What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningPropylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Lavandula Angustifolia Oil
Masking
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
Emollient
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Tetrasodium EDTA
Hamamelis Virginiana Leaf Extract
Skin Conditioning
Ginkgo Biloba Leaf Extract
Skin Conditioning
Vitis Vinifera Seed Extract
Antimicrobial
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Water, Propylene Glycol, Glycerin, Polysorbate 20, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Allantoin, Lavandula Angustifolia Oil, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Lactic Acid, Tetrasodium EDTA, Hamamelis Virginiana Leaf Extract, Ginkgo Biloba Leaf Extract, Vitis Vinifera Seed Extract, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycolic Acid
Buffering
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingPolysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Hamamelis Virginiana Leaf Extract
Skin Conditioning
Anthemis Nobilis Flower Extract
Masking
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Rosa Canina Fruit Extract
Astringent
Sodium PCA
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Benzophenone-4
UV Absorber
Hydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingTetrasodium EDTA
Imidazolidinyl Urea
Preservative
Methylparaben
Preservative
Propylparaben
Preservative
Parfum
Masking
Blue 1 Lake
Cosmetic ColorantCI 19140
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Glycolic Acid, Sodium Hydroxide, Polysorbate 20, Hamamelis Virginiana Leaf Extract, Anthemis Nobilis Flower Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Rosa Canina Fruit Extract, Sodium PCA, Glycerin, Panthenol, Allantoin, Benzophenone-4, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Tetrasodium EDTA, Imidazolidinyl Urea, Methylparaben, Propylparaben, Parfum, Blue 1 Lake, CI 19140
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 GlycerinHamamelis Virginiana Leaf Extract comes from the witch hazel plant.
Witch Hazel is an astringent, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and antibacterial ingredient.
The tannin in witch hazel has a drying effect when used on skin and constricts proteins. This helps minimize the look of large pores. The presence of tannins and fragrance may be sensitizing.
The catechins in witch hazel have anti-inflammatory properties while the gallic acid is antibacterial.
Indigenous groups have used witch hazel to help treat inflammation, which was then used by early settlers to North America.
Learn more about Hamamelis Virginiana Leaf ExtractPolysorbate 20 is a gentle, water-soluble emulsifier and mild surfactant. It stops oil and water from separating to keep your formulas blended and stable.
It also acts as a mild penetration enhancer by helping active ingredients absorb slightly better.
The common safety discussion around this ingredient involves a manufacturing byproduct called 1,4-dioxane.
Trace amounts can form during production but the EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety has concluded that levels at/below 10 ppm in finished products are safe (commercial products consistently fall within acceptable margins).
True allergic reactions are uncommon and the CIR Expert Panel has confirmed this ingredient to be safe as used in cosmetics.
Because it is derived from lauric acid, it may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Polysorbate 20Tetrasodium EDTA is the salt formed from neutralizing ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid with sodium hydroxide. It is a chelating agent and used to prevent metal ions from binding to other ingredients. This helps keep the product and ingredients stable.
Tetrasodium EDTA comes as a white solid and is soluble in water.
Water. 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
