What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantNiacinamide
Smoothing
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Squalane
Emollient
Glyceryl Polymethacrylate
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingAllantoin
Skin Conditioning
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningStearic Acid
Cleansing
Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate
Emulsifying
Adenosine
Skin Conditioning
Palmitic Acid
Emollient
Parfum
Masking
Disodium EDTA
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Limonene
Perfuming
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Dextrin
AbsorbentTheobroma Cacao Extract
Skin ConditioningLinalool
Perfuming
Citronellol
Perfuming
Myristic Acid
Cleansing
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Lauric Acid
Cleansing
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Acrylates/Stearyl Methacrylate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingTremella Fuciformis Sporocarp Extract
Antioxidant
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Achillea Millefolium Extract
CleansingCeramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Water, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Dipropylene Glycol, Niacinamide, 1,2-Hexanediol, Squalane, Glyceryl Polymethacrylate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Glyceryl Stearate, Xanthan Gum, Allantoin, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Ethylhexylglycerin, Stearic Acid, Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate, Adenosine, Palmitic Acid, Parfum, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Hyaluronate, Limonene, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Dextrin, Theobroma Cacao Extract, Linalool, Citronellol, Myristic Acid, Pentylene Glycol, Lauric Acid, Tocopherol, Acrylates/Stearyl Methacrylate Copolymer, Tremella Fuciformis Sporocarp Extract, Hyaluronic Acid, Achillea Millefolium Extract, Ceramide NP
Propolis Extract
Skin Conditioning
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Honey Extract
Humectant
Royal Jelly Extract
Skin Conditioning
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingCassia Obtusifolia Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Olivate
Beeswax
Emulsion Stabilising
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Sorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Arginine
Masking
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPropolis Extract, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, 1,2-Hexanediol, Honey Extract, Royal Jelly Extract, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Cassia Obtusifolia Seed Extract, Cetearyl Olivate, Beeswax, Cetearyl Alcohol, Sorbitan Olivate, Allantoin, Arginine, Carbomer, Xanthan Gum
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 GlycolCetearyl alcohol is a waxy mixture of two fatty alcohols: cetyl alcohol and stearyl alcohol. It is an emollient and emulsifier.
Despite having "alcohol" in its name, it has nothing to do with drying solvent alcohols; the FDA also allows "alcohol-free" products to contain fatty alcohols like this ingredient.
It plays several roles in a formula:
Typical use levels for this ingredient sit around 1-10% and the Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has affirmed safety at concentrations up to 25% in leave-on products.
Multiple assessments have found it to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing to most people.
However, there have been some cases of allergic contact dermatitis in patients with chronically compromised skin barriers.
Cetearyl alcohol has a comedogenic rating of 2 and irritancy rating of 1. Both of these numbers come from the 1989 study that used rabbit ears; a "2" means mildly comedogenic and a "1" means low irritancy.
Here's the catch: rabbit skin is more sensitive than human skin and throws a lot of false positives. A 1996 reappraisal found that ingredients rated 1-2 in the rabbit ear tests are generally safe for humans.
Remember comedogenic ratings are unable to assess the entire formula of a product or how it will react on your skin. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure about certain ingredients.
This ingredient is not fungal acne safe. Cetearyl alcohol is a fatty alcohol with chain lengths that fall within the range that Malassezia can metabolize.
Learn more about Cetearyl AlcoholGlycerin (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 GlycerinXanthan 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
