What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningKaolin
Abrasive
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Bentonite
Absorbent
Polysorbate 80
Emulsifying
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Magnesium Aluminum Silicate
Absorbent
Sea Salt
Abrasive
Montmorillonite
AbsorbentAllantoin
Skin Conditioning
Artemisia Vulgaris Oil
Perfuming
Glycerin
Humectant
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningArginine
Masking
Glycoproteins
Skin Conditioning
Copper Tripeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate
Skin Conditioning
Illite
Abrasive
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Lecithin
Emollient
Citric Acid
Buffering
Myristic Acid
Cleansing
Gluconolactone
Skin Conditioning
Disodium EDTA
Sodium Citrate
BufferingTocopherol
Antioxidant
CI 42090
Cosmetic ColorantCI 19140
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Kaolin, Butylene Glycol, Bentonite, Polysorbate 80, 1,2-Hexanediol, Magnesium Aluminum Silicate, Sea Salt, Montmorillonite, Allantoin, Artemisia Vulgaris Oil, Glycerin, Ethylhexylglycerin, Arginine, Glycoproteins, Copper Tripeptide-1, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Illite, Stearic Acid, Panthenol, Lecithin, Citric Acid, Myristic Acid, Gluconolactone, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Citrate, Tocopherol, CI 42090, CI 19140
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Inositol
Humectant
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Hydroxyethyl Urea
Humectant
Glyceryl Glucoside
Humectant
Trehalose
Humectant
Betaine
Humectant
Erythritol
Humectant
Saccharide Isomerate
Humectant
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningMethyl Diisopropyl Propionamide
MaskingBeta-Glucan
Skin Conditioning
Polymethylsilsesquioxane
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate
Skin Conditioning
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingDipropylene Glycol
HumectantHydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Tromethamine
BufferingCitric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Phytate
Sodium Citrate
BufferingHydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Water, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Inositol, Panthenol, Hydroxyethyl Urea, Glyceryl Glucoside, Trehalose, Betaine, Erythritol, Saccharide Isomerate, Allantoin, Ethylhexylglycerin, Methyl Diisopropyl Propionamide, Beta-Glucan, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, 1,2-Hexanediol, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Dipropylene Glycol, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Glyceryl Stearate, Tromethamine, Citric Acid, Sodium Phytate, Sodium Citrate, Hydroxyacetophenone
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.Ā
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 preservativesĀ
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 GlycolCitric Acid is an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) naturally found in citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, and limes.
Like other AHAs, citric acid can exfoliate skin by breaking down the bonds that hold dead skin cells together. This helps reveal smoother and brighter skin underneath.
However, this exfoliating effect only happens at high concentrations (20%) which can be hard to find in cosmetic products.
Due to this, citric acid is usually included in small amounts as a pH adjuster. This helps keep products slightly more acidic and compatible with skin's natural pH.
In skincare formulas, citric acid can:
While it can provide some skin benefits, research shows lactic acid and glycolic acid are generally more effective and less irritating exfoliants.
Most citric acid used in skincare today is made by fermenting sugars (usually from molasses). This synthetic version is identical to the natural citrus form but easier to stabilize and use in formulations.
Read more about some other popular AHA's here:
Learn more about Citric AcidEthylhexylglycerin 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 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 PanthenolPolyglyceryl-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 LaurateSodium Citrate is the sodium salts of citric acid. In skincare, it is used to alter pH levels and acts as a preservative.
Its main functions are to maintain the pH of a product and neutralize metal ions.
The acidity of our skin is maintained by our glands and skin biome; normal pH level of skin is slightly acidic (~4.75-5.5).
Being slightly acidic allows our skin to create an "acid mantle". This acid mantle is a thin barrier that protects our skin from bacteria and contaminants.
Learn more about Sodium CitrateWater. 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
