What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningPanthenol
Skin Conditioning
Alcohol
Antimicrobial
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Citrus Medica Limonum Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Phenyl Trimethicone
Skin Conditioning
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingPotassium Hydroxide
BufferingPEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Coptis Japonica Extract
AntimicrobialAllantoin
Skin Conditioning
Portulaca Oleracea Extract
Skin Conditioning
Beta-Glucan
Skin Conditioning
Betula Platyphylla Japonica Juice
Skin Conditioning
Hamamelis Virginiana Leaf Extract
Skin Conditioning
Carica Papaya Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningPropylene Glycol
Humectant
Hedera Helix Extract
AntimicrobialPaeonia Albiflora Root Extract
Skin ConditioningConvallaria Majalis Extract
Skin ConditioningMagnolia Liliflora Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningLilium Candidum Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningLeontopodium Alpinum Flower/Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningAscorbic Acid
Antioxidant
Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate
Antioxidant
Citrus Limon Peel Oil
Masking
Citrus Grandis Peel Oil
Masking
Parfum
Masking
Water, Panthenol, Alcohol, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Citrus Medica Limonum Fruit Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Phenyl Trimethicone, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Potassium Hydroxide, PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Coptis Japonica Extract, Allantoin, Portulaca Oleracea Extract, Beta-Glucan, Betula Platyphylla Japonica Juice, Hamamelis Virginiana Leaf Extract, Carica Papaya Fruit Extract, Propylene Glycol, Hedera Helix Extract, Paeonia Albiflora Root Extract, Convallaria Majalis Extract, Magnolia Liliflora Flower Extract, Lilium Candidum Flower Extract, Leontopodium Alpinum Flower/Leaf Extract, Ascorbic Acid, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Citrus Limon Peel Oil, Citrus Grandis Peel Oil, Parfum
Water
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
Solvent
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Ethoxydiglycol
HumectantPropylene Glycol
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Glyceryl Caprylate
EmollientHydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingAllantoin
Skin Conditioning
Gluconolactone
Skin Conditioning
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Lactobacillus/Soybean Ferment Extract
Skin ConditioningSaccharomyces/Potato Extract Ferment Filtrate
Humectant
Saccharomyces/Barley Seed Ferment Filtrate
HumectantPolyglyceryl-10 Stearate
Skin Conditioning
Polyglyceryl-10 Oleate
Skin Conditioning
Arginine
Masking
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Beta-Glucan
Skin Conditioning
Ananas Sativus Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Corn Starch
HumectantCitrus Limon Peel Oil
Masking
Sucrose
Humectant
Lactobacillus/Punica Granatum Fruit Ferment Extract
Antioxidant
Carica Papaya Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningCitrullus Lanatus Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Citrus Limon Peel Extract
EmollientSolanum Lycopersicum Fruit Extract
Antioxidant
Disodium Phosphate
BufferingSodium Phosphate
BufferingPiper Nigrum Fruit Oil
Masking
Zingiber Officinale Root Oil
Masking
Cinnamomum Cassia Leaf Oil
Masking
Rosa Damascena Flower Oil
Masking
Achillea Millefolium Extract
CleansingCalendula Officinalis Flower Extract
Masking
Lavandula Angustifolia Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract
Masking
Salvia Officinalis Extract
Antimicrobial
Water, Propanediol, Pentylene Glycol, Glycerin, Ethoxydiglycol, Propylene Glycol, Butylene Glycol, Glyceryl Caprylate, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Allantoin, Gluconolactone, 1,2-Hexanediol, Lactobacillus/Soybean Ferment Extract, Saccharomyces/Potato Extract Ferment Filtrate, Saccharomyces/Barley Seed Ferment Filtrate, Polyglyceryl-10 Stearate, Polyglyceryl-10 Oleate, Arginine, Sodium Hyaluronate, Beta-Glucan, Ananas Sativus Fruit Extract, Hydrolyzed Corn Starch, Citrus Limon Peel Oil, Sucrose, Lactobacillus/Punica Granatum Fruit Ferment Extract, Carica Papaya Fruit Extract, Citrullus Lanatus Fruit Extract, Citrus Limon Peel Extract, Solanum Lycopersicum Fruit Extract, Disodium Phosphate, Sodium Phosphate, Piper Nigrum Fruit Oil, Zingiber Officinale Root Oil, Cinnamomum Cassia Leaf Oil, Rosa Damascena Flower Oil, Achillea Millefolium Extract, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract, Lavandula Angustifolia Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract, Salvia Officinalis Extract
Reviews
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.Â
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 preservativesÂ
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 AllantoinBeta-Glucan is a soluble polysaccharide (a chain of glucose sugars) sourced from the cells walls of oats, baker's yeast, mushrooms, and seaweed.
It's a rare ingredient that pulls double-duty as a heavy-duty hydrator and skin-soothing repair agent.
On the surface, it acts as a humectant that holds water in place and reduces moisture loss for a plumper, smoother feel, while its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties make it a great pick for calming redness or sensitive skin
The more interesting story is underneath:
Despite its large molecular size, oat beta-glucan has been shown to penetrate the epidermis and reach the dermis by slipping between skin cells. Here, it interacts with fibroblasts and macrophages to nudge collagen synthesis and support wound repair.
A small 2005 split-face clinical study of 27 subjects found topical beta-glucan produced measurable reductions in wrinkle depth, height, and roughness after 8 weeks of use.
It is worth noting the trial was small and the penetration testing used frozen, irradiated skin so the anti-aging data is encouraging rather than definitive.
This ingredient gets along with pretty much everything and is typically used around 0.1-1%.
Fungal acne: This ingredient is not a food source for the Malassezia yeast because it is a glucose polysaccharide with no fatty acid or ester component.
Learn more about Beta-GlucanButylene 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 GlycolCarica Papaya Fruit Extract comes from the flesh of the papaya. It's a skin conditioning agent that carries a mix of bioactives like papain, beta-carotene, and vitamin C.
These bioactive compounds give it two main talking points:
1. Papain is a proteolytic enzyme that provides mild exfoliation, helping skin look smoother and more even.
2. The carotenoids and vitamin C provide some antioxidant activity.
It's pretty compatible with most ingredients, but just sure to space out enzyme products with strong acids/retinoids to avoid over-doing it.
Maximum reported concentration is around 0.1% and most leave-on products use just 0.05%. If you see higher figures like 5-10%, this is usually the pre-diluted material from raw extract suppliers.
This ingredient has an assuring safety record and there's a lack of clinical case reports of dermatitis from using it.
The only caveat is allergy: patch test if you have a papaya or latex-fruit allergy.
Learn more about Carica Papaya Fruit ExtractCitrus Limon Peel Oil is created from the peels of the lemon. It is used to add a lemon-scent to products. Lemon peel oil also has antibacterial, antifungal, and antioxidant properties. However, it may also cause phototoxicity and sensitize skin.
Lemon peel oil contains limonene, a skin sensitizing ingredient. Another component is furanocoumarin, which induces phototoxicity in skin.
Furanocoumarins bind and destabilize your DNA to increase the rate of sunburn.
Most reputable companies will remove furanocoumarins from their formulations.
Learn more about Citrus Limon Peel OilGlycerin (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 GlycerinPropylene 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 Hyaluronate is the salt form of hyaluronic acid. It is a long sugar chain that is naturally found in your skin, joints, and connective tissue that maintains hydration and elasticity.
In skincare, it works as a humectant. It pulls water from the environment and deeper layers of skin and binds it to the surface.
Interestingly, the size of the molecule affects its behavior:
Some clinical evidence links low molecular weight versions to improved wrinkle depth, elasticity, anti-inflammatory effects, and barrier repair.
Many serums use a blend of both weights so you can get surface hydration plus longer-lasting and deeper effects.
You'll typically see concentrations between 0.1-2% for this ingredient.
Learn more about Sodium HyaluronateWater. 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
