What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
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Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Salicylic Acid 2%
MaskingWater
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
SolventGlycerin
HumectantPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningDicaprylyl Carbonate
EmollientBehenyl Alcohol
EmollientDimethyl Isosorbide
SolventPhysalis Pubescens Fruit Juice
Skin ConditioningAlbatrellus Confluens Extract
HumectantUrea
BufferingYeast Amino Acids
HumectantTrehalose
HumectantTaurine
BufferingInositol
HumectantBetaine
HumectantAllantoin
Skin ConditioningPolylysine
Tocopherol
AntioxidantPullulan
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingLecithin
EmollientPhytosterols
Skin ConditioningCetyl Alcohol
EmollientStearyl Alcohol
EmollientGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientPolyglyceryl-10 Myristate
Skin ConditioningMenthyl Lactate
MaskingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSclerotium Gum
Emulsion StabilisingHydrogenated Lecithin
EmulsifyingLeuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate
AntimicrobialSilica
AbrasiveDisodium EDTA
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingCitric Acid
BufferingSalicylic Acid 2%, Water, Propanediol, Glycerin, Pentylene Glycol, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Behenyl Alcohol, Dimethyl Isosorbide, Physalis Pubescens Fruit Juice, Albatrellus Confluens Extract, Urea, Yeast Amino Acids, Trehalose, Taurine, Inositol, Betaine, Allantoin, Polylysine, Tocopherol, Pullulan, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Lecithin, Phytosterols, Cetyl Alcohol, Stearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, Polyglyceryl-10 Myristate, Menthyl Lactate, Xanthan Gum, Sclerotium Gum, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Silica, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Hydroxide, Citric Acid
Water
Skin ConditioningAlcohol Denat.
AntimicrobialHamamelis Virginiana Water
AstringentPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningGaultheria Procumbens Leaf Extract
PerfumingGlycerin
HumectantTasmannia Lanceolata Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningPotassium Hydroxide
BufferingArctium Lappa Root Extract
Skin ConditioningCitrus Reticulata Fruit Extract
Skin ProtectingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingJasminum Grandiflorum Flower Extract
MaskingPropanediol
SolventLecithin
EmollientSaccharide Isomerate
HumectantPhenethyl Alcohol
MaskingSclerotium Gum
Emulsion StabilisingPullulan
Water, Alcohol Denat., Hamamelis Virginiana Water, Pentylene Glycol, Gaultheria Procumbens Leaf Extract, Glycerin, Tasmannia Lanceolata Fruit Extract, Potassium Hydroxide, Arctium Lappa Root Extract, Citrus Reticulata Fruit Extract, Xanthan Gum, Jasminum Grandiflorum Flower Extract, Propanediol, Lecithin, Saccharide Isomerate, Phenethyl Alcohol, Sclerotium Gum, Pullulan
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Glycerin (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 GlycerinLecithin is a term for a group of substances found in the cell membranes of plants, animals, and humans. They are made up of phospholipids.
Thanks to its amphiphilic structure (water-loving head and oil-loving tail), it is a true multitasker:
It plays well with most ingredients and is typically used at 0.1-1%. However, concentrations up to 50% have been reported in moisturizers.
Depending on the source of this ingredient, lecithin may not be fungal acne safe. This is because some sources of lecithin come from soybean oil, which may feed the malassezia yeast that causes fungal acne.
We recommend reaching out to the brand you are purchasing from to inquire about the source of their lecithin.
Learn more about LecithinPentylene 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 GlycolPropanediol is an all-star ingredient. It softens, hydrates, and smooths the skin.Â
It’s often used to:
Propanediol is not likely to cause sensitivity and considered safe to use. It is derived from corn or petroleum with a clear color and no scent.
Learn more about PropanediolPullulan is a low viscosity polysaccharide (a long chain carbohydrate) with binding and film forming properties when dissolved in water. It is used to create a "silicone-like" or silky feel in cosmetics without adding viscosity.
According to a manufacturer, this ingredient's ability to easily dissolves makes it a great carrier for active ingredients.
Due to it being edible and tasteless, you'll likely find this ingredient in breath freshener strips. This ingredient is produced from the starch of the fungus, Aureobasidium pullulans.
Pullulan is stable over a broad-range of pH.
Learn more about PullulanSclerotium Gum is a polysaccharide gum made by the fungus, Sclerotium rolfssii. It is similar to xanthan gum.
In cosmetics, Sclerotium Gum is used to thicken the texture and to help stabilize other ingredients.
As an emulsifier, Sclerotium Gum helps prevent ingredients from separating, such as water and oil.
Learn more about Sclerotium GumWater. 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