What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningAzelaic Acid
BufferingBetaine
HumectantCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingGlycerin
HumectantButylene Glycol
HumectantPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningVinyl Dimethicone/Methicone Silsesquioxane Crosspolymer
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingLauryl Glucoside
CleansingPolyglyceryl-2 Dipolyhydroxystearate
Skin ConditioningGlycyrrhetinic Acid
Skin ConditioningNiacinamide
SmoothingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPanthenol
Skin ConditioningSclerotium Gum
Emulsion StabilisingChlorphenesin
AntimicrobialEscin
TonicO-Cymen-5-Ol
AntimicrobialPolysorbate 60
EmulsifyingSorbitan Isostearate
EmulsifyingRuscus Aculeatus Root Extract
AstringentAmmonium Glycyrrhizate
MaskingCitric Acid
BufferingCentella Asiatica Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Yeast Protein
Skin ConditioningCalendula Officinalis Flower Extract
MaskingSodium Citrate
BufferingWater, Azelaic Acid, Betaine, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Pentylene Glycol, Vinyl Dimethicone/Methicone Silsesquioxane Crosspolymer, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Lauryl Glucoside, Polyglyceryl-2 Dipolyhydroxystearate, Glycyrrhetinic Acid, Niacinamide, Ethylhexylglycerin, Panthenol, Sclerotium Gum, Chlorphenesin, Escin, O-Cymen-5-Ol, Polysorbate 60, Sorbitan Isostearate, Ruscus Aculeatus Root Extract, Ammonium Glycyrrhizate, Citric Acid, Centella Asiatica Leaf Extract, Hydrolyzed Yeast Protein, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract, Sodium Citrate
Water
Skin ConditioningAzelaic Acid
BufferingGlycerin
HumectantCI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantPolymethyl Methacrylate
Batyl Alcohol
EmollientStearic Acid
CleansingDicaprylyl Carbonate
EmollientDipentaerythrityl Pentaisononanoate
EmollientPalmitamide Mea
Pentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningTalc
AbrasiveTriethylhexanoin
MaskingAmmonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Azelamidopropyl Dimethyl Amine
AntimicrobialCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningCholesterol
EmollientGlycyrrhetinic Acid
Skin ConditioningHydrogenated Retinol
Skin ConditioningIsopropyl Palmitate
EmollientPhytosphingosine Hcl
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
HumectantCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientDisodium EDTA
Lecithin
EmollientMica
Cosmetic ColorantPentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
AntioxidantPotassium Cetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingTin Oxide
AbrasiveUndecylenoyl Glycine
CleansingWater, Azelaic Acid, Glycerin, CI 77891, Polymethyl Methacrylate, Batyl Alcohol, Stearic Acid, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Dipentaerythrityl Pentaisononanoate, Palmitamide Mea, Pentylene Glycol, Talc, Triethylhexanoin, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Azelamidopropyl Dimethyl Amine, Ceramide NP, Cholesterol, Glycyrrhetinic Acid, Hydrogenated Retinol, Isopropyl Palmitate, Phytosphingosine Hcl, Butylene Glycol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Caprylyl Glycol, Disodium EDTA, Lecithin, Mica, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Tin Oxide, Undecylenoyl Glycine
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Azelaic 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 AcidButylene 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 GlycolCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride (aka MCT Oil) is a lightweight emollient, solvent, and texture enhancer. It is considered a skin-softener by helping to prevent moisture loss.
Though it behaves like an oil, it is not technically one due to its chemical composition. One perk of this ingredient is that it is very stable, resistant to oxidation, and unlikely to go rancid.
In practice, that translates to a long shelf life and a consistently elegant skin feel.
While there is an assumption Caprylic Triglyceride can clog pores due to it being derived from coconut oil, there is no research supporting this. Just patch test if you have concerns.
Fractionated coconut oil and MCT Oil are both listed as Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride according to INCI. This is because INCI names are based on the ingredient’s final chemical composition and not its marketing name or source.
This ingredient is treated as the gold standard fungal acne safe oil. Even though it is coconut derived, the problematic lauric acid is stripped out.
This leaves just caprylic (C8) and capric (C10) acid. These chain lengths actually trend antifungal; a 2020 study found caprylic acid was enough to disrupt Malassezia furfur cell membrane, with a caprylic acid derivative damaging membrane structures at concentrations as low as 0.2%.
Learn more about Caprylic/Capric TriglycerideGlycerin (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 GlycerinGlycyrrhetinic acid is a compound found in licorice. It has skin conditioning, skin soothing, antibacterial, and antioxidant properties.
Not only is this a great ingredient for soothing inflammation, studies show this compound is effective at protecting skin against UV-B induced damage.
Fun fact: This ingredient is also used to mask the bitter taste of medicine.
Learn more about Glycyrrhetinic AcidPentylene glycol is typically used within a product to thicken it. It also adds a smooth, soft, and moisturizing feel to the product. It is naturally found in plants such as sugar beets.
The hydrophilic trait of Pentylene Glycol makes it a humectant. As a humectant, Pentylene Glycol helps draw moisture from the air to your skin. This can help keep your skin hydrated.
This property also makes Pentylene Glycol a great texture enhancer. It can also help thicken or stabilize a product.
Pentylene Glycol also acts as a mild preservative and helps to keep a product microbe-free.
Some people may experience mild eye and skin irritation from Pentylene Glycol. We always recommend speaking with a professional about using this ingredient in your routine.
Pentylene Glycol has a low molecular weight and is part of the 1,2-glycol family.
Learn more about Pentylene 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