What's inside
What's inside
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Avena Sativa Meal Extract
SoothingCucumis Sativus Fruit Extract
Emollient
Lactococcus Ferment Lysate
Skin Conditioning
Epilobium Fleischeri Extract
Skin ConditioningPanax Ginseng Root Extract
Emollient
Tephrosia Purpurea Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningBifida Ferment Lysate
Skin Conditioning
Lactis Proteinum
Skin ConditioningLactose
HumectantPentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Propanediol
Solvent
Sodium PCA
Humectant
PPG-26-Buteth-26
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Parfum
Masking
Water, Glycerin, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Avena Sativa Meal Extract, Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract, Lactococcus Ferment Lysate, Epilobium Fleischeri Extract, Panax Ginseng Root Extract, Tephrosia Purpurea Seed Extract, Bifida Ferment Lysate, Lactis Proteinum, Lactose, Pentylene Glycol, Propylene Glycol, Butylene Glycol, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Propanediol, Sodium PCA, PPG-26-Buteth-26, Disodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Benzoate, Parfum
Water
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
Solvent
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Sodium PCA
Humectant
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
Masking
Chamomilla Recutita Extract
Skin Conditioning
Glucose
Humectant
Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract
Emollient
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder
Skin Conditioning
Camphor
Masking
Urtica Dioica Extract
AstringentEquisetum Arvense Extract
AstringentBetula Alba Leaf Extract
AstringentCI 19140
Cosmetic ColorantPotassium Sorbate
Preservative
CI 14700
Cosmetic ColorantCI 42090
Cosmetic ColorantSodium Hydroxide
BufferingCitric Acid
Buffering
Water, Propanediol, Propylene Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium PCA, Sodium Benzoate, Allantoin, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Chamomilla Recutita Extract, Glucose, Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder, Camphor, Urtica Dioica Extract, Equisetum Arvense Extract, Betula Alba Leaf Extract, CI 19140, Potassium Sorbate, CI 14700, CI 42090, Sodium Hydroxide, Citric Acid
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
This extract comes from cucumber. Cucumbers are mostly made up of water (95%), and the other 5% is composed of: vitamin C, caffeic acid, fatty acids, amino acids, and other minerals.
Cucumbers have anti-inflammatory, barrier repair, and hydrating properties.
They contain shikimate dehydrigenase, an enzyme shown to help reduce inflammation and soothe the skin.
The amino acids found in cucumbers help nourish our skin's natural acid mantle (it's an important part of our skin barrier). This slightly acidic film acts as a barrier to protect us from bacteria, viruses, and other contaminants.
Unless you have an allergy to cucumbers, this is generally a non-irritating ingredient.
Fun fact: Cucumis Sativus is native to South Asia and can now be found on every continent.
Learn more about Cucumis Sativus Fruit ExtractPhenoxyethanol is one of the most widely used preservatives in skincare (and for good reason!).
It has a large spectrum of antimicrobial activity and especially effective bacteria, yeast, and mold while only having a weak effect on your skin's natural microbiome.
On a cellular level, it disrupts the cell membranes of microbes by poking holes that make the cell leak. This shuts down the chemical reactions the microbe needs to make energy so it can no longer survive.
Another perk of this ingredient is that it stays functional across a wide pH range (3-10).
You'll often see it paired with boosters like Ethylhexylglycerin; one study showed that a 1:9 ratio of Ethylhexylglycerin to Phenoxyethanol damages bacterial membranes as effectively as doubling the Phenoxyethanol concentration on its own.
Typical use concentrations range from 0.3-1% depending on the formula, and this ingredient is capped at 1% int the EU.
Safety-wise, the fear mongering does not hold up to the evidence. The EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety and FDA consider it safe as a preservative at up to 1%, including for children of all ages.
Adverse systemic effects only showed up in animal studies at exposures roughly 200x higher than what people get from cosmetics. And despite its very widespread use, this ingredient is a rare sensitizer and allergic reactions are uncommon.
Learn more about PhenoxyethanolPropanediol is an all-star ingredient. It softens, hydrates, and smooths the skin.
It’s often used to:
Propanediol is not likely to cause sensitivity and considered safe to use. It is derived from corn or petroleum with a clear color and no scent.
Learn more about PropanediolPropylene Glycol is a synthetic, colorless, odorless liquid that has been a staple in cosmetics for decades. It is a skin conditioning agent, humectant, and solvent.
As a humectant, it draw water to the skin to reduce flaking and restore suppleness. It's also a solvent that helps dissolve other actives and keeps formulas stable across temperature changes.
The CIR Expert Panel has confirmed this ingredient to be nontoxic and clinical studies show no sensitization at cosmetic use concentrations.
True allergic reactions are quite rare: a 15-year retrospective study of 6,751 patients found only 0.31% had a positive reaction (and less than half were considered clinically relevant).
It seemed that when sensitization does occur, it's most commonly linked to topical medication (like corticosteroids) and not cosmetics. Allergic contact dermatitis also appears largely limited to individuals with underlying skin conditions.
Overall, propylene glycol is a well-studied ingredient that most people can tolerate without issue.
Learn more about Propylene GlycolSodium Benzoate is a preservative. It's used in both cosmetic and food products to inhibit the growth of mold and bacteria. It is typically produced synthetically.
Both the US FDA and EU Health Committee have approved the use of sodium benzoate. In the US, levels of 0.1% (of the total product) are allowed.
Sodium benzoate works as a preservative by inhibiting the growth of bacteria inside of cells. It prevents the cell from fermenting a type of sugar using an enzyme called phosphofructokinase.
It is the salt of benzoic acid. Foods containing sodium benzoate include soda, salad dressings, condiments, fruit juices, wines, and snack foods.
Studies for using ascorbic acid and sodium benzoate in cosmetics are lacking, especially in skincare routines with multiple steps.
We always recommend speaking with a professional, such as a dermatologist, if you have any concerns.
Learn more about Sodium BenzoateSodium PCA (the salt of PCA) is one of the most well-established humectants in skincare.
Why is it so special? Your skin already makes it naturally; it's a natural component of your skin's Natural Moisturizing Factor (NMF), or the mix of water-binding compounds inside your skin cells that keeps things soft and hydrated.
As a cosmetic ingredient, it grabs water and holds it in the upper layers of skin to smooth roughness and ease dehydration.
There's some clinical support for the NMF approach with a study showing that a cream built to mimic the skin's NMF significantly boosted hydration.
Safety-wise, this ingredient non-irritating, non-comedogenic, and non-phototoxic in testing, with minimal skin absorption.
It also works really well with other hydrators like glycerin or hyaluronic acid, and typical usage is somewhere between 0.2-4%.
Learn more about Sodium PCAWater. 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
