This calming serum is formulated around Potassium Azeloyl Diglycinate and Propolis Extract to calm redness and balance excess oil.
This calming serum is formulated around Azelaic Acid and Zinc PCA to calm redness and clear breakouts.
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningPotassium Azeloyl Diglycinate
Skin Conditioning
Propanediol
Solvent
Glycerin
Humectant
Propolis Extract
Skin Conditioning
Pseudoalteromonas Ferment Extract
Humectant
Xylitylglucoside
Humectant
Anhydroxylitol
Humectant
Xylitol
Humectant
Dimethyl Isosorbide
SolventDipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Humectant
Gallic Acid
Antioxidant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Hydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingLecithin
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningSclerotium Gum
Emulsion StabilisingPullulan
Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Water, Potassium Azeloyl Diglycinate, Propanediol, Glycerin, Propolis Extract, Pseudoalteromonas Ferment Extract, Xylitylglucoside, Anhydroxylitol, Xylitol, Dimethyl Isosorbide, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Gallic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Xanthan Gum, Lecithin, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sclerotium Gum, Pullulan, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Lactic Acid
Water
Skin ConditioningAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Azelaic Acid
Buffering
Betaine
Humectant
Zinc PCA
Humectant
Biosaccharide Gum-1
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Triticum Aestivum Seed Extract
Perfuming
Triticum Turgidum Durum Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningEragrostis Tef Seed Extract
EmollientChenopodium Quinoa Seed Extract
Skin Conditioning
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSodium Levulinate
Skin ConditioningGlyceryl Caprylate
EmollientSodium Anisate
AntimicrobialCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Sodium Gluconate
Skin ConditioningBenzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Dehydroacetic Acid
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingCitric Acid
Buffering
Water, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Propylene Glycol, Azelaic Acid, Betaine, Zinc PCA, Biosaccharide Gum-1, Glycerin, Triticum Aestivum Seed Extract, Triticum Turgidum Durum Seed Extract, Eragrostis Tef Seed Extract, Chenopodium Quinoa Seed Extract, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Levulinate, Glyceryl Caprylate, Sodium Anisate, Caprylyl Glycol, Sodium Gluconate, Benzyl Alcohol, Dehydroacetic Acid, Sodium Benzoate, Phenoxyethanol, 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.
Glycerin (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 GlycerinPhenoxyethanol 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 PhenoxyethanolWater. 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
