What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningRosa Damascena Flower Water
MaskingGlycerin
HumectantAlcohol
AntimicrobialBetaine
HumectantArbutin
AntioxidantTrehalose
HumectantRosa Damascena Flower Oil
MaskingArctostaphylos Uva-Ursi Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningRhodiola Rosea Root Extract
EmollientHippophae Rhamnoides Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningEuterpe Oleracea Fruit Extract
Vaccinium Angustifolium Fruit Extract
Skin ProtectingPhyllanthus Emblica Fruit Extract
HumectantVaccinium Macrocarpon Fruit Extract
AstringentSophora Flavescens Root Extract
AntioxidantHouttuynia Cordata Extract
Skin ConditioningXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingAllantoin
Skin ConditioningPanthenol
Skin ConditioningAdansonia Digitata Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningCastanea Crenata Shell Extract
Skin ConditioningSalix Alba Bark Extract
AstringentCentella Asiatica Extract
CleansingButylene Glycol
Humectant1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningCalendula Officinalis Flower Extract
MaskingScutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract
AstringentPaeonia Suffruticosa Root Extract
Skin ProtectingGlycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
BleachingCitronellol
PerfumingGeraniol
PerfumingWater, Rosa Damascena Flower Water, Glycerin, Alcohol, Betaine, Arbutin, Trehalose, Rosa Damascena Flower Oil, Arctostaphylos Uva-Ursi Leaf Extract, Rhodiola Rosea Root Extract, Hippophae Rhamnoides Fruit Extract, Euterpe Oleracea Fruit Extract, Vaccinium Angustifolium Fruit Extract, Phyllanthus Emblica Fruit Extract, Vaccinium Macrocarpon Fruit Extract, Sophora Flavescens Root Extract, Houttuynia Cordata Extract, Xanthan Gum, Allantoin, Panthenol, Adansonia Digitata Leaf Extract, Castanea Crenata Shell Extract, Salix Alba Bark Extract, Centella Asiatica Extract, Butylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract, Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract, Paeonia Suffruticosa Root Extract, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Citronellol, Geraniol
Water
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
SolventNiacinamide
Smoothing1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid
Skin ConditioningSphingomonas Ferment Extract
Skin ConditioningMelissa Officinalis Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningCitrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil
MaskingHydrogenated Lecithin
EmulsifyingCymbopogon Martini Oil
MaskingRosa Damascena Flower Oil
MaskingOctyldodeceth-16
EmulsifyingAllantoin
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantPolyacrylate Crosspolymer-6
Emulsion StabilisingTocopherol
AntioxidantPolyglyceryl-10 Laurate
Skin ConditioningFerulic Acid
AntimicrobialBeta-Glucan
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
Butylene Glycol
HumectantAdenosine
Skin ConditioningCitric Acid
BufferingRosmarinic Acid
AntioxidantPolyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate
EmulsifyingFullerenes
AntimicrobialAscorbic Acid
AntioxidantCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningLimonene
PerfumingGeraniol
PerfumingWater, Propanediol, Niacinamide, 1,2-Hexanediol, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Sphingomonas Ferment Extract, Melissa Officinalis Leaf Extract, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Cymbopogon Martini Oil, Rosa Damascena Flower Oil, Octyldodeceth-16, Allantoin, Glycerin, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Tocopherol, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Ferulic Acid, Beta-Glucan, Disodium EDTA, Butylene Glycol, Adenosine, Citric Acid, Rosmarinic Acid, Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate, Fullerenes, Ascorbic Acid, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Ethylhexylglycerin, Limonene, Geraniol
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 GlycolGeraniol is used to add fragrance/parfum to a product. It is the main component of citronellol. It is a monoterpenoid and an alcohol.
Monoterpenes are naturally found in many parts of different plants.
Geraniol can be found in many essential oils including Rose Oil and Citronella Oil. The scent of Geraniol is often described as "rose-like". Many foods also contain Geraniol for fruit flavoring.
Geraniol can irritate the skin when exposed to air. However, irritation depends on the ability of geraniol to penetrate into the skin. In general, geraniol is not able to penetrate skin easily.
Geraniol is colorless and has low water-solubility. However, it is soluble in common organic solvents.
Like citronellol, it is a natural insect repellent.
2,6-Octadien-1-ol, 3,7-dimethyl-, (2E)-
Learn more about GeraniolGlycerin (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 GlycerinRosa Damascena Flower Oil is an essential oil made from the Damask Rose. It is often used as a fragrance in cosmetics.
Rose Oil has antibacterial and antioxidant properties due to its terpene, glycoside, flavonoid, anthocyanin, and Vitamin C content.
Other major parts of Rose Oil include citronellol and geraniol. Both of these are known EU allergens and cause contact-allergies.
The downsides of this ingredient outweight the positives.
Learn more about Rosa Damascena Flower OilWater. 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