What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin ConditioningCrataegus Monogyna Fruit
Skin ConditioningHippophae Rhamnoides Fruit Juice
Skin ConditioningCalendula Officinalis Flower Extract
MaskingChamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
MaskingVitis Vinifera Seed Extract
AntimicrobialSymphytum Officinale Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningStellaria Media Extract
Skin ConditioningRosa Canina Seed Extract
EmollientCalendula Officinalis Flower
Skin ConditioningArnica Montana Flower Oil
PerfumingHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
EmollientCucurbita Pepo Seed Oil
EmollientSesamum Indicum Seed Oil
EmollientCarthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil
MaskingSimmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
EmollientOenothera Biennis Oil
EmollientHeptyl Glucoside
SurfactantGlycerin
HumectantHedera Helix Extract
AntimicrobialHamamelis Virginiana Extract
AntiseborrhoeicArnica Montana Flower Extract
MaskingHypericum Perforatum Extract
AntimicrobialAesculus Hippocastanum Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningVitis Vinifera Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningAesculus Hippocastanum Extract
AntioxidantLavandula Angustifolia Extract
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
SolventPanthenol
Skin ConditioningCaesalpinia Spinosa Gum
Skin ConditioningMentha Piperita Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSodium Benzoate
MaskingPotassium Sorbate
PreservativeLactic Acid
BufferingSodium Salicylate
PreservativeTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantMentha Piperita Oil
MaskingChamomilla Recutita Oil
MaskingEuterpe Oleracea Fruit Extract
Citrus Limon Peel
MaskingMalpighia Glabra Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningEmblica Officinalis Fruit
Skin ConditioningAdansonia Digitata Seed Oil
EmollientMyrciaria Dubia Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningDaucus Carota Sativa Root Extract
Skin ConditioningCocos Nucifera Water
MaskingLycium Barbarum Fruit Extract
AstringentTapioca Starch
Thioctic Acid
AntioxidantUbiquinone
AntioxidantAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Crataegus Monogyna Fruit, Hippophae Rhamnoides Fruit Juice, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Vitis Vinifera Seed Extract, Symphytum Officinale Leaf Extract, Stellaria Media Extract, Rosa Canina Seed Extract, Calendula Officinalis Flower, Arnica Montana Flower Oil, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Cucurbita Pepo Seed Oil, Sesamum Indicum Seed Oil, Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Oenothera Biennis Oil, Heptyl Glucoside, Glycerin, Hedera Helix Extract, Hamamelis Virginiana Extract, Arnica Montana Flower Extract, Hypericum Perforatum Extract, Aesculus Hippocastanum Seed Extract, Vitis Vinifera Leaf Extract, Aesculus Hippocastanum Extract, Lavandula Angustifolia Extract, Propanediol, Panthenol, Caesalpinia Spinosa Gum, Mentha Piperita Leaf Extract, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, Lactic Acid, Sodium Salicylate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Mentha Piperita Oil, Chamomilla Recutita Oil, Euterpe Oleracea Fruit Extract, Citrus Limon Peel, Malpighia Glabra Fruit Extract, Emblica Officinalis Fruit, Adansonia Digitata Seed Oil, Myrciaria Dubia Fruit Extract, Daucus Carota Sativa Root Extract, Cocos Nucifera Water, Lycium Barbarum Fruit Extract, Tapioca Starch, Thioctic Acid, Ubiquinone
Alternatives
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Glycerin (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 GlycerinHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil is a plant oil derived from the seeds of a sunflower.
It is rich in fatty acids, primarily linoleic acid and oleic acid. This gives it emollient and skin conditioning properties.
The reason this ingredient is so effective is because it forms a thin film on the skin that reduces transepidermal water loss (TEWL) while supplying linoleic acid to the stratum corneum to improve barrier strength.
The high linoleic acid content is particularly noteworthy for acne-prone skin.
Research suggests that acne-prone skin tends to be deficient in linoleic acid in sebum. Topical application may help replenish this to support a healthier follicular environment and less comedone-promoting sebum.
One randomized study found sunflower seed oil preserved skin barrier integrity in adult volunteers with and without atopic dermatitis (outperforming olive oil).
This ingredient is well-studied, gentle, and an effective emollient suitable for most skin types.
On fungal acne: This ingredient may not be Fungal acne (Malassezia folliculitis) safe. This is because it contains fatty acids with carbon chain lengths in the C11-C24 range.
Learn more about Helianthus Annuus Seed OilThis essential oil is steam-distilled from peppermint leaves, also known as peppermint oil. It's mainly used for scent in skincare but also provides that signature "cooling" sensation.
Peppermint oil is a "feels amazing" ingredient until it doesn't.
At higher doses or for those with sensitive skin, methol-type cooling can quickly turn into burning/irritation. It can also trigger irritant dermatitis or even allergic contact dermatitis. In a large patch-test dataset, peppermint oil had a low but positive rate for this.
In cosmetics, Cosmetic Safety Reviews (CIR) concludes that peppermint oil is safe to use when formulated to be non-sensitizing with some restrictions; for instance, pulegone, a naturally occurring component of peppermint oil, should not exceed 1%.
Since peppermint oil contains fragrance allergens such as limonene, linalool, and menthol, it can be sensitizing for those with rosacea, eczema, a broken skin barrier, or just sensitive skin in general.
In Japan, this ingredient is known as Hakka Yu.
Learn more about Mentha Piperita OilThis ingredient is the sodium salt of salicylic acid, the famous anti-acne ingredient.
Officially, this ingredient is used as a preservative. However, some studies found Sodium Salicylate to have exfoliating properties. Further studies are needed.
Xanthan 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