What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCentella Asiatica Leaf Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantButylene Glycol
HumectantHippophae Rhamnoides Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningNiacinamide
SmoothingCetearyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientCetyl Ethylhexanoate
EmollientCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingMethyl Trimethicone
Skin ConditioningHydrogenated Polyisobutene
EmollientGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingCetearyl Olivate
Arginine
MaskingSorbitan Olivate
EmulsifyingAllantoin
Skin ConditioningAdenosine
Skin ConditioningDipotassium Glycyrrhizate
HumectantPropolis Extract
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningCentella Asiatica Extract
CleansingPolygonum Cuspidatum Root Extract
AntioxidantScutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract
AstringentCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialChamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
MaskingRosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialBrassica Oleracea Italica Extract
AstringentMedicago Sativa Extract
TonicBrassica Oleracea Capitata Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningTriticum Vulgare Sprout Extract
Skin ConditioningBrassica Campestris Extract
Skin ConditioningRaphanus Sativus Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningSaccharomyces/Viscum Album Ferment Extract
Skin ConditioningLactobacillus/Soybean Ferment Extract
Skin ConditioningSaccharomyces/Imperata Cylindrica Root Ferment Extract
EmollientWater, Centella Asiatica Leaf Water, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Hippophae Rhamnoides Fruit Extract, 1,2-Hexanediol, Niacinamide, Cetearyl Glucoside, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Methyl Trimethicone, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Glyceryl Stearate, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Cetearyl Olivate, Arginine, Sorbitan Olivate, Allantoin, Adenosine, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Propolis Extract, Caprylyl Glycol, Pentylene Glycol, Centella Asiatica Extract, Polygonum Cuspidatum Root Extract, Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Brassica Oleracea Italica Extract, Medicago Sativa Extract, Brassica Oleracea Capitata Leaf Extract, Triticum Vulgare Sprout Extract, Brassica Campestris Extract, Raphanus Sativus Seed Extract, Saccharomyces/Viscum Album Ferment Extract, Lactobacillus/Soybean Ferment Extract, Saccharomyces/Imperata Cylindrica Root Ferment Extract
Propolis Extract
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
HumectantGlycerin
HumectantHoney Extract
HumectantRoyal Jelly Extract
Skin Conditioning1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningWater
Skin ConditioningBetaine
HumectantCassia Obtusifolia Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingArginine
MaskingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPolyglyceryl-10 Myristate
Skin ConditioningPolyglyceryl-10 Laurate
Skin ConditioningXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
EmollientSodium Polyacrylate
AbsorbentPanthenol
Skin ConditioningAllantoin
Skin ConditioningAdenosine
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantBeeswax
Emulsion StabilisingPropolis Extract, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Honey Extract, Royal Jelly Extract, 1,2-Hexanediol, Water, Betaine, Cassia Obtusifolia Seed Extract, Carbomer, Arginine, Ethylhexylglycerin, Polyglyceryl-10 Myristate, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Xanthan Gum, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Sodium Polyacrylate, Panthenol, Allantoin, Adenosine, Sodium Hyaluronate, Beeswax
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
Adenosine is in every living organism. It is one of four components in nucleic acids that helps store our DNA.
Adenosine has many benefits when used. These benefits include hydrating the skin, smoothing skin, and reducing wrinkles. Once applied, adenosine increases collagen production. It also helps with improving firmness and tissue repair.
Studies have found adenosine may also help with wound healing.
In skincare products, Adenosine is usually derived from yeast.
Learn more about AdenosineAllantoin 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 AllantoinArginine is a semi-essential amino acid. This just means our bodies can product a bit on its own, but sometimes needs a little boost from food sources.
It is a part of your skin's natural moisturizing factor (NMF), or the water-loving molecules in your outermost layer of skin (stratum corneum) that keeps everything hydrated and happy.
Here's an interesting thing about Arginine: your skin converts it into urea through the Krebs-Henseleit urea cycle. Urea is one of the most effective humectants your skin naturally produces.
A clinical study showed applying 2.5% arginine hydrochloride to atopic dermatitis skin showed significant urea levels in the stratum corneum and improved moisture in just four weeks.
Arginine is also a precursor to nitric oxide; nitric oxide improves microcirculation and supports wound healing and collagen synthesis.
One study found that an amino acid complex containing Arginine reduced skin irritation, improved hydration, and accelerated skin repair in clinical / in-vivo studies.
Arginine itself is an amino acid and not a fatty acid, oil, or ester. On its own, it's not a direct food source for Malassezia, or the yeast that causes fungal acne.
Learn more about ArginineButylene 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 GlycolGlycerin (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 GlycerinPropolis Extract is a natural ingredient derived from propolis (also known as bee glue). Bees make propolis by mixing their saliva and beeswax with resins collected from tree buds and plants.
This ingredient is packed with bioactive compounds like flavonoids, phenolic acids, and amino acids that give it antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.
Research shows it can help:
It also pairs nicely with hydrating ingredients like niacinamide and ceramides.
Just so you know, Propolis Extract is recognized as a contact allergen. In patch tests done in the EU, roughly 1-6% of patients react to it. Be sure to steer clear of this ingredient if you have a known allergy to bee products.
Since it is an animal-derived product, this ingredient is not considered vegan. For vegan alternatives, check out Galactomyces Ferment Filtrate or Centella Asiatica Extract.
Learn more about Propolis ExtractWater. 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