What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningPropylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Ethoxydiglycol
HumectantPanthenol
Skin Conditioning
Salicylic Acid
Masking
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantPropanediol
Solvent
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingSodium Citrate
BufferingCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
PPG-6-Decyltetradeceth-30
EmulsifyingHamamelis Virginiana Extract
Antiseborrhoeic
Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6
Emulsion StabilisingTrisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Citric Acid
Buffering
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder
Skin Conditioning
Acacia Senegal Gum
MaskingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingMelaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil
Antioxidant
Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Humectant
Centella Asiatica Leaf Extract
Skin Conditioning
Water, Propylene Glycol, Glycerin, Niacinamide, Ethoxydiglycol, Panthenol, Salicylic Acid, Dipropylene Glycol, Propanediol, Hydroxyacetophenone, Sodium Hydroxide, Sodium Citrate, Caprylyl Glycol, PPG-6-Decyltetradeceth-30, Hamamelis Virginiana Extract, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Citric Acid, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder, Acacia Senegal Gum, Xanthan Gum, Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Centella Asiatica Leaf Extract
Water
Skin ConditioningDipropylene Glycol
HumectantButylene Glycol
Humectant
Gluconolactone
Skin Conditioning
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Centella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Madecassoside
Antioxidant
Asiatic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Madecassic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Asiaticoside
Antioxidant
Capryloyl Salicylic Acid
Exfoliating
Hamamelis Virginiana Extract
Antiseborrhoeic
Althaea Rosea Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningNymphaea Caerulea Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningSwertia Japonica Extract
Skin ConditioningLactobacillus Ferment
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Pantolactone
Humectant
Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate
Skin Conditioning
Glyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer
HumectantPvm/Ma Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingHydrogenated Phosphatidylcholine
Emulsifying
Sucrose Stearate
EmollientSodium Guaiazulene Sulfonate
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Cholesterol
Emollient
Arginine
Masking
Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningMelia Azadirachta Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningDipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Humectant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Disodium EDTA
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningWater, Dipropylene Glycol, Butylene Glycol, Gluconolactone, Panthenol, Allantoin, Sodium Hyaluronate, Centella Asiatica Extract, Madecassoside, Asiatic Acid, Madecassic Acid, Asiaticoside, Capryloyl Salicylic Acid, Hamamelis Virginiana Extract, Althaea Rosea Flower Extract, Nymphaea Caerulea Flower Extract, Swertia Japonica Extract, Lactobacillus Ferment, Glycerin, Hydroxyacetophenone, Pantolactone, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Glyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer, Pvm/Ma Copolymer, Hydrogenated Phosphatidylcholine, Sucrose Stearate, Sodium Guaiazulene Sulfonate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Caprylyl Glycol, Cholesterol, Arginine, Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract, Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Disodium EDTA, Ethylhexylglycerin
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Caprylyl 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 or alcohol, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolDipotassium Glycyrrhizate comes from licorice root.
Extracts of licorice have demonstrated to have antibacterial, anti‐inflammatory, antiviral, antioxidant properties.
One component, glabridin, has extra potent antioxidant and soothing properties. It has also been found to block pigmentation from UVB rays in guinea pigs.
Licorice Root also contains a flavonoid. Flavonoids are a natural substance from in plants. Flavonoids also have antioxidant properties.
Another component, glycyrrhizin, has been found to have anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial benefits. This may make licorice root extract effective at treating acne. However, more research is needed to support this.
Liquiritin is one of the flavone compounds found in licorice. It has been found to help lighten skin by preventing tyrosinase from reacting with tyrosine. When the two react, protein is converted to melanin. Melanin is the substance in your body that gives your features pigmentation.
Licorice root is native to Southern Europe and Asia. It has been used in traditional Chinese medicine to help with respiratory issues.
Learn more about Dipotassium GlycyrrhizateDipropylene Glycol is a synthetically created humectant, stabilizer, and solvent.
This ingredient helps:
Dipropylene glycol is technically an alcohol, but it belongs to the glycol family (often considered part of the ‘good’ alcohols). This means it is hydrating and gentle on skin unlike drying solvent alcohols like denatured alcohol.
As a masking agent, Dipropylene Glycol can be used to cover the smell of other ingredients. However, it does not have a scent.
Studies show Dipropylene Glycol is considered safe to use in skincare.
Learn more about Dipropylene GlycolGlycerin (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 GlycerinHamamelis Virginiana Extract comes from the witch hazel plant.
Unless it is specified to be non-alcohol, many types of witch hazel ingredients are distilled in denatured alcohol.
Witch Hazel has astringent, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and antibacterial properties.
The tannin content of witch hazel constrict the appearance of pores by drying out proteins. Witch hazel water gets anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties from its catechin and gallic acid content.
However, witch hazel may be skin-sensitizing due to the tannin and fragrance compounds.
North American Indigenous groups have used witch hazel to help treat inflammation for centuries.
Learn more about Hamamelis Virginiana ExtractHydroxyacetophenone is antioxidant with skin conditioning and soothing properties. It also boosts the efficiency of preservatives.
Though naturally occuring in Norwegian spruce needles, this ingredient is usually synthetically created.
This ingredient is not irritating or sensitizing. Recent research also suggests it may have skin-brightening effects through tyrosinase inhibition.
Learn more about HydroxyacetophenonePanthenol is a common ingredient that helps hydrate and soothe the skin. It is found naturally in our skin and hair.
There are two forms of panthenol: D and L.
D-panthenol is also known as dexpanthenol. Most cosmetics use dexpanthenol or a mixture of D and L-panthenol.
Panthenol is famous due to its ability to go deeper into the skin's layers. Using this ingredient has numerous pros (and no cons):
Like hyaluronic acid, panthenol is a humectant. Humectants are able to bind and hold large amounts of water to keep skin hydrated.
This ingredient works well for wound healing. It works by increasing tissue in the wound and helps close open wounds.
Once oxidized, panthenol converts to pantothenic acid. Panthothenic acid is found in all living cells.
This ingredient is also referred to as pro-vitamin B5.
Learn more about PanthenolWater. 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
