What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycereth-26
Humectant
PEG/PPG-17/6 Copolymer
SolventGlycerin
Humectant
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Polyglutamic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Trehalose
Humectant
Betaine
Humectant
Hydroxyethyl Urea
Humectant
Rosa Centifolia Flower Water
Skin ConditioningFomes Officinalis Extract
Skin ProtectingHamamelis Virginiana Water
Astringent
Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningGlutamine
Skin ConditioningGlutamic Acid
Humectant
Arginine
Masking
Alanine
Masking
Phenylalanine
Masking
Proline
Skin Conditioning
Portulaca Oleracea Extract
Skin Conditioning
Hydrolyzed Collagen
Emollient
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Beta-Glucan
Skin Conditioning
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingButylene Glycol
Humectant
Boswellia Serrata Resin Extract
SmoothingSalix Alba Bark Extract
Astringent
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingAllantoin
Skin Conditioning
Polysorbate 80
Emulsifying
Adenosine
Skin Conditioning
Disodium EDTA
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Parfum
Masking
Water, Glycereth-26, PEG/PPG-17/6 Copolymer, Glycerin, Niacinamide, Sodium Hyaluronate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Polyglutamic Acid, Panthenol, Trehalose, Betaine, Hydroxyethyl Urea, Rosa Centifolia Flower Water, Fomes Officinalis Extract, Hamamelis Virginiana Water, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Seed Extract, Glutamine, Glutamic Acid, Arginine, Alanine, Phenylalanine, Proline, Portulaca Oleracea Extract, Hydrolyzed Collagen, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Beta-Glucan, Xanthan Gum, Butylene Glycol, Boswellia Serrata Resin Extract, Salix Alba Bark Extract, Carbomer, Allantoin, Polysorbate 80, Adenosine, Disodium EDTA, Tocopheryl Acetate, Parfum
Water
Skin ConditioningDipropylene Glycol
HumectantGlycerin
Humectant
Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate
Skin Conditioning
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Centella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Paeonia Suffruticosa Root Extract
Skin Protecting1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Hydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingChamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
Masking
Glyceryl Caprylate
EmollientArginine
Masking
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingAllantoin
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Viola Tricolor Extract
EmollientLavandula Angustifolia Flower Extract
Cleansing
Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil
Masking
Centaurea Cyanus Flower Extract
Astringent
Citrus Paradisi Peel Oil
Masking
Lavandula Angustifolia Oil
Masking
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Oryza Sativa Bran Oil
Emollient
Boswellia Carterii Oil
Masking
Pelargonium Graveolens Flower Oil
Masking
Vetiveria Zizanoides Root Oil
Masking
Disodium EDTA
Water, Dipropylene Glycol, Glycerin, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Butylene Glycol, Centella Asiatica Extract, Paeonia Suffruticosa Root Extract, 1,2-Hexanediol, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Glyceryl Caprylate, Arginine, Carbomer, Ethylhexylglycerin, Xanthan Gum, Allantoin, Sodium Hyaluronate, Viola Tricolor Extract, Lavandula Angustifolia Flower Extract, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil, Centaurea Cyanus Flower Extract, Citrus Paradisi Peel Oil, Lavandula Angustifolia Oil, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Oryza Sativa Bran Oil, Boswellia Carterii Oil, Pelargonium Graveolens Flower Oil, Vetiveria Zizanoides Root Oil, Disodium EDTA
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
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 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 GlycolCarbomer is a high-molecular weight polymer of acrylic acid. It is used to form gels and thicken formulas.
Due to its large molecular size, carbomer has minimal skin penetration and is considered an inert ingredient.
A high amount of carbomer can cause pilling or balling up of products. Don't worry, most products contain 1% or less of carbomer.
Learn more about CarbomerDisodium 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 GlycerinSodium 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 HyaluronateWater. 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
