What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Propanediol
Solvent
Glycerin
Humectant
C15-19 Alkane
SolventSalvia Hispanica Seed Oil
Emollient
Sodium PCA
Humectant
Trehalose
Humectant
Poria Cocos Polysaccharide
Skin ConditioningPapain
Skin Conditioning
Dunaliella Salina Extract
Skin ConditioningAminopropyl Ascorbyl Phosphate
Antioxidant
Terminalia Arjuna Extract
Skin ConditioningTremella Fuciformis Sporocarp Extract
Antioxidant
Ascorbyl Methylsilanol Pectinate
Antioxidant
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Phytosterols
Skin Conditioning
Algin
Masking
Citrus Grandis Peel Oil
Masking
Phytosteryl Oleate
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
Antioxidant
Serine
Masking
Oleic Acid
Emollient
Inositol
Humectant
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Betaine
Humectant
Carrageenan
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Humectant
Methylpropanediol
SolventProline
Skin Conditioning
Xylitol
Humectant
Calcium Gluconate
HumectantPantolactone
Humectant
Lecithin
Emollient
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Aminomethyl Propanol
BufferingCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Polyacrylate-13
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingTetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate
Polyisobutene
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningSodium Benzoate
Masking
Citric Acid
Buffering
Gluconolactone
Skin Conditioning
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Carbomer
Emulsion Stabilising1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingLimonene
Perfuming
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Water, Butylene Glycol, Propanediol, Glycerin, C15-19 Alkane, Salvia Hispanica Seed Oil, Sodium PCA, Trehalose, Poria Cocos Polysaccharide, Papain, Dunaliella Salina Extract, Aminopropyl Ascorbyl Phosphate, Terminalia Arjuna Extract, Tremella Fuciformis Sporocarp Extract, Ascorbyl Methylsilanol Pectinate, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5, Sodium Hyaluronate, Phytosterols, Algin, Citrus Grandis Peel Oil, Phytosteryl Oleate, Tocopherol, Serine, Oleic Acid, Inositol, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Betaine, Carrageenan, Panthenol, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Methylpropanediol, Proline, Xylitol, Calcium Gluconate, Pantolactone, Lecithin, Xanthan Gum, Pentylene Glycol, Aminomethyl Propanol, Caprylyl Glycol, Polyacrylate-13, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Polyisobutene, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Benzoate, Citric Acid, Gluconolactone, Polysorbate 20, Potassium Sorbate, Carbomer, 1,2-Hexanediol, Sodium Hydroxide, Limonene, Phenoxyethanol
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Lactose
HumectantC12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialCetearyl Ethylhexanoate
Emollient
PEG-100 Stearate
Surfactant
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
PEG-8
HumectantStearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Tromethamine
BufferingPanthenol
Skin Conditioning
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingIsopropyl Myristate
Emollient
Methylparaben
Preservative
Disodium EDTA
BHT
Antioxidant
Propylparaben
Preservative
Magnesium Aspartate
Skin ConditioningZinc Gluconate
Skin Conditioning
Chlorhexidine Digluconate
Antimicrobial
Retinol
Skin Conditioning
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Copper Gluconate
Skin Conditioning
Water, Glycerin, Lactose, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Cetearyl Ethylhexanoate, PEG-100 Stearate, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-8, Stearyl Alcohol, Tromethamine, Panthenol, Carbomer, Isopropyl Myristate, Methylparaben, Disodium EDTA, BHT, Propylparaben, Magnesium Aspartate, Zinc Gluconate, Chlorhexidine Digluconate, Retinol, Polysorbate 20, Copper Gluconate
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Carbomer is a high-molecular weight polymer of acrylic acid. It is used to form gels and thicken formulas.
Due to its large molecular size, carbomer has minimal skin penetration and is considered an inert ingredient.
A high amount of carbomer can cause pilling or balling up of products. Don't worry, most products contain 1% or less of carbomer.
Learn more about CarbomerGlycerin (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 GlycerinPanthenol is a common ingredient that helps hydrate and soothe the skin. It is found naturally in our skin and hair.
There are two forms of panthenol: D and L.
D-panthenol is also known as dexpanthenol. Most cosmetics use dexpanthenol or a mixture of D and L-panthenol.
Panthenol is famous due to its ability to go deeper into the skin's layers. Using this ingredient has numerous pros (and no cons):
Like hyaluronic acid, panthenol is a humectant. Humectants are able to bind and hold large amounts of water to keep skin hydrated.
This ingredient works well for wound healing. It works by increasing tissue in the wound and helps close open wounds.
Once oxidized, panthenol converts to pantothenic acid. Panthothenic acid is found in all living cells.
This ingredient is also referred to as pro-vitamin B5.
Learn more about PanthenolPolysorbate 20 is a gentle, water-soluble emulsifier and mild surfactant. It stops oil and water from separating to keep your formulas blended and stable.
It also acts as a mild penetration enhancer by helping active ingredients absorb slightly better.
The common safety discussion around this ingredient involves a manufacturing byproduct called 1,4-dioxane.
Trace amounts can form during production but the EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety has concluded that levels at/below 10 ppm in finished products are safe (commercial products consistently fall within acceptable margins).
True allergic reactions are uncommon and the CIR Expert Panel has confirmed this ingredient to be safe as used in cosmetics.
Because it is derived from lauric acid, it may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Polysorbate 20Water. 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
