What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
HumectantPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningDipropylene Glycol
HumectantErythritol
HumectantPEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
EmulsifyingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPPG-6-Decyltetradeceth-30
EmulsifyingPEG-32
HumectantDipotassium Glycyrrhizate
HumectantSodium Citrate
BufferingSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantGlycerin
HumectantAcetyl Hexapeptide-38
Skin ConditioningValine
MaskingThreonine
Serine
MaskingLeucine
Skin ConditioningProline
Skin ConditioningHistidine
HumectantGlycine
BufferingAlanine
MaskingArginine
MaskingLysine Hcl
Skin ConditioningCarnosine
Skin ConditioningPhytosteryl/Octyldodecyl Lauroyl Glutamate
Skin ConditioningPolyquaternium-61
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeHydrogenated Lard
EmollientPolyglyceryl-10 Laurate
Skin ConditioningWater, Butylene Glycol, Pentylene Glycol, Dipropylene Glycol, Erythritol, PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Xanthan Gum, PPG-6-Decyltetradeceth-30, PEG-32, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Sodium Citrate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Glycerin, Acetyl Hexapeptide-38, Valine, Threonine, Serine, Leucine, Proline, Histidine, Glycine, Alanine, Arginine, Lysine Hcl, Carnosine, Phytosteryl/Octyldodecyl Lauroyl Glutamate, Polyquaternium-61, Phenoxyethanol, Hydrogenated Lard, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
HumectantGlycerin
HumectantXylitol
HumectantDiisostearyl Malate
EmollientDimethicone
EmollientArachidyl Alcohol
EmollientBehenyl Alcohol
EmollientPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningBeeswax
Emulsion StabilisingHydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientArachidyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeSqualane
EmollientTrimethylsiloxysilicate
EmollientCyclopentasiloxane
EmollientGlyceryl Caprylate
EmollientPolysorbate 60
EmulsifyingStearyl Glycyrrhetinate
Skin ConditioningXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingDimethiconol
EmollientCarnosine
Skin ConditioningPhytosteryl/Octyldodecyl Lauroyl Glutamate
Skin ConditioningHistidine
HumectantTaurine
BufferingLysine Hcl
Skin ConditioningPolyquaternium-61
Skin ConditioningGlutamic Acid
HumectantGlycine
BufferingLeucine
Skin ConditioningHistidine Hcl
Skin ConditioningSerine
MaskingValine
MaskingSodium Aspartate
BufferingThreonine
Alanine
MaskingIsoleucine
Skin ConditioningAllantoin
Skin Conditioning1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningPhenylalanine
MaskingHydrogenated Lecithin
EmulsifyingArginine
MaskingProline
Skin ConditioningPolyglyceryl-10 Laurate
Skin ConditioningTyrosine
MaskingDisodium Inosinate
EmollientDisodium Guanylate
EmollientWater, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Xylitol, Diisostearyl Malate, Dimethicone, Arachidyl Alcohol, Behenyl Alcohol, Pentylene Glycol, Beeswax, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Glyceryl Stearate, Arachidyl Glucoside, Phenoxyethanol, Squalane, Trimethylsiloxysilicate, Cyclopentasiloxane, Glyceryl Caprylate, Polysorbate 60, Stearyl Glycyrrhetinate, Xanthan Gum, Dimethiconol, Carnosine, Phytosteryl/Octyldodecyl Lauroyl Glutamate, Histidine, Taurine, Lysine Hcl, Polyquaternium-61, Glutamic Acid, Glycine, Leucine, Histidine Hcl, Serine, Valine, Sodium Aspartate, Threonine, Alanine, Isoleucine, Allantoin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Phenylalanine, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Arginine, Proline, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Tyrosine, Disodium Inosinate, Disodium Guanylate
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Alanine is an amino acid and is already found in the human body. Our skin uses alanine to build collagen, elastin, and keratin.
Arginine 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 GlycolCarnosine is a dipeptide made from two amino acids.
This ingredient helps:
Glycation is the process of sugars binding to and damaging proteins. Too much sugar in our skin can lead to damaged collagen, contributing to factors of aging.
Carnosine is water-soluble and is not able to travel deeper layers of skin. This leads to some doubt about whether it can boost collagen in skin, since collagen is located in the deeper layers of skin.
Fun fact: Carnosine can be naturally found in our muscles and brain.
Learn more about CarnosineGlycerin (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 GlycerinGlycine is the smallest amino acid and a key building block of collagen. It's part if 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.
A study from 2022 found that an amino acid complex featuring taurine, arginine, and glycine significantly reduced skin irritation, improved redness, and accelerated the skin repair process.
Histidine is a semi-essential amino acid used by our bodies to create protein. It has humectant and skin conditioning properties.
Our bodies use histidine to create filaggrin - filaggrin is a structural protein that the skin uses in maintaining skin barrier.
One study found histidine and carnosine to be a dynamic duo for your skin:
Oral histidine has also been found to help with filaggrin-deficit skin disorders such as atopic dermatitis.
Why is it considered a semi-essential amino acid? This is because adults are able to create it but children must get it from their diet.
Learn more about HistidineWe don't have a description for Leucine yet.
Lysine HCl is an alpha amino acid salt.
Our skin uses amino acids as a precursor for building protein, and therefore keratins, collagen and elastin.
Pentylene glycol is typically used within a product to thicken it. It also adds a smooth, soft, and moisturizing feel to the product. It is naturally found in plants such as sugar beets.
The hydrophilic trait of Pentylene Glycol makes it a humectant. As a humectant, Pentylene Glycol helps draw moisture from the air to your skin. This can help keep your skin hydrated.
This property also makes Pentylene Glycol a great texture enhancer. It can also help thicken or stabilize a product.
Pentylene Glycol also acts as a mild preservative and helps to keep a product microbe-free.
Some people may experience mild eye and skin irritation from Pentylene Glycol. We always recommend speaking with a professional about using this ingredient in your routine.
Pentylene Glycol has a low molecular weight and is part of the 1,2-glycol family.
Learn more about Pentylene GlycolPhenoxyethanol is a preservative that has germicide, antimicrobial, and aromatic properties. Studies show that phenoxyethanol can prevent microbial growth. By itself, it has a scent that is similar to that of a rose.
It's often used in formulations along with Caprylyl Glycol to preserve the shelf life of products.
We don't have a description for Phytosteryl/Octyldodecyl Lauroyl Glutamate yet.
Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate is a cleansing agent and emulsifier.
It rounds up dirt, oil, and grime, so they can be rinsed off easily as a cleanser. On the emulsifier side, it keeps your formula smooth and well-mixed by playing peacekeeper for ingredients that don't naturally get along (like oil and water).
Because it has a C12 (lauric acid) fatty acid chain, this ingredient can potentially feed the Malassezia yeast that causes fungal acne. The Malassezia yeast prefers esters with C11-C24 fatty acids If you're prone to flare-ups, you might want to patch-test or skip this one.
This ingredient is an ester of lauric acid and Polyglycerin-10.
Learn more about Polyglyceryl-10 LaurateWe don't have a description for Polyquaternium-61 yet.
Proline is a non-essential amino acid, meaning your body can make it on its own. In skincare, it is a skin conditioning ingredient that keeps skin soft and hydrated.
It makes up about 23% of the collagen molecule (collagen is the protein responsible for keeping your skin firm) and is involved in your skin's natural hyaluronic acid production. When applied topically, proline can penetrate the skin fairly well due to its small molecular size.
Reviews of this ingredient have found it to be neither a dermal irritant nor a sensitizer.
Fun fact: Proline can be found in protein-rich foods like meat, fish, eggs, and dairy.
Learn more about ProlineSerine is a non-essential amino acid (your body makes it on its own!). It is a major player in 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.
Serine is one of your NMF's most abundant components that works as a skin-identical humectant. Its hydroxyl group grabs onto water molecules to boost hydration without any heaviness or occlusion.
Research on a hydrogel with serine confirmed this serine got delivered to your stratum corneum and demonstrated enhanced skin moisturization.
Interestingly serine also helps your skin produce filaggrin, a protein that keeps your skin barrier strong and used to create collagen.
Learn more about SerineThreonine is an amino-acid. It helps hydrate the skin and has antioxidant benefits.
Our skin uses threonine for creating collagen and elastin. Humans are not able to create threonine and must get it through eating foods such as fish, lentils, poultry, sesame seeds, and more.
Valine is an essential amino acid. It is used by our bodies for tissue repair and muscle growth.
An essential amino acid is one in which our bodies cannot naturally produce so we must get them through diet. Foods such as eggs, dairy, red meat, and fish contain valine.
This ingredient can either be derived from an animal product or be synthetically created.
Learn more about ValineWater. 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