What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningMelaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Water
Antimicrobial
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
Emollient
Oryza Sativa Extract
Absorbent
Opuntia Coccinellifera Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningEchinacea Purpurea Extract
MoisturisingSetaria Italica Seed Extract
HumectantFomes Officinalis Extract
Skin ProtectingSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Citric Acid
Buffering
Tetrasodium EDTA
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Water, Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Water, Butylene Glycol, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Oryza Sativa Extract, Opuntia Coccinellifera Fruit Extract, Echinacea Purpurea Extract, Setaria Italica Seed Extract, Fomes Officinalis Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Allantoin, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Citric Acid, Tetrasodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Propanediol
Solvent
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Hamamelis Virginiana Water
Astringent
Brassica Oleracea Italica Extract
Astringent1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Salix Alba Bark Extract
Astringent
Caffeine
Skin Conditioning
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingBetaine
Humectant
Salvia Officinalis Leaf Extract
CleansingAllantoin
Skin Conditioning
Melissa Officinalis Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningSodium Citrate
BufferingCitric Acid
Buffering
Arctium Majus Root Extract
Skin Conditioning
Mentha Piperita Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningViscum Album Leaf Extract
SoothingJuniperus Communis Fruit Extract
Perfuming
Beta-Glucan
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningHypericum Perforatum Extract
AntimicrobialSaponaria Officinalis Extract
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Sodium Phytate
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Terminalia Chebula Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningCaesalpinia Sappan Bark Extract
Skin ConditioningMagnolia Obovata Bark Extract
Skin ConditioningWater, Glycerin, Propanediol, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Hamamelis Virginiana Water, Brassica Oleracea Italica Extract, 1,2-Hexanediol, Butylene Glycol, Pentylene Glycol, Salix Alba Bark Extract, Caffeine, Xanthan Gum, Betaine, Salvia Officinalis Leaf Extract, Allantoin, Melissa Officinalis Leaf Extract, Sodium Citrate, Citric Acid, Arctium Majus Root Extract, Mentha Piperita Leaf Extract, Viscum Album Leaf Extract, Juniperus Communis Fruit Extract, Beta-Glucan, Ethylhexylglycerin, Hypericum Perforatum Extract, Saponaria Officinalis Extract, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Phytate, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Ceramide NP, Tocopherol, Terminalia Chebula Fruit Extract, Caesalpinia Sappan Bark Extract, Magnolia Obovata Bark Extract
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
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 AllantoinButylene 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 GlycolCitric Acid is an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) naturally found in citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, and limes.
Like other AHAs, citric acid can exfoliate skin by breaking down the bonds that hold dead skin cells together. This helps reveal smoother and brighter skin underneath.
However, this exfoliating effect only happens at high concentrations (20%) which can be hard to find in cosmetic products.
Due to this, citric acid is usually included in small amounts as a pH adjuster. This helps keep products slightly more acidic and compatible with skin's natural pH.
In skincare formulas, citric acid can:
While it can provide some skin benefits, research shows lactic acid and glycolic acid are generally more effective and less irritating exfoliants.
Most citric acid used in skincare today is made by fermenting sugars (usually from molasses). This synthetic version is identical to the natural citrus form but easier to stabilize and use in formulations.
Read more about some other popular AHA's here:
Learn more about Citric AcidPhenoxyethanol 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
