What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningArtemisia Vulgaris Extract
Skin Conditioning
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Dipropylene Glycol
Humectant1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Centella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Salix Alba Bark Extract
Astringent
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Hydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingBetaine
Humectant
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate
Skin Conditioning
Hamamelis Virginiana Leaf Water
Astringent
Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Humectant
Tetrasodium Iminodisuccinate
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningArtemisia Vulgaris Oil
Perfuming
Water, Artemisia Vulgaris Extract, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Dipropylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Hydroxyacetophenone, Centella Asiatica Extract, Salix Alba Bark Extract, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Betaine, Allantoin, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Hamamelis Virginiana Leaf Water, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Tetrasodium Iminodisuccinate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Artemisia Vulgaris Oil
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Methylpropanediol
SolventPropanediol
Solvent
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Extract
Perfuming
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Betaine
Humectant
Trehalose
Humectant
Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Water
AntimicrobialLactobacillus Ferment
Skin Conditioning
Adenosine
Skin Conditioning
Disodium EDTA
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingMelaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil
Antioxidant
Arginine
Masking
Octyldodeceth-16
EmulsifyingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingGlycine
Buffering
Glutamic Acid
Humectant
Aspartic Acid
Masking
4-Terpineol
Masking
Sodium Polyacrylate
Absorbent
Sodium Chloride
MaskingSerine
Masking
Histidine
Humectant
Alanine
Masking
Threonine
Proline
Skin Conditioning
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingMagnesium Chloride
Calcium Chloride
AstringentWater, Glycerin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Methylpropanediol, Propanediol, Hydroxyacetophenone, Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Extract, Butylene Glycol, Panthenol, Allantoin, Betaine, Trehalose, Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Water, Lactobacillus Ferment, Adenosine, Disodium EDTA, Carbomer, Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil, Arginine, Octyldodeceth-16, Xanthan Gum, Glycine, Glutamic Acid, Aspartic Acid, 4-Terpineol, Sodium Polyacrylate, Sodium Chloride, Serine, Histidine, Alanine, Threonine, Proline, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Magnesium Chloride, Calcium Chloride
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
1,2-Hexanediol is a synthetic liquid and another multi-functional powerhouse.Â
It is a:
- Humectant, drawing moisture into the skin
- Emollient, helping to soften skin
- Solvent, dispersing and stabilizing formulas
- Preservative booster, enhancing the antimicrobial activity of other preservativesÂ
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 AllantoinBetaine is a humectant. Like hyaluronic acid, it helps attract and retain moisture in the skin. It’s known for being gentle and for helping the skin maintain balanced hydration.
Betaine is mainly used to improve hydration and support calmer skin. It helps skin cells regulate water balance because it functions as an osmolyte.
Some studies suggest betaine may support making skin tone more even.
Fun fact: Betaine naturally exists in the skin and the body. In cosmetic products, it can be either plant-derived (most commonly from sugar beets) or synthetically produced for consistency and stability.
Betaine is also known as trimethylglycine.
Learn more about BetaineButylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:
Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient that works well with other ingredients.
Though this ingredient works well with most skin types, some people with sensitive skin may experience a reaction such as allergic rashes, closed comedones, or itchiness.
Learn more about Butylene GlycolGlycerin (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 GlycerinHydroxyacetophenone is antioxidant with skin conditioning and soothing properties. It also boosts the efficiency of preservatives.
Though naturally occuring in Norwegian spruce needles, this ingredient is usually synthetically created.
This ingredient is not irritating or sensitizing. Recent research also suggests it may have skin-brightening effects through tyrosinase inhibition.
Learn more about HydroxyacetophenoneWater. 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
