What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningMelaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Water
AntimicrobialGlycerin
Humectant
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantButylene Glycol
Humectant
Niacinamide
Smoothing
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Propanediol
Solvent
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
C12-14 Pareth-12
EmulsifyingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningAdenosine
Skin Conditioning
Citric Acid
Buffering
Gluconolactone
Skin Conditioning
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingXylitylglucoside
Humectant
Centella Asiatica Leaf Extract
Skin Conditioning
Anhydroxylitol
Humectant
Mentha Arvensis Leaf Oil
Masking
Xylitol
Humectant
Glucose
Humectant
Pinus Densiflora Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Citrus Junos Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningArtemisia Annua Extract
MaskingWater, Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Water, Glycerin, Dipropylene Glycol, Butylene Glycol, Niacinamide, 1,2-Hexanediol, Propanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, C12-14 Pareth-12, Ethylhexylglycerin, Adenosine, Citric Acid, Gluconolactone, Allantoin, Xanthan Gum, Xylitylglucoside, Centella Asiatica Leaf Extract, Anhydroxylitol, Mentha Arvensis Leaf Oil, Xylitol, Glucose, Pinus Densiflora Leaf Extract, Citrus Junos Fruit Extract, Artemisia Annua Extract
Water
Skin ConditioningPyrus Malus Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantMelia Azadirachta Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningChlorella Vulgaris Extract
Skin ConditioningCurcuma Longa Root Extract
Masking
Ocimum Sanctum Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningCorallina Officinalis Extract
Skin Conditioning
Althaea Rosea Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Methylpropanediol
SolventHydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Glycolic Acid
Buffering
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingHydroxyethyl Urea
Humectant
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Betaine Salicylate
Antimicrobial
Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate
Skin Conditioning
Polyglyceryl-10 Myristate
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningGlucose
Humectant
Fructooligosaccharides
Humectant
Fructose
Humectant
Cyanocobalamin
Skin ConditioningPentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Acetyl Glucosamine
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
Humectant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Caffeine
Skin Conditioning
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingDisodium EDTA
Parfum
Masking
Water, Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Dipropylene Glycol, Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract, Chlorella Vulgaris Extract, Curcuma Longa Root Extract, Ocimum Sanctum Leaf Extract, Corallina Officinalis Extract, Althaea Rosea Flower Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Methylpropanediol, Hydroxyacetophenone, Glycolic Acid, 1,2-Hexanediol, Sodium Hydroxide, Hydroxyethyl Urea, Caprylyl Glycol, Allantoin, Betaine Salicylate, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Polyglyceryl-10 Myristate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Glucose, Fructooligosaccharides, Fructose, Cyanocobalamin, Pentylene Glycol, Acetyl Glucosamine, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Tocopherol, Caffeine, Xanthan Gum, Disodium EDTA, Parfum
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.Â
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 preservativesÂ
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 GlycolCaprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.
Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.
Because it is not a free-fatty acid or alcohol, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolDipropylene Glycol is a synthetically created humectant, stabilizer, and solvent.
This ingredient helps:
Dipropylene glycol is technically an alcohol, but it belongs to the glycol family (often considered part of the ‘good’ alcohols). This means it is hydrating and gentle on skin unlike drying solvent alcohols like denatured alcohol.
As a masking agent, Dipropylene Glycol can be used to cover the smell of other ingredients. However, it does not have a scent.
Studies show Dipropylene Glycol is considered safe to use in skincare.
Learn more about Dipropylene GlycolEthylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:
The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure.
Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.
Learn more about EthylhexylglycerinGlucose is a simple sugar (a monosaccharide). In skincare, it is mostly a humectant and skin conditioning agent.
Mechanistically, it has multiple hydroxyl groups that hydrogen-bond to water. This pulls moisture into the upper layers of skin to keep the surface soft and hydrated.
It's worth knowing sugars are already a natural component of the skin's NMF (natural moisturizing factor) so it's a molecule that your stratum corneum is well-acquainted with.
Just so you know, glucose is hydrophilic (water-loving) and the stratum corneum is a strong barrier to hydrophilic compounds. This just means penetration is slow and most of the action is happening on the surface.
Gram-to-gram, glucose is not as efficient as a humectant as glycerin. This is why you'll likely see glycose paired with stronger humectants for a bigger hydration payoff.
In skincare, glucose is typically derived from corn or other starch sources.
Learn more about GlucoseGlycerin (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 WaterXanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.
On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.
Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.
Learn more about Xanthan Gum
