What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
HumectantHydroxyethyl Urea
HumectantBetaine
HumectantMethyl Gluceth-20
HumectantSalicylic Acid
MaskingGlycolic Acid
BufferingPropanediol
SolventEthoxydiglycol
HumectantSuccinic Acid
BufferingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeBiosaccharide Gum-1
HumectantGlycerin
HumectantPEG-20
HumectantCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingPEG-60 Almond Glycerides
EmulsifyingVaccinium Myrtillus Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientAllantoin
Skin ConditioningAmmonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Arginine
MaskingSaccharum Officinarum Extract
MoisturisingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningLecithin
EmollientDehydroxanthan Gum
Emulsion StabilisingDisodium EDTA
Tocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantCitrus Aurantium Dulcis Fruit Extract
MaskingCitrus Limon Fruit Extract
MaskingAscorbic Acid
AntioxidantAcer Saccharum Extract
Skin ConditioningPlatycarya Strobilacea Extract
Skin ConditioningPsoralea Corylifolia Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningSophora Flavescens Root Extract
AntioxidantCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingNordihydroguaiaretic Acid
AntioxidantOleanolic Acid
Skin ConditioningWater, Butylene Glycol, Hydroxyethyl Urea, Betaine, Methyl Gluceth-20, Salicylic Acid, Glycolic Acid, Propanediol, Ethoxydiglycol, Succinic Acid, Phenoxyethanol, Biosaccharide Gum-1, Glycerin, PEG-20, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, PEG-60 Almond Glycerides, Vaccinium Myrtillus Fruit Extract, Caprylyl Glycol, Allantoin, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Arginine, Saccharum Officinarum Extract, Ethylhexylglycerin, Lecithin, Dehydroxanthan Gum, Disodium EDTA, Tocopheryl Acetate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Fruit Extract, Citrus Limon Fruit Extract, Ascorbic Acid, Acer Saccharum Extract, Platycarya Strobilacea Extract, Psoralea Corylifolia Fruit Extract, Sophora Flavescens Root Extract, Carbomer, Nordihydroguaiaretic Acid, Oleanolic Acid
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantNiacinamide
SmoothingPropylene Glycol
HumectantPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeSodium Ascorbyl Phosphate
AntioxidantCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingAllantoin
Skin Conditioning1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
Parfum
MaskingDimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Skin ConditioningBiosaccharide Gum-4
Skin ConditioningTriethanolamine
BufferingSilica
AbrasiveButylene Glycol
HumectantIsoceteth-10
EmulsifyingTocopherol
AntioxidantIngredients 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 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 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.
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