What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningPanthenol
Skin Conditioning
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantMethyl Gluceth-10
EmulsifyingPEG/PPG-17/6 Copolymer
Solvent1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingArginine
Masking
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Tranexamic Acid
Astringent
Portulaca Oleracea Extract
Skin Conditioning
Erythritol
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Isopentyldiol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Carboxymethyl Chitosan
Gel FormingPPG-26-Buteth-26
Skin ConditioningMadecassoside
Antioxidant
Ectoin
Skin Conditioning
Disodium EDTA
PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Centella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Methyl Diisopropyl Propionamide
MaskingChlorella Vulgaris Extract
Skin ConditioningAsiaticoside
Antioxidant
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
CI 19140
Cosmetic ColorantCI 42090
Cosmetic ColorantLactobacillus/Soymilk Ferment Filtrate
Skin ConditioningLaminaria Digitata Extract
Skin Protecting
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Cetyl-Pg Hydroxyethyl Palmitamide
Skin ConditioningCeramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Cholesterol
Emollient
Ceramide Ns
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide As
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide AP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide EOP
Skin Conditioning
Water, Panthenol, Dipropylene Glycol, Methyl Gluceth-10, PEG/PPG-17/6 Copolymer, 1,2-Hexanediol, Hydroxyacetophenone, Carbomer, Arginine, Allantoin, Tranexamic Acid, Portulaca Oleracea Extract, Erythritol, Butylene Glycol, Isopentyldiol, Glycerin, Carboxymethyl Chitosan, PPG-26-Buteth-26, Madecassoside, Ectoin, Disodium EDTA, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Centella Asiatica Extract, Methyl Diisopropyl Propionamide, Chlorella Vulgaris Extract, Asiaticoside, Pentylene Glycol, CI 19140, CI 42090, Lactobacillus/Soymilk Ferment Filtrate, Laminaria Digitata Extract, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Cetyl-Pg Hydroxyethyl Palmitamide, Ceramide NP, Cholesterol, Ceramide Ns, Ceramide As, Ceramide AP, Ceramide EOP
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Tranexamic Acid
Astringent
Alpha-Arbutin
Antioxidant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Acetamidoethoxyethanol
Humectant
Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
Masking
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Sodium Acrylates Copolymer
Lecithin
Emollient
Lysine
Skin ConditioningHistidine
Humectant
Arginine
Masking
Aspartic Acid
Masking
Threonine
Serine
Masking
Glutamic Acid
Humectant
Proline
Skin Conditioning
Glycine
Buffering
Alanine
Masking
Valine
MaskingIsoleucine
Skin ConditioningLeucine
Skin ConditioningTyrosine
MaskingPhenylalanine
Masking
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningMenthyl Lactate
Masking
PPG-26-Buteth-26
Skin ConditioningPEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Water, Glycerin, Tranexamic Acid, Alpha-Arbutin, Butylene Glycol, Acetamidoethoxyethanol, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Panthenol, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Acrylates Copolymer, Lecithin, Lysine, Histidine, Arginine, Aspartic Acid, Threonine, Serine, Glutamic Acid, Proline, Glycine, Alanine, Valine, Isoleucine, Leucine, Tyrosine, Phenylalanine, Ethylhexylglycerin, Menthyl Lactate, PPG-26-Buteth-26, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Arginine 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 GlycolGlycerin (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 PanthenolPEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil is an emulsifier derived from castor oil.
As an emulsifying agent, it helps other ingredients like fragrances and fat-soluble vitamins dissolve cohesively.
Due to its large molecule size, it doesn't penetrate beyond the skin's surface.
This ingredient has a solid regulatory track record; the CIR Expert Panel first concluded it was safe for use in cosmetics at concentrations up to 100% in 1997. A 2012 reassessment reaffirmed that finding. Safety studies have also found no irritation or evidence of toxicity.
A 2019 study did find this ingredient to grow Malassezia, so this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor OilWe don't have a description for PPG-26-Buteth-26 yet.
Tranexamic Acid (TXA) is a synthetic lysine derivative that is becoming one of the most exciting brightening ingredients in skincare.
Originally used in medicine as an anti-hemorrhagic agent, its skin brightening potential was discovered by accident; patients taking it orally started noticing their melasma was fading.
Unlike most brighteners that target tyrosinase (the enzyme that synthesizes melanin), TXA works further upstream. It basically blocks your cells from receiving the signal to produce pigment.
This makes it one of the rare actives that works on three pathways at once:
This makes it effective for treating melasma, post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH), and sun-induced dark spots.
The most effective cosmetic concentration sits between 2-5% and going higher doesn't boost results.
Side effects are generally mild; occasional irritation, flaking, or dryness have been reported at the start of use. Overall, this ingredient is pretty well tolerated, even by sensitive skin types.
Another perk of this ingredient is that it does not cause photosensitivity, so it's safe to use in the AM and PM.
Learn more about Tranexamic AcidWater. 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
