What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantNiacinamide
SmoothingChondrus Crispus Powder
AbrasiveGlucomannan
Skin ConditioningDextrin
AbsorbentCalcium Chloride
AstringentButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
HumectantHydroxyacetophenone
AntioxidantCeratonia Siliqua Gum
EmollientPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningPolyglyceryl-10 Laurate
Skin ConditioningXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingAllantoin
Skin ConditioningEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningAgave Tequilana Leaf Extract
AstringentAnastatica Hierochuntica Extract
AstringentGardenia Florida Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningHydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingAdenosine
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
Sodium Guaiazulene Sulfonate
SurfactantSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantXylitylglucoside
HumectantAnhydroxylitol
HumectantXylitol
HumectantWater, Glycerin, Niacinamide, Chondrus Crispus Powder, Glucomannan, Dextrin, Calcium Chloride, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, 1,2-Hexanediol, Butylene Glycol, Hydroxyacetophenone, Ceratonia Siliqua Gum, Pentylene Glycol, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Xanthan Gum, Allantoin, Ethylhexylglycerin, Agave Tequilana Leaf Extract, Anastatica Hierochuntica Extract, Gardenia Florida Fruit Extract, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Adenosine, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Guaiazulene Sulfonate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Xylitylglucoside, Anhydroxylitol, Xylitol
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantChondrus Crispus Powder
AbrasiveCeratonia Siliqua Gum
EmollientCollagen
MoisturisingCaprylhydroxamic Acid
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningRosa Rugosa Flower Oil
MaskingPaeonia Officinalis Root Extract
Skin ConditioningNiacinamide
SmoothingPortulaca Oleracea Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract
AntioxidantHydrolyzed Collagen
EmollientEuglena Gracilis Polysaccharide
Gel FormingChamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
MaskingPotassium Chloride
Hydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingAllantoin
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
Water, Glycerin, Chondrus Crispus Powder, Ceratonia Siliqua Gum, Collagen, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, 1,2-Hexanediol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Rosa Rugosa Flower Oil, Paeonia Officinalis Root Extract, Niacinamide, Portulaca Oleracea Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract, Hydrolyzed Collagen, Euglena Gracilis Polysaccharide, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Potassium Chloride, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Allantoin, Disodium EDTA
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 AllantoinCeratonia Siliqua Gum is extracted from the seeds of the carob tree. You might know this ingredient as Carob Gum or Locust Bean Gum. It is used to stabilize other ingredients and improve the texture of products.
Carob gum is made up of long-chain polysaccharides. This makes it a natural thickener.
Yes! This ingredient comes from the seeds of a tree. The name 'Locust Bean Gum' can be misleading.
Learn more about Ceratonia Siliqua GumChondrus Crispus Powder is an exfoliant.
Disodium 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 EDTAEthylhexylglycerin 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 EthylhexylglycerinGlycerin (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 GlycerinHydroxyethylcellulose is used to improve the texture of products. It is created from a chemical reaction involving ethylene oxide and alkali-cellulose. Cellulose is a sugar found in plant cell walls and help give plants structure.
This ingredient helps stabilize products by preventing ingredients from separating. It can also help thicken the texture of a product.
This ingredient can also be found in pill medicines to help our bodies digest other ingredients.
Learn more about HydroxyethylcelluloseNiacinamide is a multitasking form of vitamin B3 that strengthens the skin barrier, reduces pores and dark spots, regulates oil, and improves signs of aging.
And the best part? It's gentle and well-tolerated by most skin types, including sensitive and reactive skin.
You might have heard of "niacin flush", or the reddening of skin that causes itchiness. Niacinamide has not been found to cause this.
In very rare cases, some individuals may not be able to tolerate niacinamide at all or experience an allergic reaction to it.
If you are experiencing flaking, irritation, and dryness with this ingredient, be sure to double check all your products as this ingredient can be found in all categories of skincare.
When incorporating niacinamide into your routine, look out for concentration amounts. Typically, 5% niacinamide provides benefits such as fading dark spots. However, if you have sensitive skin, it is better to begin with a smaller concentration.
When you apply niacinamide to your skin, your body converts it into nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD). NAD is an essential coenzyme that is already found in your cells as "fuel" and powers countless biological processes.
In your skin, NAD helps repair cell damage, produce new healthy cells, support collagen production, strengthen the skin barrier, and fight environmental stressors (like UV and pollution).
Our natural NAD levels start to decline with age, leading to slower skin repair, visible aging, and a weaker skin barrier. By providing your skin niacinamide, you're recharging your skin's NAD levels. This leads to stronger, healthier, and younger looking skin.
Another name for vitamin B3 is nicotinamide. This vitamin is water-soluble and our bodies don't store it. We obtain Vitamin B3 from either food or skincare. Meat, fish, wheat, yeast, and leafy greens contain vitamin B3.
The type of niacinamide used in skincare is synthetically created.
Learn more about NiacinamideWater. 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