What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantStearyl Alcohol
EmollientSodium Cocoyl Isethionate
CleansingPanthenol
Skin ConditioningMaltodextrin
AbsorbentBixa Orellana Seed Extract
MaskingNiacinamide
SmoothingRosa Centifolia Flower Extract
AstringentHibiscus Sabdariffa Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningBetaine
HumectantXylitylglucoside
HumectantAnhydroxylitol
HumectantXylitol
HumectantXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingLactic Acid
BufferingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeWater
Skin ConditioningDecyl Glucoside
CleansingCocamidopropyl Betaine
CleansingIsopropyl Myristate
EmollientBenzoyl Peroxide 2.5%
Glycerin
HumectantPropylene Glycol
HumectantPolysorbate 20
EmulsifyingGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientPEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
EmulsifyingAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeTriethanolamine
BufferingTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantAloe Barbadensis Extract
Skin ConditioningPanthenol
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
Water, Decyl Glucoside, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Isopropyl Myristate, Benzoyl Peroxide 2.5%, Glycerin, Propylene Glycol, Polysorbate 20, Glyceryl Stearate, Cetearyl Alcohol, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Phenoxyethanol, Triethanolamine, Tocopheryl Acetate, Aloe Barbadensis Extract, Panthenol, Disodium EDTA
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Glycerin (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.
Water. 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