What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningNiacinamide
SmoothingHexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingPPG-20 Methyl Glucose Ether
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantGlyceryl Glucoside
HumectantPolyglycerin-6
HumectantAzelaic Acid
BufferingBetaine
HumectantBenzyl Alcohol
PerfumingSalicylic Acid
MaskingSorbic Acid
PreservativeLecithin
EmollientLysolecithin
EmulsifyingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingAminomethyl Propanol
BufferingDisodium EDTA
Parfum
MaskingWater
Skin ConditioningAzelaic Acid
BufferingPropylene Glycol
HumectantCaprylyl Methicone
Skin ConditioningPEG-12 Dimethicone/PPG-20 Crosspolymer
Cyclopentasiloxane
EmollientPalmaria Palmata Extract
Skin ProtectingAlpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide
CleansingPolymnia Sonchifolia Root Juice
Skin ConditioningMaltodextrin
AbsorbentLactobacillus
Skin ConditioningSodium Acrylates Copolymer
Lecithin
EmollientArginine
MaskingEthoxydiglycol
HumectantAmmonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Phenoxyethanol
PreservativeEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPolymethylsilsesquioxane
Tocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantDisodium EDTA
Water, Azelaic Acid, Propylene Glycol, Caprylyl Methicone, PEG-12 Dimethicone/PPG-20 Crosspolymer, Cyclopentasiloxane, Palmaria Palmata Extract, Alpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide, Polymnia Sonchifolia Root Juice, Maltodextrin, Lactobacillus, Sodium Acrylates Copolymer, Lecithin, Arginine, Ethoxydiglycol, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Tocopheryl Acetate, 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.
Azelaic acid is a multitasker ingredient that helps treat acne, pigmentation, and irritation. It is a great option for sensitive skin.
What makes it special?
OTC Azelaic acid is usually available in concentrations from 10-15% and anything over requires a prescription.
Here's what each tier does best:
Unlike other acids, azelaic acid will not make your skin more photosensitive/sun sensitive.
Though this ingredient is naturally occurring in grains like wheat, rye, and barley, it is usually synthetically created for cosmetics to ensure stability and effectiveness.
Learn more about Azelaic AcidDisodium EDTA is a chelating agent. It grabs onto and deactivates metal ions that sneak into your products from water, packaging, or air.
This ingredient mainly works behind the scenes and helps with:
On top of that, this ingredient can counteract the effects of hard water by binding to the minerals in it.
One thing worth knowing is that Disodium EDTA has been shown to be a mild penetration enhancer. It can help other ingredients absorb into skin more effectively which can be a double-edged sword (great for actives, but can also make the active too strong if you have sensitive skin).
Clinical patch testing showed no significant skin irritation at typical use concentrations and minimal dermal absorption.
You'll most likely see this ingredient near the end of an ingredient list. It's typically found in concentrations less than 1%.
Learn more about Disodium EDTALecithin is a term for a group of substances found in the cell membranes of plants, animals, and humans. They are made up of phospholipids.
Thanks to its amphiphilic structure (water-loving head and oil-loving tail), it is a true multitasker:
It plays well with most ingredients and is typically used at 0.1-1%. However, concentrations up to 50% have been reported in moisturizers.
Depending on the source of this ingredient, lecithin may not be fungal acne safe. This is because some sources of lecithin come from soybean oil, which may feed the malassezia yeast that causes fungal acne.
We recommend reaching out to the brand you are purchasing from to inquire about the source of their lecithin.
Learn more about LecithinWater. 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