What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Sorbitol
Humectant
Sodium Lactate
Buffering
Sodium PCA
Humectant
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPanthenol
Skin Conditioning
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Sodium Carboxymethyl Beta-Glucan
CleansingSodium Polyglutamate
HumectantAesculus Hippocastanum Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningChamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
Masking
Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract
Emollient
Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
Bleaching
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Benzoic Acid
Masking
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Water, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Sorbitol, Sodium Lactate, Sodium PCA, Xanthan Gum, Panthenol, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Carboxymethyl Beta-Glucan, Sodium Polyglutamate, Aesculus Hippocastanum Seed Extract, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Phenoxyethanol, Chlorphenesin, Benzoic Acid, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate
Water
Skin ConditioningHamamelis Virginiana Leaf Water
Astringent
Salvia Officinalis Extract
Antimicrobial
Citrus Medica Limonum Peel Extract
EmollientRosa Canina Fruit Extract
Astringent
Citrus Aurantium Amara Flower Extract
RefreshingTuber Melanosporum Extract
HumectantRosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialCucumis Sativus Fruit Extract
Emollient
Lavandula Angustifolia Flower Extract
Cleansing
Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract
Masking
Glycerin
Humectant
Parfum
Masking
Sodium Lactate
Buffering
Sodium PCA
Humectant
Proline
Skin Conditioning
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Inositol
Humectant
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Disodium EDTA
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCoumarin
Perfuming
Water, Hamamelis Virginiana Leaf Water, Salvia Officinalis Extract, Citrus Medica Limonum Peel Extract, Rosa Canina Fruit Extract, Citrus Aurantium Amara Flower Extract, Tuber Melanosporum Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract, Lavandula Angustifolia Flower Extract, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract, Glycerin, Parfum, Sodium Lactate, Sodium PCA, Proline, Niacinamide, Inositol, Panthenol, Disodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol, Polysorbate 20, Ethylhexylglycerin, Coumarin
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
This extract comes from cucumber. Cucumbers are mostly made up of water (95%), and the other 5% is composed of: vitamin C, caffeic acid, fatty acids, amino acids, and other minerals.
Cucumbers have anti-inflammatory, barrier repair, and hydrating properties.
They contain shikimate dehydrigenase, an enzyme shown to help reduce inflammation and soothe the skin.
The amino acids found in cucumbers help nourish our skin's natural acid mantle (it's an important part of our skin barrier). This slightly acidic film acts as a barrier to protect us from bacteria, viruses, and other contaminants.
Unless you have an allergy to cucumbers, this is generally a non-irritating ingredient.
Fun fact: Cucumis Sativus is native to South Asia and can now be found on every continent.
Learn more about Cucumis Sativus Fruit ExtractEthylhexylglycerin 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 PanthenolPhenoxyethanol 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.
Sodium Lactate is the sodium salt of lactic acid, an AHA. It is a humectant and sometimes used to adjust the pH of a product.
This ingredient is part of our skin's NMF, or natural moisturizing factor. Our NMF is essential for the hydration of our top skin layers and plasticity of skin. NMF also influences our skin's natural acid mantle and pH, which protects our skin from harmful bacteria.
High percentages of Sodium Lactate can have an exfoliating effect.
Fun fact: Sodium Lactate is produced from fermented sugar.
Learn more about Sodium LactateSodium PCA is the sodium salt of pyroglutamic acid. It is naturally occurring in our skin's natural moisturizing factors where it works to maintain hydration.
The PCA stands for pyrrolidone carboxylic acid, a natural amino acid derivative.
This ingredient has skin conditioning, anti-inflammatory, and humectant properties. Humectants help hydrate your skin by drawing moisture from the air. This helps keep your skin moisturized.
Learn more about Sodium PCAWater. 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
