What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
SolventButyloctyl Salicylate
Skin ConditioningAzelaic Acid 10%
BufferingPolyglyceryl-6 Stearate
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantPolyglyceryl-4 Oleate
EmulsifyingAvena Sativa Kernel Flour
AbrasiveGlyceryl Caprylate
EmollientSodium Anisate
AntimicrobialSodium Levulinate
Skin ConditioningPolyglyceryl-6 Behenate
Emulsion StabilisingRosa Canina Fruit Extract
AstringentCetyl Hydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSodium Phytate
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin ConditioningCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialWater, Propanediol, Butyloctyl Salicylate, Azelaic Acid 10%, Polyglyceryl-6 Stearate, Glycerin, Polyglyceryl-4 Oleate, Avena Sativa Kernel Flour, Glyceryl Caprylate, Sodium Anisate, Sodium Levulinate, Polyglyceryl-6 Behenate, Rosa Canina Fruit Extract, Cetyl Hydroxyethylcellulose, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Phytate, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
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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 GlycerinPropanediol is an all-star ingredient. It softens, hydrates, and smooths the skin.Β
Itβs 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 PropanediolSodium Anisate comes from fennel. It is used as a preservative and to add flavoring.
Sodium Anisate has antimicrobial properties.
Sodium levulinate is the a sodium salt of Levulinic Acid. Oncedissolved in an aqueous solution, the two ingredients become identical. It is usually derived from renewable plant sources like corn starch or sugarcane.
In skincare, it mostly acts as a skin conditioning agent that keeps skin soft and hydrated. It also acts as a preservative booster by inhibiting the growth of mold, yeast, and bacteria.
It's often paired with Sodium Anisate as the two create a broad-spectrum preservative system that is popular in "natural" formulations.
This ingredient is water-soluble.
The CIR Expert Panel for Cosmetic Ingredient Safety has concluded this ingredient to be non-irritated and there are no restrictions for use in EU cosmetics. The FDA also allows this ingredient to be used as a food-grade flavoring agent.
Learn more about Sodium LevulinateWater. 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