What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Zea Mays Starch
AbsorbentSodium Cocoyl Isethionate
CleansingSodium Lauroyl Glutamate
Sodium Palmitate
CleansingDiglycerin
HumectantUlmus Davidiana Root Extract
Skin ConditioningAmaranthus Caudatus Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningCitrus Aurantium Dulcis Oil
MaskingCitrus Nobilis Peel Oil
MaskingLitsea Cubeba Fruit Oil
MaskingCitric Acid
BufferingCharcoal Powder
AbrasiveAllantoin
Skin ConditioningWater
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
HumectantProtease
ExfoliatingLactobacillus Ferment
Skin ConditioningLactobacillus Ferment Lysate
Skin ConditioningLactococcus Ferment Lysate
Skin ConditioningBifida Ferment Filtrate
Skin ConditioningBifida Ferment Lysate
Skin ConditioningTropolone
Skin ConditioningSaccharomyces Ferment Filtrate
Humectant1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientZea Mays Starch, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Sodium Lauroyl Glutamate, Sodium Palmitate, Diglycerin, Ulmus Davidiana Root Extract, Amaranthus Caudatus Seed Extract, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Oil, Citrus Nobilis Peel Oil, Litsea Cubeba Fruit Oil, Citric Acid, Charcoal Powder, Allantoin, Water, Butylene Glycol, Protease, Lactobacillus Ferment, Lactobacillus Ferment Lysate, Lactococcus Ferment Lysate, Bifida Ferment Filtrate, Bifida Ferment Lysate, Tropolone, Saccharomyces Ferment Filtrate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol
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 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 GlycolProtease 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 ProteaseSodium cocoyl isethionate is a natural ingredient from coconut oil. It is an ultra gentle cleanser that gives a nice foam without drying the skin or impacting the skin barrier.
The amount of foam created depends on the amount of sodium cocoyl isethionate used in the product.
This ingredient also helps improve the spreadability of a product.
This ingredient hasn’t been shown in studies to feed fungal acne yeast.
Learn more about Sodium Cocoyl IsethionateSodium Lauroyl Glutamate is the sodium salt from the lauric acid of glutamic acid.
It is a surfactant and helps cleanse the skin. Surfactants gather oil, dirt, and other pollutants from your skin so they may be washed away easily.
Zea Mays Starch is starch made from corn. You might know this as cornstarch . It is used to thicken a product. It can replace talc as an absorbent.
The pH of cornstarch is 5.92.
Cornstarch is a common food ingredient used to thicken soups or to make corn syrup.
Learn more about Zea Mays Starch