What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningPropylene Glycol
Humectant
Azelaic Acid
Buffering
Alpha-Arbutin
Antioxidant
Acetyl Glucosamine
Skin Conditioning
Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6
Emulsion StabilisingKojic Acid
Antioxidant
Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
Bleaching
Centella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate
Antimicrobial
Glycerin
Humectant
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Water, Propylene Glycol, Azelaic Acid, Alpha-Arbutin, Acetyl Glucosamine, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Kojic Acid, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Centella Asiatica Extract, Allantoin, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Glycerin, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenoxyethanol, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate
Water
Skin ConditioningPropylene Glycol
Humectant
Azelaic Acid
Buffering
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialNiacinamide
Smoothing
Heptyl Undecylenate
EmollientC13-15 Alkane
SolventLecithin
Emollient
Arbutin
Antioxidant
Linseed Acid
CleansingTocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Ascorbyl Palmitate
Antioxidant
Glutathione
Glycerin
Humectant
Lepidium Sativum Sprout Extract
Skin ConditioningMethyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer
Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
Bleaching
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingAllantoin
Skin Conditioning
Bisabolol
Antioxidant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Disodium EDTA
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingWater, Propylene Glycol, Azelaic Acid, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Niacinamide, Heptyl Undecylenate, C13-15 Alkane, Lecithin, Arbutin, Linseed Acid, Tocopheryl Acetate, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Glutathione, Glycerin, Lepidium Sativum Sprout Extract, Methyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Allantoin, Bisabolol, Phenoxyethanol, Disodium EDTA, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
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 AllantoinAzelaic acid is a multitasker ingredient that helps treat acne, pigmentation, and irritation. It is a great option for sensitive skin.
What makes it special?
OTC Azelaic acid is usually available in concentrations from 10-15% and anything over requires a prescription.
Here's what each tier does best:
Unlike other acids, azelaic acid will not make your skin more photosensitive/sun sensitive.
Though this ingredient is naturally occurring in grains like wheat, rye, and barley, it is usually synthetically created for cosmetics to ensure stability and effectiveness.
Learn more about Azelaic AcidGlycerin (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 GlycerinGlycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract is an extract of the roots of Licorice. It has been found to have several benefits such as skin hydrating, conditioning, and soothing.
One component, glabridin, has extra potent antioxidant and soothing properties. It has also been found to block pigmentation from UVB rays in guinea pigs.
Licorice Root also contains a flavonoid. Flavonoids are a natural substance from in plants. Flavonoids also have antioxidant properties.
Another component, glycyrrhizin, has been found to have anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial benefits. This may make licorice root extract effective at treating acne. However, more research is needed to support this.
Liquiritin is one of the flavone compounds found in licorice. It has been found to help lighten skin by preventing tyrosinase from reacting with tyrosine. When the two react, protein is converted to melanin. Melanin is the substance in your body that gives your features pigmentation.
Learn more about Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root ExtractPhenoxyethanol 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.
Propylene 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
