What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningPropylene Glycol
Humectant
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Hdi/Trimethylol Hexyllactone Crosspolymer
Silica
Abrasive
Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate
Absorbent
Dimethicone
Emollient
Polyacrylamide
C13-14 Isoparaffin
Emollient
Laureth-7
EmulsifyingCentella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Triolein
Skin Conditioning
Olive Glycerides
Emulsifying
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Snail Secretion Filtrate
Skin Conditioning
Cucumis Sativus Extract
Skin Conditioning
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Hydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingWater, Propylene Glycol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Niacinamide, Hdi/Trimethylol Hexyllactone Crosspolymer, Silica, Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate, Dimethicone, Polyacrylamide, C13-14 Isoparaffin, Laureth-7, Centella Asiatica Extract, Triolein, Olive Glycerides, Ceramide NP, Glycerin, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenoxyethanol, Snail Secretion Filtrate, Cucumis Sativus Extract, Allantoin, Hydroxyethylcellulose
Water
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Glycerin
Humectant
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialGlyceryl Stearate
Emollient
PEG-100 Stearate
Surfactant
Cyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Dimethicone
Emollient
Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Skin Conditioning
Centella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
Skin Conditioning
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Glycosaminoglycans
HumectantSaccharide Isomerate
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Soluble Proteoglycan
Skin ConditioningAllantoin
Skin Conditioning
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ectoin
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Cholesterol
Emollient
Ceramide Ns
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide As
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide AP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide EOP
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin Conditioning1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingTriethanolamine
BufferingHydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantCitric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Citrate
BufferingTetrasodium EDTA
Water, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glycerin, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Cyclopentasiloxane, Dimethicone, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Centella Asiatica Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Hydrolyzed Glycosaminoglycans, Saccharide Isomerate, Butylene Glycol, Soluble Proteoglycan, Allantoin, Phenoxyethanol, Ectoin, Ceramide NP, Cholesterol, Ceramide Ns, Ceramide As, Ceramide AP, Ceramide EOP, Ethylhexylglycerin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Carbomer, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Triethanolamine, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Dipropylene Glycol, Citric Acid, Sodium Citrate, Tetrasodium 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.
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 AllantoinCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride (aka MCT Oil) is a lightweight emollient, solvent, and texture enhancer. It is considered a skin-softener by helping to prevent moisture loss.
Though it behaves like an oil, it is not technically one due to its chemical composition. One perk of this ingredient is that it is very stable, resistant to oxidation, and unlikely to go rancid.
In practice, that translates to a long shelf life and a consistently elegant skin feel.
While there is an assumption Caprylic Triglyceride can clog pores due to it being derived from coconut oil, there is no research supporting this. Just patch test if you have concerns.
Fractionated coconut oil and MCT Oil are both listed as Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride according to INCI. This is because INCI names are based on the ingredient’s final chemical composition and not its marketing name or source.
This ingredient is treated as the gold standard fungal acne safe oil. Even though it is coconut derived, the problematic lauric acid is stripped out.
This leaves just caprylic (C8) and capric (C10) acid. These chain lengths actually trend antifungal; a 2020 study found caprylic acid was enough to disrupt Malassezia furfur cell membrane, with a caprylic acid derivative damaging membrane structures at concentrations as low as 0.2%.
Learn more about Caprylic/Capric TriglycerideCentella Asiatica Extract (Centella) is derived from an herb native to Southeast Asia. It is famous for its anti-inflammatory and soothing properties.
Centella is rich in antioxidants and amino acids, such as Madecassic Acid and Asiaticoside.
Studies show the compounds in centella help with:
The combination of all these properties makes centella effective at soothing, hydrating, and protecting the skin.
Other great components of centella include Vitamin A, vitamin C, several B vitamins, and Asiatic Acid.
Fun fact: Centella has been used as a medicine and in food for many centuries. As a medicine, it is used to treat burns, scratches, and wounds.
Learn more about Centella Asiatica ExtractCeramide NP (formerly known as Ceramide 3) is one of the skin's naturally occurring lipids.
Since ceramides are the major lipid components of the skin, they are crucial for maintaining skin barrier and hydration. Ceramide NP most closely mirrors the dominant kind in human skin amongst ceramide subtypes.
This ceramide works by slotting into gaps within the stratum corneum's lipid matrix to limit trans-epidermal water loss (TEWL) and shield the skin against external irritants.
A study with 312 patients found that using a ceramide-containing routine for 4 weeks reduced the severity of atopic dermatitis by over 61%.
Another clinical study in subjects aged 60 and older found that a ceramide body wash and moisturizer improved skin dryness and itchy skin in 15 days.
Overall, ceramides are considered non-irritating and safety tests have found little to no observable adverse effects from using this ingredient.
Ceramide NP is usually sourced from plants (like soybean or rice bran), or produced synthetically.
Learn more about Ceramide NPDimethicone 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 DimethiconeEthylhexylglycerin 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 GlycerinPhenoxyethanol 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.
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
