-tolerated by most skin types, including sensitive and reactive skin.
You might have heard of "niacin flush", or the reddening of skin that causes itchiness. Niacinamide has not been found to cause this.
In very rare cases, some individuals may not be able to tolerate niacinamide at all or experience an allergic reaction to it.
If you are experiencing flaking, irritation, and dryness with this ingredient, be sure to double check all your products as this ingredient can be found in all categories of skincare.
When incorporating niacinamide into your routine, look out for concentration amounts. Typically, 5% niacinamide provides benefits such as fading dark spots. However, if you have sensitive skin, it is better to begin with a smaller concentration.
When you apply niacinamide to your skin, your body converts it into nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD). NAD is an essential coenzyme that is already found in your cells as "fuel" and powers countless biological processes.
In your skin, NAD helps repair cell damage, produce new healthy cells, support collagen production, strengthen the skin barrier, and fight environmental stressors (like UV and pollution).
Our natural NAD levels start to decline with age, leading to slower skin repair, visible aging, and a weaker skin barrier. By providing your skin niacinamide, you're recharging your skin's NAD levels. This leads to stronger, healthier, and younger looking skin.
Another name for vitamin B3 is nicotinamide. This vitamin is water-soluble and our bodies don't store it. We obtain Vitamin B3 from either food or skincare. Meat, fish, wheat, yeast, and leafy greens contain vitamin B3.
The type of niacinamide used in skincare is synthetically created.
Learn more about NiacinamidePhenoxyethanol is a preservative that has germicide, antimicrobial, and aromatic properties. Studies show that phenoxyethanol can prevent microbial growth. By itself, it has a scent that is similar to that of a rose.
It's often used in formulations along with Caprylyl Glycol to preserve the shelf life of products.
This ingredient is a synthetic, salt form polymer built from acrylic acid, ethacrylic acid, or their simple esters. It works as a binder, film former, and viscosity increasing agent.
Typical concentrations start at around 0.5% but can go up to 25% for film-forming or binding.
The CIR Expert Panel assessed the safety of 126 acrylates copolymers and concluded they are safe in cosmetics at current use levels when formulated to be non-irritating. They also noted the levels present in finished cosmetic products are not considered a safety risk and Genotoxicity testing (Ames tests, chromosomal aberration assays) has come back negative across the board.
Though the raw building blocks (like acrylic acid) can be irritating on their own, cosmetic-grade versions go through purification to keep levels extremely low.
Sodium Acrylates Copolymer is a large molecule that doesn't penetrate skin barrier in any meaningful way.
Learn more about Sodium Acrylates CopolymerWater. 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