What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Methylpropanediol
SolventButylene Glycol
Humectant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Lactobacillus/Soybean Ferment Extract
Skin ConditioningLactobacillus/Rice Ferment Filtrate
Skin ConditioningLactobacillus
Skin ConditioningSaccharomyces/Coix Lacryma-Jobi Ma-Yuen Seed Ferment Filtrate
Skin Conditioning
Saccharomyces/Potato Extract Ferment Filtrate
Humectant
Glycine
Buffering
Serine
Masking
Glutamic Acid
Humectant
Aspartic Acid
Masking
Leucine
Skin ConditioningAlanine
Masking
Lysine
Skin ConditioningTyrosine
MaskingPhenylalanine
Masking
Threonine
Proline
Skin Conditioning
Valine
MaskingIsoleucine
Skin ConditioningHistidine
Humectant
Methionine
Skin ConditioningCysteine
Antioxidant
Tremella Fuciformis Polysaccharide
Emulsion Stabilising
Pyrus Communis Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningRosa Damascena Flower Water
Masking
Cucumis Melo Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningVetiveria Zizanoides Root Oil
Masking
Hedera Helix Leaf/Stem Extract
AntimicrobialOlea Europaea Fruit Oil
Masking
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Squalane
Emollient
Cholesterol
Emollient
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Phytosphingosine
Skin Conditioning
Acetyl Glucosamine
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Polygamma-Glutamate
Emulsion StabilisingMusa Sapientum Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Propanediol
Solvent
Fructan
Skin ConditioningAllantoin
Skin Conditioning
Trehalose
Humectant
Arginine
Masking
Dextrin
AbsorbentHydroxypropyl Methylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingCI 77220
Cosmetic ColorantGlycolic Acid
Buffering
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPolyglyceryl-10 Laurate
Skin Conditioning
Citric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Citrate
BufferingDisodium EDTA
Water, Glycerin, Methylpropanediol, Butylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Lactobacillus/Soybean Ferment Extract, Lactobacillus/Rice Ferment Filtrate, Lactobacillus, Saccharomyces/Coix Lacryma-Jobi Ma-Yuen Seed Ferment Filtrate, Saccharomyces/Potato Extract Ferment Filtrate, Glycine, Serine, Glutamic Acid, Aspartic Acid, Leucine, Alanine, Lysine, Tyrosine, Phenylalanine, Threonine, Proline, Valine, Isoleucine, Histidine, Methionine, Cysteine, Tremella Fuciformis Polysaccharide, Pyrus Communis Fruit Extract, Rosa Damascena Flower Water, Cucumis Melo Fruit Extract, Vetiveria Zizanoides Root Oil, Hedera Helix Leaf/Stem Extract, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Squalane, Cholesterol, Ceramide NP, Phytosphingosine, Acetyl Glucosamine, Sodium Polygamma-Glutamate, Musa Sapientum Fruit Extract, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Propanediol, Fructan, Allantoin, Trehalose, Arginine, Dextrin, Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose, CI 77220, Glycolic Acid, Hydroxyacetophenone, Tocopheryl Acetate, Carbomer, Xanthan Gum, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Citric Acid, Sodium Citrate, Disodium EDTA
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantHydrolyzed Collagen
Emollient
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate
Skin Conditioning
Arginine
Masking
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingPolyglyceryl-4 Laurate
Emulsifying
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Adenosine
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl/Capryl Glucoside
CleansingButylene Glycol
Humectant
Parfum
Masking
Hydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Collagen Extract
Skin Conditioning
Soluble Collagen
Humectant
Disodium EDTA
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCopper Tripeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Hexapeptide-11
Skin Conditioning
Hexapeptide-9
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Tripeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Water, Glycerin, Dipropylene Glycol, Hydrolyzed Collagen, Hydroxyacetophenone, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Arginine, Carbomer, Polyglyceryl-4 Laurate, Allantoin, Adenosine, Caprylyl/Capryl Glucoside, Butylene Glycol, Parfum, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Caprylyl Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Collagen Extract, Soluble Collagen, Disodium EDTA, Ethylhexylglycerin, Copper Tripeptide-1, Hexapeptide-11, Hexapeptide-9, Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Tripeptide-1
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.
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 preservatives
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 AllantoinArginine is a semi-essential amino acid. This just means our bodies can product a bit on its own, but sometimes needs a little boost from food sources.
It is a part of your skin's natural moisturizing factor (NMF), or the water-loving molecules in your outermost layer of skin (stratum corneum) that keeps everything hydrated and happy.
Here's an interesting thing about Arginine: your skin converts it into urea through the Krebs-Henseleit urea cycle. Urea is one of the most effective humectants your skin naturally produces.
A clinical study showed applying 2.5% arginine hydrochloride to atopic dermatitis skin showed significant urea levels in the stratum corneum and improved moisture in just four weeks.
Arginine is also a precursor to nitric oxide; nitric oxide improves microcirculation and supports wound healing and collagen synthesis.
One study found that an amino acid complex containing Arginine reduced skin irritation, improved hydration, and accelerated skin repair in clinical / in-vivo studies.
Arginine itself is an amino acid and not a fatty acid, oil, or ester. On its own, it's not a direct food source for Malassezia, or the yeast that causes fungal acne.
Learn more about ArginineButylene 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 GlycolCarbomer 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 CarbomerDisodium EDTA is a chelating agent. It grabs onto and deactivates metal ions that sneak into your products from water, packaging, or air.
This ingredient mainly works behind the scenes and helps with:
On top of that, this ingredient can counteract the effects of hard water by binding to the minerals in it.
One thing worth knowing is that Disodium EDTA has been shown to be a mild penetration enhancer. It can help other ingredients absorb into skin more effectively which can be a double-edged sword (great for actives, but can also make the active too strong if you have sensitive skin).
Clinical patch testing showed no significant skin irritation at typical use concentrations and minimal dermal absorption.
You'll most likely see this ingredient near the end of an ingredient list. It's typically found in concentrations less than 1%.
Learn more about Disodium EDTAGlycerin (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 GlycerinHydroxyacetophenone is antioxidant with skin conditioning and soothing properties. It also boosts the efficiency of preservatives.
Though naturally occuring in Norwegian spruce needles, this ingredient is usually synthetically created.
This ingredient is not irritating or sensitizing. Recent research also suggests it may have skin-brightening effects through tyrosinase inhibition.
Learn more about HydroxyacetophenonePolyglyceryl-10 Laurate is a cleansing agent and emulsifier.
It rounds up dirt, oil, and grime, so they can be rinsed off easily as a cleanser. On the emulsifier side, it keeps your formula smooth and well-mixed by playing peacekeeper for ingredients that don't naturally get along (like oil and water).
Because it has a C12 (lauric acid) fatty acid chain, this ingredient can potentially feed the Malassezia yeast that causes fungal acne. The Malassezia yeast prefers esters with C11-C24 fatty acids If you're prone to flare-ups, you might want to patch-test or skip this one.
This ingredient is an ester of lauric acid and Polyglycerin-10.
Learn more about Polyglyceryl-10 LaurateWater. 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
