What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningButoxyethanol
MaskingSilk Amino Acids
HumectantCeramide AP
Skin Conditioning
Codium Tomentosum Extract
Skin ProtectingHydrolyzed Collagen
Emollient
Leontopodium Alpinum Extract
Skin ConditioningCentella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Beta-Glucan
Skin Conditioning
Portulaca Oleracea Extract
Skin Conditioning
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Cereus Grandiflorus Extract
Antioxidant
Arnica Montana Flower Extract
Masking
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Polyglutamic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingAllantoin
Skin Conditioning
Gold
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Butoxyethanol, Silk Amino Acids, Ceramide AP, Codium Tomentosum Extract, Hydrolyzed Collagen, Leontopodium Alpinum Extract, Centella Asiatica Extract, Beta-Glucan, Portulaca Oleracea Extract, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Cereus Grandiflorus Extract, Arnica Montana Flower Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Polyglutamic Acid, Tocopherol, Xanthan Gum, Allantoin, Gold
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Olus Oil
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate Citrate
Emollient
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Decyl Oleate
Emollient
Kaolin
Abrasive
Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin Conditioning
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Behenyl Alcohol
Emollient
Avena Sativa Kernel Flour
Abrasive
Beta-Glucan
Skin Conditioning
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Pectin
Emulsion StabilisingPanthenol
Skin Conditioning
Daucus Carota Sativa Root Extract
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Citric Acid
Buffering
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Hydrogenated Phosphatidylcholine
Emulsifying
Squalane
Emollient
Water, Glycerin, Pentylene Glycol, Olus Oil, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Decyl Oleate, Kaolin, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Cetearyl Alcohol, Behenyl Alcohol, Avena Sativa Kernel Flour, Beta-Glucan, Tocopherol, Ceramide NP, Allantoin, Pectin, Panthenol, Daucus Carota Sativa Root Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Citric Acid, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Hydrogenated Phosphatidylcholine, Squalane
Reviews
Alternatives
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 AllantoinBeta-Glucan is a soluble polysaccharide (a chain of glucose sugars) sourced from the cells walls of oats, baker's yeast, mushrooms, and seaweed.
It's a rare ingredient that pulls double-duty as a heavy-duty hydrator and skin-soothing repair agent.
On the surface, it acts as a humectant that holds water in place and reduces moisture loss for a plumper, smoother feel, while its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties make it a great pick for calming redness or sensitive skin
The more interesting story is underneath:
Despite its large molecular size, oat beta-glucan has been shown to penetrate the epidermis and reach the dermis by slipping between skin cells. Here, it interacts with fibroblasts and macrophages to nudge collagen synthesis and support wound repair.
A small 2005 split-face clinical study of 27 subjects found topical beta-glucan produced measurable reductions in wrinkle depth, height, and roughness after 8 weeks of use.
It is worth noting the trial was small and the penetration testing used frozen, irradiated skin so the anti-aging data is encouraging rather than definitive.
This ingredient gets along with pretty much everything and is typically used around 0.1-1%.
Fungal acne: This ingredient is not a food source for the Malassezia yeast because it is a glucose polysaccharide with no fatty acid or ester component.
Learn more about Beta-GlucanThis ingredient is also known as shea butter. It is a plant-derived extract from the nuts of the Africa shea tree and one of the most well-studied emollients.
Because it has a high concentration of fatty acids (primarily oleic, stearic, and linoleic) it is able to form a protective barrier on the skin's surface. This helps seal in moisture and prevents transepidermal water loss (TEWL).
In vitro research found an increase in skin hydration by 58% and a decrease in TEWL by 37.8% after 24 hours of applying this ingredient (pretty impressive for a single ingredient!).
Besides hydration, shea butter also contains triterpenes that have anti-inflammatory potential. In particule, lupeol cinnamate has shown the highest anti-inflammatory activity in vivo.
Shea butter also contains vitamins A and E which may contribute to antioxidant activity.
While Shea Butter has an SPF rating of about 3-4, it is not a sunscreen replacement.
This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe because its fatty acids fall within the C11-C24 range that the Malassezia yeast can metabolize.
Learn more about Butyrospermum Parkii ButterSodium Hyaluronate is the salt form of hyaluronic acid. It is a long sugar chain that is naturally found in your skin, joints, and connective tissue that maintains hydration and elasticity.
In skincare, it works as a humectant. It pulls water from the environment and deeper layers of skin and binds it to the surface.
Interestingly, the size of the molecule affects its behavior:
Some clinical evidence links low molecular weight versions to improved wrinkle depth, elasticity, anti-inflammatory effects, and barrier repair.
Many serums use a blend of both weights so you can get surface hydration plus longer-lasting and deeper effects.
You'll typically see concentrations between 0.1-2% for this ingredient.
Learn more about Sodium HyaluronateTocopherol is a fat-soluble antioxidant known as Vitamin E.
You'll find this ingredient in the vast majority of skincare (for good reason). It works to neutralize free radicals, or unstable molecules generated by UV exposure, pollution, and other environmental stressors, before they can cause oxidative damage to your skin cells.
Topically applied tocopherol has been shown to protect against UV damage by ramping up the skin's own natural defense enzymes.
It also acts as a skin conditioning agent; some studies show that regular topical use can improve the skin's water-binding capacity over 2-4 weeks.
This ingredient is especially loved for being a team player. When combined with Vitamin C, the photoprotective effect of both ingredients roughly doubles and the combo also helps reduce UV-induced DNA damage.
This ingredient has some brightening potential but it's more of a prevention ingredient than spot-fader. Cell studies show it can slow down melanin production but it's worth noting that it's not the most powerful brightener out there.
In formulations, it also serves as a stabilizer that helps protect other oxidation-prone ingredients from degrading.
Concentrations usually range from 0.1-1% in most leave-on products.
Learn more about TocopherolWater. 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
