What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycolic Acid
Buffering
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Potassium Hydroxide
Buffering1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Castanea Crenata Shell Extract
Skin ConditioningPanthenol
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Centella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Asiaticoside
Antioxidant
Asiatic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Madecassic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Madecassoside
Antioxidant
Portulaca Oleracea Extract
Skin Conditioning
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Paeonia Suffruticosa Root Extract
Skin ProtectingCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Hydrogenated Phosphatidylcholine
Emulsifying
Sucrose Stearate
EmollientCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glyceryl Caprylate
EmollientHydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningWater, Glycolic Acid, Lactic Acid, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Potassium Hydroxide, 1,2-Hexanediol, Castanea Crenata Shell Extract, Panthenol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Centella Asiatica Extract, Asiaticoside, Asiatic Acid, Madecassic Acid, Madecassoside, Portulaca Oleracea Extract, Allantoin, Paeonia Suffruticosa Root Extract, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Hydrogenated Phosphatidylcholine, Sucrose Stearate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Caprylate, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Ethylhexylglycerin
Water
Skin ConditioningCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Propanediol
Solvent
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Glycerin
Humectant
Cetyl Ethylhexanoate
EmollientPolyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate
Emulsifying
Beeswax
Emulsion Stabilising
Ginkgo Biloba Leaf Extract
Skin Conditioning
Centella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Salix Alba Bark Extract
Astringent
Vaccinium Angustifolium Fruit Extract
Skin Protecting
Pinus Palustris Leaf Extract
TonicUlmus Davidiana Root Extract
Skin Conditioning
Oenothera Biennis Flower Extract
AstringentPueraria Lobata Root Extract
HumectantAllantoin
Skin Conditioning
Beta-Glucan
Skin Conditioning
Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Humectant
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingTromethamine
BufferingDisodium EDTA
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Water, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Propanediol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glycerin, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate, Beeswax, Ginkgo Biloba Leaf Extract, Centella Asiatica Extract, Salix Alba Bark Extract, Vaccinium Angustifolium Fruit Extract, Pinus Palustris Leaf Extract, Ulmus Davidiana Root Extract, Oenothera Biennis Flower Extract, Pueraria Lobata Root Extract, Allantoin, Beta-Glucan, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Xanthan Gum, Tromethamine, Disodium EDTA, 1,2-Hexanediol, Hydroxyacetophenone
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 AllantoinCaprylic/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 TriglycerideCentella Asiatica Extract (Centella) is derived from an herb native to Southeast Asia. It is famous for its anti-inflammatory and soothing properties.
Centella is rich in antioxidants and amino acids, such as Madecassic Acid and Asiaticoside.
Studies show the compounds in centella help with:
The combination of all these properties makes centella effective at soothing, hydrating, and protecting the skin.
Other great components of centella include Vitamin A, vitamin C, several B vitamins, and Asiatic Acid.
Fun fact: Centella has been used as a medicine and in food for many centuries. As a medicine, it is used to treat burns, scratches, and wounds.
Learn more about Centella Asiatica ExtractGlycerin (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 GlycerinWater. 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
