What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCocamidopropyl Betaine
CleansingDecyl Glucoside
CleansingGlycerin
HumectantPEG-120 Methyl Glucose Dioleate
EmulsifyingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeChlorphenesin
AntimicrobialPolyacrylate Crosspolymer-6
Emulsion StabilisingBetaine
HumectantPropylene Glycol
HumectantCentella Asiatica Extract
CleansingSaccharide Isomerate
HumectantCitric Acid
BufferingSodium Citrate
BufferingAllantoin
Skin ConditioningAvena Sativa Kernel Flour
AbrasiveButylene Glycol
HumectantCitrus Junos Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningNiacinamide
SmoothingPanthenol
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantWater, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Decyl Glucoside, Glycerin, PEG-120 Methyl Glucose Dioleate, Phenoxyethanol, Chlorphenesin, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Betaine, Propylene Glycol, Centella Asiatica Extract, Saccharide Isomerate, Citric Acid, Sodium Citrate, Allantoin, Avena Sativa Kernel Flour, Butylene Glycol, Citrus Junos Fruit Extract, Niacinamide, Panthenol, Sodium Hyaluronate
Water
Skin ConditioningDimethicone
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingPropylene Glycol
HumectantCyclopentasiloxane
EmollientDimethicone Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingAllantoin
Skin ConditioningCentella Asiatica Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingTriethanolamine
BufferingTetrasodium EDTA
Water, Dimethicone, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Propylene Glycol, Cyclopentasiloxane, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Allantoin, Centella Asiatica Leaf Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Carbomer, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Triethanolamine, Tetrasodium EDTA
Reviews
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 AllantoinGlycerin (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 GlycerinPhenoxyethanol is a preservative that has germicide, antimicrobial, and aromatic properties. Studies show that phenoxyethanol can prevent microbial growth. By itself, it has a scent that is similar to that of a rose.
It's often used in formulations along with Caprylyl Glycol to preserve the shelf life of products.
Propylene Glycol is a synthetic, colorless, odorless liquid that has been a staple in cosmetics for decades. It is a skin conditioning agent, humectant, and solvent.
As a humectant, it draw water to the skin to reduce flaking and restore suppleness. It's also a solvent that helps dissolve other actives and keeps formulas stable across temperature changes.
The CIR Expert Panel has confirmed this ingredient to be nontoxic and clinical studies show no sensitization at cosmetic use concentrations.
True allergic reactions are quite rare: a 15-year retrospective study of 6,751 patients found only 0.31% had a positive reaction (and less than half were considered clinically relevant).
It seemed that when sensitization does occur, it's most commonly linked to topical medication (like corticosteroids) and not cosmetics. Allergic contact dermatitis also appears largely limited to individuals with underlying skin conditions.
Overall, propylene glycol is a well-studied ingredient that most people can tolerate without issue.
Learn more about Propylene GlycolWater. 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