What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Avena Sativa Kernel Flour
Abrasive
Chamomilla Recutita Flower Water
MaskingSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide AP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide EOP
Skin Conditioning
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Phytosphingosine
Skin Conditioning
Cholesterol
Emollient
Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate
EmulsifyingPotassium Cetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingGlyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingDisodium EDTA
Tromethamine
BufferingWater, Glycerin, Cetearyl Alcohol, Niacinamide, Avena Sativa Kernel Flour, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Water, Sodium Hyaluronate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Ceramide NP, Ceramide AP, Ceramide EOP, Allantoin, Phytosphingosine, Cholesterol, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Carbomer, Glyceryl Stearate, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenoxyethanol, Xanthan Gum, Disodium EDTA, Tromethamine
Water
Skin ConditioningPrunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Isopropyl Myristate
Emollient
Decyl Glucoside
Cleansing
Polyglyceryl-4 Oleate
Emulsifying
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate
EmulsifyingPropanediol
Solvent
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningAmmonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Hydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingBenzoic Acid
Masking
Hydroxymethoxyphenyl Decanone
Skin ConditioningSodium Hydroxide
BufferingWater, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Isopropyl Myristate, Decyl Glucoside, Polyglyceryl-4 Oleate, Allantoin, Panthenol, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Propanediol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Hydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Benzoic Acid, Hydroxymethoxyphenyl Decanone, Sodium Hydroxide
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 AllantoinEthylhexylglycerin 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 GlycerinSodium Lauroyl Lactylate (SLL) is a mild, plant-derived surfactant made by combining lauric acid with lactic acid.
It has two main jobs in a formula:
A perk of this ingredient is that it leaves skin feeling soft and silky after rinsing. This is why you'll even see it in baby washes.
Another perk?
The lauric acid backbone gives it mild antimicrobial activity and lauric acid itself has been shown to suppress acne-causing bacteria in lab studies.
In 2023, scientists took a close look at how SLL behaves and found it can break apart the fatty outer layers of cells. This is basically why it cleans well and can fight off certain microbes.
The Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) Expert Panel has reviewed it and concluded it's safe as used.
A 2017 survey showed concentrations up to 10% are used in rinse-off cleansers and roughly 0.5-5% being typical in skincare.
Animal and reconstructed-skin testing found it to be non-irritating at 10%, and it's well tolerated even on sensitive skin. The only caveat is to patch test if you have a lactic acid allergy.
As a lactylate salt used at low co-emulsifier concentrations, this ingredient is less likely to break down and release free lauric acid on skin. This ingredient is fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Sodium Lauroyl LactylateWater. 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
