What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantPropylene Glycol
HumectantHydrogenated Starch Hydrolysate
HumectantHamamelis Virginiana Extract
AntiseborrhoeicSalix Alba Bark Extract
AstringentMethyl Gluceth-20
HumectantPortulaca Oleracea Extract
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
HumectantAllantoin
Skin ConditioningPEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
EmulsifyingHyaluronic Acid
HumectantPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeCaprylhydroxamic Acid
Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil
AntioxidantDisodium EDTA
Hydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion Stabilising1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningWater, Glycerin, Propylene Glycol, Hydrogenated Starch Hydrolysate, Hamamelis Virginiana Extract, Salix Alba Bark Extract, Methyl Gluceth-20, Portulaca Oleracea Extract, Butylene Glycol, Allantoin, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Hyaluronic Acid, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil, Disodium EDTA, Hydroxyethylcellulose, 1,2-Hexanediol, Ethylhexylglycerin
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantNiacinamide
SmoothingHydrogenated Starch Hydrolysate
HumectantPropylene Glycol
HumectantMethyl Gluceth-20
HumectantPortulaca Oleracea Extract
Skin ConditioningCarnosine
Skin ConditioningAllantoin
Skin ConditioningAscorbic Acid
AntioxidantButylene Glycol
Humectant1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningLactic Acid
BufferingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativePhospholipids
Skin ConditioningCitric Acid
BufferingCaprylhydroxamic Acid
PEG-20
HumectantCaprylic/Capric Glycerides
EmollientPEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
EmulsifyingPalmitoyl Pentapeptide-4
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
Hydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningParfum
MaskingCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientPolysorbate 20
EmulsifyingWater, Glycerin, Niacinamide, Hydrogenated Starch Hydrolysate, Propylene Glycol, Methyl Gluceth-20, Portulaca Oleracea Extract, Carnosine, Allantoin, Ascorbic Acid, Butylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Lactic Acid, Phenoxyethanol, Phospholipids, Citric Acid, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, PEG-20, Caprylic/Capric Glycerides, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4, Disodium EDTA, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Carbomer, Ethylhexylglycerin, Parfum, Caprylyl Glycol, Polysorbate 20
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.Â
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 preservativesÂ
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 GlycolCaprylhydroxamic Acid is a chelating agent that helps cosmetics stay fresh, stable, and consistent over time.
Chelating agents help prevent metal ions from binding to other ingredients. This helps prevent unwanted reactions and effects from using the product. It also helps prevent the growth of unwanted microbes in products that contain water.
Caprylhydroxamic Acid is often used with natural antimicrobial products as an alternative to preservatives.
Learn more about Caprylhydroxamic 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 EDTAEthylhexylglycerin 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 EthylhexylglycerinGlycerin (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 GlycerinHydrogenated Starch Hydrolysate is a made up of a mixture of sugar alcohols (like sorbitol) and is created by hydrogenating corn, wheat, or potato starch.
It acts as a humectant and draws water to the skin to keep it hydrated. Generally, this is a well-tolerated and non-irritating ingredient.
Hydroxyethylcellulose is used to improve the texture of products. It is created from a chemical reaction involving ethylene oxide and alkali-cellulose. Cellulose is a sugar found in plant cell walls and help give plants structure.
This ingredient helps stabilize products by preventing ingredients from separating. It can also help thicken the texture of a product.
This ingredient can also be found in pill medicines to help our bodies digest other ingredients.
Learn more about HydroxyethylcelluloseMethyl Gluceth-20 is a humectant. Humectants help draw moisture from the air to your skin.
It is created by combining polyethylene glycol with glucose.
PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil is an emulsifier derived from castor oil.
As an emulsifying agent, it helps other ingredients like fragrances and fat-soluble vitamins dissolve cohesively.
Due to its large molecule size, it doesn't penetrate beyond the skin's surface.
This ingredient has a solid regulatory track record; the CIR Expert Panel first concluded it was safe for use in cosmetics at concentrations up to 100% in 1997. A 2012 reassessment reaffirmed that finding. Safety studies have also found no irritation or evidence of toxicity.
A 2019 study did find this ingredient to grow Malassezia, so this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor OilPhenoxyethanol 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.
This extract comes from Purslane, a succulent. It has anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and hydrating properties.
Purslane is very nutritious. It contains omega-3 fatty acids, NMFs, many vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. The vitamins found in purslane include: Vitamin C, Vitamin A, and Vitamin E.
Fun fact: Purslane is a succulent with an extensive habitat. It is used in traditional Korean medicine to treat irritated skin.
Nowadays, purslane is becoming a superfood due to its highly nutritious content.
Learn more about Portulaca Oleracea ExtractPropylene 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