What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin Conditioning2,3-Butanediol
HumectantEthoxydiglycol
HumectantGluconolactone
Skin Conditioning
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Methylpropanediol
SolventGlycereth-26
Humectant
Tromethamine
BufferingCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Chlorella Vulgaris Extract
Skin ConditioningGlucose
Humectant
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Fructooligosaccharides
Humectant
Fructose
Humectant
Octyldodeceth-16
EmulsifyingTrisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningSodium Phytate
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantAllantoin
Skin Conditioning
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Heparin
Skin ConditioningVincetoxicum Atratum Extract
Skin ConditioningAlthaea Rosea Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningCapryloyl Salicylic Acid
Exfoliating
Artemisia Princeps Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
Antioxidant
4-Terpineol
Masking
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl/Capryl Glucoside
CleansingHydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Water, 2,3-Butanediol, Ethoxydiglycol, Gluconolactone, 1,2-Hexanediol, Glycerin, Methylpropanediol, Glycereth-26, Tromethamine, Caprylyl Glycol, Chlorella Vulgaris Extract, Glucose, Panthenol, Butylene Glycol, Fructooligosaccharides, Fructose, Octyldodeceth-16, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Phytate, Dipropylene Glycol, Allantoin, Hydroxyacetophenone, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Sodium Heparin, Vincetoxicum Atratum Extract, Althaea Rosea Flower Extract, Capryloyl Salicylic Acid, Artemisia Princeps Leaf Extract, Tocopherol, 4-Terpineol, Pentylene Glycol, Caprylyl/Capryl Glucoside, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Ceramide NP
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Niacinamide
Smoothing
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Xylitol
Humectant
Sodium Citrate
BufferingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningAllantoin
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Citric Acid
Buffering
Adenosine
Skin Conditioning
Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate
Skin Conditioning
Disodium EDTA
Polyglyceryl-4 Laurate
Emulsifying
Caprylyl/Capryl Glucoside
CleansingCyanocobalamin
Skin ConditioningRosa Damascena Extract
MaskingSodium Dna
Skin Conditioning
Gluconolactone
Skin Conditioning
Prunus Mume Fruit Extract
Humectant
Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Carica Papaya Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningVitis Vinifera Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningCentella Asiatica Leaf Extract
Skin Conditioning
Centella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Zea Mays Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningCopper Tripeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Acetyl Hexapeptide-8
Humectant
Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Glycine
Buffering
Glutamic Acid
Humectant
Arginine
Masking
Water, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Niacinamide, 1,2-Hexanediol, Xylitol, Sodium Citrate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Allantoin, Caprylyl Glycol, Citric Acid, Adenosine, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Disodium EDTA, Polyglyceryl-4 Laurate, Caprylyl/Capryl Glucoside, Cyanocobalamin, Rosa Damascena Extract, Sodium Dna, Gluconolactone, Prunus Mume Fruit Extract, Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract, Carica Papaya Fruit Extract, Vitis Vinifera Fruit Extract, Centella Asiatica Leaf Extract, Centella Asiatica Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Zea Mays Leaf Extract, Copper Tripeptide-1, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Glycine, Glutamic Acid, Arginine
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.
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 preservatives
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 AllantoinButylene 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 GlycolCaprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.
Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.
Because it is not a free-fatty acid or alcohol, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolThis ingredient is a mild surfactant made by sticking glucose onto a blend of fatty acids.
It does two jobs because it has a sugar head that loves water and a fatty tail that loves oil:
Typical use levels range from 10-20% in cleansers and 15-30% in shower products.
Once on your skin, your skin's glucoside hydrolases breaks it down into glucose and the parent fatty alcohols.
This ingredient is considered fungal acne safe because its fatty alcohol portion sits outside the Malassezia yeast's metabolization range.
Learn more about Caprylyl/Capryl GlucosideEthylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:
The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure.
Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.
Learn more about EthylhexylglycerinGluconolactone is a PHA. PHAs are a great gentle alternative to traditional AHAs.
When applied, Gluconolactone has the same affect on skin as AHAs such as lactic acid. It helps dissolve the dead skin cells in the top layer of your skin. This improves texture and brightens the skin.
PHAs are more gentle than AHAs due to their larger structure. They do not penetrate as deeply as AHAs and take a longer time to dissolve dead cells. Studies show PHAs do not cause as much irritation.
Gluconolactone has some interesting properties:
In a 2004 study, Gluconolactone was found to prevent UV damage in mouse skin cells and has not been found to increase sun sensitivity. However, we still recommend wearing SPF daily.
This ingredient is is an created by reacting gluconic acid with an alcohol.
Learn more about GluconolactoneGlycerin (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 GlycerinPolyglyceryl-10 Laurate is a cleansing agent and emulsifier.
It rounds up dirt, oil, and grime, so they can be rinsed off easily as a cleanser. On the emulsifier side, it keeps your formula smooth and well-mixed by playing peacekeeper for ingredients that don't naturally get along (like oil and water).
Because it has a C12 (lauric acid) fatty acid chain, this ingredient can potentially feed the Malassezia yeast that causes fungal acne. The Malassezia yeast prefers esters with C11-C24 fatty acids If you're prone to flare-ups, you might want to patch-test or skip this one.
This ingredient is an ester of lauric acid and Polyglycerin-10.
Learn more about Polyglyceryl-10 LaurateWater. 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
