What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningTetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate
Antioxidant
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Coconut Alkanes
Emollient
Coco-Caprylate/Caprate
Emollient
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Ricinus Communis Seed Oil
Masking
Arbutin
Antioxidant
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Squalane
Emollient
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Arginine
Masking
Glutamylamidoethyl Imidazole
Cystoseira Tamariscifolia Extract
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Soy Amino Acids
Skin ConditioningYeast Extract
Skin ConditioningLinoleic Acid
Cleansing
Linolenic Acid
Cleansing
Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Benzoic Acid
Masking
Water, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Coconut Alkanes, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Pentylene Glycol, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Ricinus Communis Seed Oil, Arbutin, Niacinamide, Squalane, Sodium Hyaluronate, Panthenol, Lactic Acid, Arginine, Glutamylamidoethyl Imidazole, Cystoseira Tamariscifolia Extract, Glycerin, Allantoin, Tocopherol, Soy Amino Acids, Yeast Extract, Linoleic Acid, Linolenic Acid, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Caprylyl Glycol, Benzoic Acid
Water
Skin Conditioning3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Erythritol
Humectant
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Elastin
Skin ConditioningOryza Sativa Extract
Absorbent
Phragmites Communis Extract
Skin ConditioningZea Mays Silk Extract
Skin ConditioningAngelica Keiskei Extract
Antioxidant
Vetiveria Zizanoides Root Extract
Perfuming
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Saururus Chinensis Leaf/Root Extract
Antimicrobial
Taraxacum Officinale Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningHydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Stephania Tetrandra Root Extract
Skin ConditioningAloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
Emollient
Hydrolyzed Collagen
Emollient
Ferulic Acid
Antimicrobial
Carnosine
Skin Conditioning
Centella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingDisodium EDTA
Water, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Butylene Glycol, Propylene Glycol, Glycerin, Erythritol, Panthenol, Elastin, Oryza Sativa Extract, Phragmites Communis Extract, Zea Mays Silk Extract, Angelica Keiskei Extract, Vetiveria Zizanoides Root Extract, Tocopherol, Saururus Chinensis Leaf/Root Extract, Taraxacum Officinale Leaf Extract, Hydroxyacetophenone, 1,2-Hexanediol, Stephania Tetrandra Root Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Hydrolyzed Collagen, Ferulic Acid, Carnosine, Centella Asiatica Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Allantoin, Phenoxyethanol, Xanthan Gum, 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.
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 AllantoinGlycerin (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 PanthenolSodium Hyaluronate is the salt form of hyaluronic acid. It is a long sugar chain that is naturally found in your skin, joints, and connective tissue that maintains hydration and elasticity.
In skincare, it works as a humectant. It pulls water from the environment and deeper layers of skin and binds it to the surface.
Interestingly, the size of the molecule affects its behavior:
Some clinical evidence links low molecular weight versions to improved wrinkle depth, elasticity, anti-inflammatory effects, and barrier repair.
Many serums use a blend of both weights so you can get surface hydration plus longer-lasting and deeper effects.
You'll typically see concentrations between 0.1-2% for this ingredient.
Learn more about Sodium HyaluronateTocopherol is a fat-soluble antioxidant known as Vitamin E.
You'll find this ingredient in the vast majority of skincare (for good reason). It works to neutralize free radicals, or unstable molecules generated by UV exposure, pollution, and other environmental stressors, before they can cause oxidative damage to your skin cells.
Topically applied tocopherol has been shown to protect against UV damage by ramping up the skin's own natural defense enzymes.
It also acts as a skin conditioning agent; some studies show that regular topical use can improve the skin's water-binding capacity over 2-4 weeks.
This ingredient is especially loved for being a team player. When combined with Vitamin C, the photoprotective effect of both ingredients roughly doubles and the combo also helps reduce UV-induced DNA damage.
This ingredient has some brightening potential but it's more of a prevention ingredient than spot-fader. Cell studies show it can slow down melanin production but it's worth noting that it's not the most powerful brightener out there.
In formulations, it also serves as a stabilizer that helps protect other oxidation-prone ingredients from degrading.
Concentrations usually range from 0.1-1% in most leave-on products.
Learn more about TocopherolWater. 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
