What's inside
What's inside
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Isononanoate
Emollient
Ethylhexyl Stearate
Emollient
Methylpropanediol
SolventGlycerin
Humectant
Propanediol
Solvent
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Octyldodecanol
Emollient
Sucrose Palmitate
EmollientSucrose Stearate
EmollientSclerotium Gum
Emulsion StabilisingCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingPhenylpropanol
Masking
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingMaclura Cochinchinensis Leaf Prenylflavonoids
Water, Cetearyl Isononanoate, Ethylhexyl Stearate, Methylpropanediol, Glycerin, Propanediol, Pentylene Glycol, Octyldodecanol, Sucrose Palmitate, Sucrose Stearate, Sclerotium Gum, Caprylyl Glycol, Panthenol, Allantoin, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Phenylpropanol, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Xanthan Gum, Maclura Cochinchinensis Leaf Prenylflavonoids
Water
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Isononanoate
Emollient
Octyldodecanol
Emollient
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
C14-22 Alcohols
Emulsion Stabilising
Propanediol
Solvent
Caprylhydroxamic Acid
Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil
Emollient
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Escin
TonicRuscus Aculeatus Root Extract
Astringent
Ammonium Glycyrrhizate
MaskingCentella Asiatica Leaf Extract
Skin Conditioning
Hydrolyzed Yeast Protein
Skin ConditioningCalendula Officinalis Flower Extract
Masking
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate Se
Emulsifying
PEG-100 Stearate
C12-20 Alkyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingAcrylamide/Ammonium Acrylate Copolymer
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingStearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Disodium EDTA
Polyisobutene
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Triethanolamine
BufferingSorbitan Isostearate
Emulsifying
Glycerin
Humectant
Sodium Citrate
BufferingCitric Acid
Buffering
Water, Cetearyl Isononanoate, Octyldodecanol, Butylene Glycol, C14-22 Alcohols, Propanediol, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Allantoin, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Panthenol, Escin, Ruscus Aculeatus Root Extract, Ammonium Glycyrrhizate, Centella Asiatica Leaf Extract, Hydrolyzed Yeast Protein, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Cetyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate Se, PEG-100 Stearate, C12-20 Alkyl Glucoside, Acrylamide/Ammonium Acrylate Copolymer, Xanthan Gum, Stearyl Alcohol, Disodium EDTA, Polyisobutene, Polysorbate 20, Triethanolamine, Sorbitan Isostearate, Glycerin, Sodium Citrate, Citric Acid
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 AllantoinAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice comes from leaves of the aloe plant. Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice is best known for helping to soothe sunburns. It is also anti-inflammatory, moisturizing, antiseptic, and can help heal wounds.
Aloe is packed with good stuff including Vitamins A, C, and E. These vitamins are antioxidants, which help fight free-radicals and the damage they may cause. Free-radicals are molecules that may damage your skin cells, such as pollution.
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice also contains sugars. These sugars come in the form of monosaccharides and polysaccharides, folic acid, and choline. These sugars are able to help bind moisture to skin.
It also contains minerals such as calcium, 12 anthraquinones, fatty acids, amino acids, and Vitamin B12.
Learn more about Aloe Barbadensis Leaf JuiceCetearyl Isononanoate can be bad for oily skin.
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 GlycerinOctyldodecanol is a fatty alcohol sourced from plant oils like coconut or palm (or made synthetically).
It is:
You'll likely see this in many BHA products because this is the go-to solvent for salicylic acid.
This ingredient is typically used at levels between 2-20%.
Regarding fungal acne:
In 2019, this ingredient was tested against multiple Malassezia species (the yeast that causes fungal acne) and showed no growth.
Panthenol 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 PanthenolPropanediol is an all-star ingredient. It softens, hydrates, and smooths the skin.Â
It’s often used to:
Propanediol is not likely to cause sensitivity and considered safe to use. It is derived from corn or petroleum with a clear color and no scent.
Learn more about PropanediolWater. 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 WaterXanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.
On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.
Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.
Learn more about Xanthan Gum
