What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Methylpropanediol
SolventCitrus Tangerina Extract
TonicChlorella Vulgaris Extract
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Jojoba Esters
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil
Masking
Cynanchum Atratum Extract
Skin ConditioningAcacia Senegal Gum
MaskingLavandula Angustifolia Oil
Masking
Citrus Limon Peel Oil
Masking
Cananga Odorata Flower Oil
Masking
Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil
Masking
Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Extract
Perfuming
Althaea Rosea Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningDiglycerin
Humectant
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Glucose
Humectant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Fructooligosaccharides
Humectant
Fructose
Humectant
Tromethamine
BufferingPolyglyceryl-10 Laurate
Skin Conditioning
Propanediol
Solvent
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningAdenosine
Skin Conditioning
Arbutin
Antioxidant
Ascorbyl Glucoside
Antioxidant
Glycerin
Humectant
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Maltodextrin
Absorbent
Saccharide Hydrolysate
HumectantAscorbic Acid
Antioxidant
Sodium Carbonate
BufferingTocopherol
Antioxidant
Xanthophylls
Skin ConditioningCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingCaffeine
Skin Conditioning
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingDisodium EDTA
Limonene
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Water, Butylene Glycol, Niacinamide, Methylpropanediol, Citrus Tangerina Extract, Chlorella Vulgaris Extract, Hydrolyzed Jojoba Esters, Sodium Hyaluronate, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil, Cynanchum Atratum Extract, Acacia Senegal Gum, Lavandula Angustifolia Oil, Citrus Limon Peel Oil, Cananga Odorata Flower Oil, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil, Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Extract, Althaea Rosea Flower Extract, Diglycerin, Hydroxyacetophenone, Glucose, 1,2-Hexanediol, Allantoin, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Fructooligosaccharides, Fructose, Tromethamine, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Propanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Adenosine, Arbutin, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Maltodextrin, Saccharide Hydrolysate, Ascorbic Acid, Sodium Carbonate, Tocopherol, Xanthophylls, Carbomer, Caffeine, Xanthan Gum, Disodium EDTA, Limonene, Linalool
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Dipropylene Glycol
Humectant1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingArginine
Masking
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Extract
Perfuming
Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate
Skin Conditioning
Disodium EDTA
Hydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingMelaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil
Antioxidant
Biosaccharide Gum-1
Humectant
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin Conditioning
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.
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 preservatives
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 GlycolCarbomer is a high-molecular weight polymer of acrylic acid. It is used to form gels and thicken formulas.
Due to its large molecular size, carbomer has minimal skin penetration and is considered an inert ingredient.
A high amount of carbomer can cause pilling or balling up of products. Don't worry, most products contain 1% or less of carbomer.
Learn more about CarbomerDisodium 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 EthylhexylglycerinHydroxyacetophenone is antioxidant with skin conditioning and soothing properties. It also boosts the efficiency of preservatives.
Though naturally occuring in Norwegian spruce needles, this ingredient is usually synthetically created.
This ingredient is not irritating or sensitizing. Recent research also suggests it may have skin-brightening effects through tyrosinase inhibition.
Learn more about HydroxyacetophenonePolyglyceryl-10 Laurate is a cleansing agent and emulsifier.
It rounds up dirt, oil, and grime, so they can be rinsed off easily as a cleanser. On the emulsifier side, it keeps your formula smooth and well-mixed by playing peacekeeper for ingredients that don't naturally get along (like oil and water).
Because it has a C12 (lauric acid) fatty acid chain, this ingredient can potentially feed the Malassezia yeast that causes fungal acne. The Malassezia yeast prefers esters with C11-C24 fatty acids If you're prone to flare-ups, you might want to patch-test or skip this one.
This ingredient is an ester of lauric acid and Polyglycerin-10.
Learn more about Polyglyceryl-10 LaurateWater. 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 WaterXanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.
On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.
Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.
Learn more about Xanthan Gum
