What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Isopropyl Myristate
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate Se
Emulsifying
Ceteareth-20
CleansingIsopentyldiol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Cetearyl Ethylhexanoate
Emollient
Arnica Montana Flower Extract
Masking
Dimethyl Sulfone
SolventArginine Hcl
Skin ConditioningPhytonadione
Aesculus Hippocastanum Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder
Skin Conditioning
Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract
Masking
Centella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Soluble Collagen
Humectant
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Dimethicone
Emollient
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Hamamelis Virginiana Extract
Antiseborrhoeic
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Vanillyl Butyl Ether
MaskingHexylene Glycol
Emulsifying
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCitric Acid
Buffering
Parfum
Masking
Citrus Paradisi Peel Oil
Masking
Ascorbic Acid
Antioxidant
Sodium Citrate
BufferingSodium Benzoate
Masking
Limonene
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Water, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Isopropyl Myristate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Ceteareth-20, Isopentyldiol, Glycerin, Cetearyl Ethylhexanoate, Arnica Montana Flower Extract, Dimethyl Sulfone, Arginine Hcl, Phytonadione, Aesculus Hippocastanum Seed Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract, Centella Asiatica Extract, Soluble Collagen, Panthenol, Dimethicone, Tocopherol, Hamamelis Virginiana Extract, Phenoxyethanol, Polysorbate 20, Caprylyl Glycol, Vanillyl Butyl Ether, Hexylene Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Xanthan Gum, Citric Acid, Parfum, Citrus Paradisi Peel Oil, Ascorbic Acid, Sodium Citrate, Sodium Benzoate, Limonene, Linalool
Water
Skin ConditioningDimethyl Sulfone
SolventArnica Montana Flower Extract
Masking
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Euphrasia Officinalis Extract
AntimicrobialCalendula Officinalis Flower Extract
Masking
Vaccinium Myrtillus Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningSaccharum Officinarum Extract
MoisturisingAcer Saccharum Extract
Skin ConditioningCitrus Aurantium Dulcis Fruit Extract
MaskingCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Lonicera Caprifolium Flower Extract
Perfuming
Algae Extract
EmollientSalvia Officinalis Leaf Extract
CleansingVitis Vinifera Seed Extract
Antimicrobial
Urtica Dioica Extract
AstringentHydrolyzed Silk
Humectant
Silk Amino Acids
HumectantSorbitol
Humectant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningHexylene Glycol
Emulsifying
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingTriethanolamine
BufferingDisodium EDTA
Water, Dimethyl Sulfone, Arnica Montana Flower Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Allantoin, Euphrasia Officinalis Extract, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract, Vaccinium Myrtillus Fruit Extract, Saccharum Officinarum Extract, Acer Saccharum Extract, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Fruit Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Lonicera Caprifolium Flower Extract, Algae Extract, Salvia Officinalis Leaf Extract, Vitis Vinifera Seed Extract, Urtica Dioica Extract, Hydrolyzed Silk, Silk Amino Acids, Sorbitol, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Hexylene Glycol, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Triethanolamine, 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.
Arnica Montana Flower is more commonly known as Wolf's Bane. While this flower has been used in traditional medicine, its skin benefits are in question.
The FDA considers Wolf's Bane to be an unsafe herb. They advise against taking it orally or applying it to broken skin.
Wolf's Bane has been said to have anti-inflammatory properties. However, studies are conflicting about whether this is true.
According to the Final report on the safety assessment of Arnica montana, this plant has not been found to cause dermal irritation.
This flower contains numerous fatty acids such as palmitic, linoleic, myristic, and linolenic acids. The presence and amount of fatty acids depends on where the flower is harvested.
Like other flowers, this ingredient has a natural fragrance. It can also be used to mask, or cover, the unpleasant scents from other ingredients.
Learn more about Arnica Montana Flower ExtractCalendula Officinalis Flower Extract comes from the marigold flower and has been used on skin for centuries for its calming effect.
In the lab, its active compounds appear to calm inflammation and support the early "healing" phase of minor wounds.
This is why Europe's medicines regulator has approved calendula extracts as a traditional remedy for minor skin inflammation and healing small wounds.
The stronger human evidence is around would/ulcer care rather than everyday cosmetic claims; a review that pulled together 14 studies found that calendula helped calm the early, inflamed stage of a wound and helped new skin tissue form faster.
Two studies also showed it shrank leg ulcers (the kind caused by poor circulation). Results were mixed for burns and for the skin irritation people get from radiation treatment, so it's not a sure thing there.
In cosmetics, it's mostly a skin conditioning and soothing agent.
The Cosmetic Ingredient Review panel concluded that calendula-derived ingredients are safe as used and that the ingredients are not irritating, sensitizing, or photosensitizing in clinical tests (though they may be mild eye irritants).
Typical use levels are quite low; industry data reported it used at under 0.5% (one supplier noted a 10-25% extract blend used at 1-10% in the finished product). Historical use goes up to 10%.
The only thing to keep in mind is if you have daisy/ragweed allergies. Calendula is in the same family and one patch-test study found 2% of dermatitis patients reacted to marigold. Be sure to patch test if you have sensitive or allergy-prone skin.
Learn more about Calendula Officinalis Flower ExtractCaprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.
Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.
Because it is not a free-fatty acid, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolDimethyl Sulfone is an organic compound that naturally contains sulfur. It is used as a solvent due to its stability. Solvents help mix and stabilize other ingredients.
Studies show taking Dimethyl Sulfone (also known as methylsulfonylmethane or MSM) orally may help reduce the depth of wrinkles. We recommend speaking with a professional if you have any questions or concerns about this ingredient.
Ethylhexylglycerin 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 EthylhexylglycerinHexylene Glycol is a multitasker ingredient that works as a solvent, humectant, emulsifier, viscosity reducer, and preservative booster.
It is able to dissolve both water and oil-soluble ingredients to stabilize tricky actives and make products spread more easily.
As a humectant, it pulls water into the skin. But it's a pretty minor moisturizing ingredient compared to other humectants, like glycerin.
Interestingly, it can act as a mild penetration enhancer. One in vitro study on human skin found a 12% concentration upped the absorption of mometasone furoate (a medicinal ingredient used to treat inflammatory skin conditions) up to 7%.
This ingredient is typically used at levels of 0.1-10% depending on the role it's playing.
A patch test study on eczema patients didn't find a significant increase in irritation versus the control group, but the potential for irritation rises at higher concentrations.
Learn more about Hexylene GlycolPhenoxyethanol 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 Water
