What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
SolventPanthenol
Skin Conditioning1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningCetyl Ethylhexanoate
EmollientButylene Glycol
HumectantAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingGlycerin
HumectantHydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingTromethamine
BufferingPolyglyceryl-2 Stearate
EmulsifyingGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientStearyl Alcohol
EmollientAllantoin
Skin ConditioningBetaine
HumectantSqualane
EmollientTrehalose
HumectantEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningArtemisia Capillaris Extract
Bambusa Arundinacea Juice
AbrasiveCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialMelia Azadirachta Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Gardenia Florida Extract
AntioxidantHydrolyzed Malt Extract
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
Hydrolyzed Viola Tricolor Extract
Skin ProtectingSorbitan Isostearate
EmulsifyingEctoin
Skin ConditioningMelia Azadirachta Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningHyaluronic Acid
HumectantHydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
HumectantSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantTheobroma Cacao Seed Extract
AntioxidantDextrin
AbsorbentWater, Propanediol, Panthenol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Butylene Glycol, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Glycerin, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Tromethamine, Polyglyceryl-2 Stearate, Glyceryl Stearate, Stearyl Alcohol, Allantoin, Betaine, Squalane, Trehalose, Ethylhexylglycerin, Artemisia Capillaris Extract, Bambusa Arundinacea Juice, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract, Hydrolyzed Gardenia Florida Extract, Hydrolyzed Malt Extract, Disodium EDTA, Hydrolyzed Viola Tricolor Extract, Sorbitan Isostearate, Ectoin, Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract, Hyaluronic Acid, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate, Theobroma Cacao Seed Extract, Dextrin
Water
Skin ConditioningPEG-8 Beeswax
EmulsifyingC12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialGlycerin
HumectantSqualane
EmollientCetyl Palmitate
EmollientPanthenol
Skin ConditioningDimethicone
EmollientTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantBisabolol
AntioxidantAllantoin
Skin ConditioningBorago Officinalis Seed Oil
EmollientSerine
MaskingSodium Lactate
BufferingUrea
BufferingSorbitol
HumectantPantolactone
HumectantLactic Acid
BufferingPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningSodium Chloride
MaskingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingDisodium EDTA
Methylparaben
PreservativePropylparaben
Preservative2-Bromo-2-Nitropropane-1,3-Diol
PreservativeWater, PEG-8 Beeswax, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Glycerin, Squalane, Cetyl Palmitate, Panthenol, Dimethicone, Tocopheryl Acetate, Bisabolol, Allantoin, Borago Officinalis Seed Oil, Serine, Sodium Lactate, Urea, Sorbitol, Pantolactone, Lactic Acid, Pentylene Glycol, Sodium Chloride, Carbomer, Sodium Hydroxide, Disodium EDTA, Methylparaben, Propylparaben, 2-Bromo-2-Nitropropane-1,3-Diol
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
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 AllantoinDisodium EDTA is a chelating agent. It grabs onto and deactivates metal ions that sneak into your products from water, packaging, or air.
This ingredient mainly works behind the scenes and helps with:
On top of that, this ingredient can counteract the effects of hard water by binding to the minerals in it.
One thing worth knowing is that Disodium EDTA has been shown to be a mild penetration enhancer. It can help other ingredients absorb into skin more effectively which can be a double-edged sword (great for actives, but can also make the active too strong if you have sensitive skin).
Clinical patch testing showed no significant skin irritation at typical use concentrations and minimal dermal absorption.
You'll most likely see this ingredient near the end of an ingredient list. It's typically found in concentrations less than 1%.
Learn more about Disodium EDTAGlycerin (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 GlycerinPanthenol is a common ingredient that helps hydrate and soothe the skin. It is found naturally in our skin and hair.
There are two forms of panthenol: D and L.
D-panthenol is also known as dexpanthenol. Most cosmetics use dexpanthenol or a mixture of D and L-panthenol.
Panthenol is famous due to its ability to go deeper into the skin's layers. Using this ingredient has numerous pros (and no cons):
Like hyaluronic acid, panthenol is a humectant. Humectants are able to bind and hold large amounts of water to keep skin hydrated.
This ingredient works well for wound healing. It works by increasing tissue in the wound and helps close open wounds.
Once oxidized, panthenol converts to pantothenic acid. Panthothenic acid is found in all living cells.
This ingredient is also referred to as pro-vitamin B5.
Learn more about PanthenolSqualane is the hydrogenated and shelf-stable form of squalene (a lipid that naturally occurs in human sebum).
It is an emollient and skin conditioning agent that is able to integrate seamlessly into the skin's lipid barrier without clogging pores.
This is due to how structurally similar it is to what your skin already produces.
Though it is mostly an emollient that helps soften and hydrate skin, it also has some humectant and occlusive action. Humectants help the skin retain moisture while occlusives seal it in, making squalane a triple-threat moisturizer.
Research shows it has antioxidant capabilities that help protect against stressors like UV exposure, specifically UVA induced oxidative stress. This study also found that it supports collagen biosynthesis in human dermal fibroblasts.
No clinical study has reported significant adverse effects and irritation reactions are very rare from this ingredient (even at 100% concentration).
Overall, it's a fantastic ingredient for hydration and is suitable for all skin types.
This depends on the source. Squalane can be derived from both plants and animals. Most squalane used in skincare comes from plants.
Please note: the source of squalane is only known if disclosed by the brand. We recommend reaching out to the brand if you have any questions about their squalane.
Read more about squalene with an "e".
Though squalane is often called an oil, it’s technically not one. It is a hydrocarbon, meaning it is only made of carbon and hydrogen. True oils are triglycerides and made of fatty acids and glycerol.
The term “oil-free” isn’t regulated so companies can define it however they want. Some exclude all oils, while others just avoid mineral oil or comedogenic oils.
Squalane has a comedogenic rating of 1 from the original 1972 study that tested raw ingredients under occlusion on rabbit ears. This system is not standardized or peer-reviewed, and using the raw ingredients is very different from how diluted cosmetic formulations are used on human skin.
A comedogenic rating of 1 means it is "unlikely to clog pores" according to the original rating system.
The overall formula of a product matters more than the individual ingredients on whether or not it will cause clogged pores.
Learn more about SqualaneWater. 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