What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycolic Acid
Buffering
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingGlycerin
Humectant
Methyl Gluceth-20
Humectant
Galactoarabinan
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
Humectant
Opuntia Ficus-Indica Extract
Skin Conditioning
Saccharomyces Cerevisiae Extract
Skin Conditioning
Xylitylglucoside
Humectant
Anhydroxylitol
Humectant
Xylitol
Humectant
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Glucose
Humectant
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningSodium Benzoate
Masking
Potassium Benzoate
Preservative
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Water, Glycolic Acid, Lactic Acid, Sodium Hydroxide, Glycerin, Methyl Gluceth-20, Galactoarabinan, Panthenol, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Opuntia Ficus-Indica Extract, Saccharomyces Cerevisiae Extract, Xylitylglucoside, Anhydroxylitol, Xylitol, Pentylene Glycol, Glucose, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Benzoate, Phenoxyethanol
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycereth-26
Humectant
Gluconolactone
Skin Conditioning
Lactobionic Acid
Buffering
Propanediol
Solvent
Salicylic Acid
Masking
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Opuntia Ficus-Indica Extract
Skin Conditioning
Saccharomyces Cerevisiae Extract
Skin Conditioning
Phragmites Karka Extract
Skin ConditioningPoria Cocos Extract
Skin ConditioningSodium Hydroxide
BufferingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Glycerin (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 GlycerinOpuntia Ficus-Indica Extract comes from the cactus known as Prickly Pear. Prickly Pear extract has soothing and antioxidant properties.
The flavonoids in prickly pear help reduce inflammation. Prickly pear is also rich in polyphenols, a potent antioxidant.
Panthenol is a common ingredient that helps hydrate and soothe the skin. It is found naturally in our skin and hair.
There are two forms of panthenol: D and L.
D-panthenol is also known as dexpanthenol. Most cosmetics use dexpanthenol or a mixture of D and L-panthenol.
Panthenol is famous due to its ability to go deeper into the skin's layers. Using this ingredient has numerous pros (and no cons):
Like hyaluronic acid, panthenol is a humectant. Humectants are able to bind and hold large amounts of water to keep skin hydrated.
This ingredient works well for wound healing. It works by increasing tissue in the wound and helps close open wounds.
Once oxidized, panthenol converts to pantothenic acid. Panthothenic acid is found in all living cells.
This ingredient is also referred to as pro-vitamin B5.
Learn more about PanthenolPhenoxyethanol 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.
Saccharomyces Cerevisiae Extract comes from a yeast used in fermentation. It has skin conditioning properties due to its naturally occurring peptides, polysaccharides (including beta-glucans), amino acids, minerals, and vitamins.
Clinical research shows formulas that contain this ingredient can improve moisture levels and refine skin texture over time. This is associate with its ability to reduce free-radical activity and protect the skin against environmental damage.
Lab studies demonstrate that some peptide fractions in this ingredient possess antioxidant and anti-collegenase effects, helping to protect the structural proteins in skin and soothing inflammation.
Additionally, this ingredient has been shown to have antimicrobial effects against bacteria associated with acne.
Learn more about Saccharomyces Cerevisiae ExtractSodium Hydroxide is also known as lye or caustic soda. It is used to adjust the pH of products; many ingredients require a specific pH to be effective.
In small amounts, sodium hydroxide is considered safe to use. However, large amounts may cause chemical burns due to its high alkaline.
Your skin has a natural pH and acid mantle. This acid mantle helps prevent harmful bacteria from breaking through. The acid mantle also helps keep your skin hydrated.
"Alkaline" refers to a high pH level. A low pH level would be considered acidic.
Learn more about Sodium HydroxideWater. 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
