What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantParaffinum Liquidum
Emollient
Dimethicone
Emollient
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Triethylhexanoin
MaskingSqualane
Emollient
Palmitic Acid
Emollient
Cetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingArginine
Masking
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Methylparaben
Preservative
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Hydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingDisodium EDTA
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Aphanothece Sacrum Exopolysaccharides
AbsorbentSodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Ammonium Acrylates Copolymer
Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate
Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
Humectant
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Water, Glycerin, Dipropylene Glycol, Paraffinum Liquidum, Dimethicone, Cetyl Alcohol, Triethylhexanoin, Squalane, Palmitic Acid, Cetyl Phosphate, Arginine, Phenoxyethanol, Methylparaben, Allantoin, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Carbomer, Disodium EDTA, Butylene Glycol, Aphanothece Sacrum Exopolysaccharides, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Ammonium Acrylates Copolymer, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Pentylene Glycol
Water
Skin ConditioningCyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Ethylhexyl Isononanoate
EmollientNiacinamide
Smoothing
Lauryl PEG-9 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone
Skin Conditioning
Dimethicone
Emollient
Salix Alba Bark Extract
Astringent
Sodium Chloride
MaskingPiptadenia Colubrina Peel Extract
HumectantSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Caffeine
Skin Conditioning
Ascorbyl Palmitate
Antioxidant
Dimethicone/PEG-10/15 Crosspolymer
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Capryloyl Glycine
CleansingUndecylenoyl Glycine
CleansingDisodium EDTA
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingWater, Cyclopentasiloxane, Ethylhexyl Isononanoate, Niacinamide, Lauryl PEG-9 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone, Dimethicone, Salix Alba Bark Extract, Sodium Chloride, Piptadenia Colubrina Peel Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Glycerin, Allantoin, Caffeine, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Dimethicone/PEG-10/15 Crosspolymer, Butylene Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Capryloyl Glycine, Undecylenoyl Glycine, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Hydroxide
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 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 GlycolDimethicone is a type of synthetic silicone created from natural materials such as quartz. It is also known as polydimethylsiloxane.
What it does:
Dimethicone comes in different viscosities:
Depending on the viscosity, dimethicone has different properties.
Ingredients lists don't always show which type is used, so we recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about the viscosity.
This ingredient is unlikely to cause irritation because it does not get absorbed into skin. However, people with silicone allergies should be careful about using this ingredient.
Note: Dimethicone may contribute to pilling. This is because it is not oil or water soluble, so pilling may occur when layered with products. When mixed with heavy oils in a formula, the outcome is also quite greasy.
Learn more about DimethiconeDisodium 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 EDTAGlycerin (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.
Sodium Hyaluronate is the salt form of hyaluronic acid. It is a long sugar chain that is naturally found in your skin, joints, and connective tissue that maintains hydration and elasticity.
In skincare, it works as a humectant. It pulls water from the environment and deeper layers of skin and binds it to the surface.
Interestingly, the size of the molecule affects its behavior:
Some clinical evidence links low molecular weight versions to improved wrinkle depth, elasticity, anti-inflammatory effects, and barrier repair.
Many serums use a blend of both weights so you can get surface hydration plus longer-lasting and deeper effects.
You'll typically see concentrations between 0.1-2% for this ingredient.
Learn more about Sodium HyaluronateWater. 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
