What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Gluconolactone
Skin Conditioning
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
PEG-100 Stearate
Sorbitol
Humectant
Sodium Acrylates Copolymer
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingPEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Persea Gratissima Oil
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Lecithin
Emollient
Sodium Citrate
BufferingP-Anisic Acid
Masking
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Water, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Glycerin, Gluconolactone, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Sorbitol, Sodium Acrylates Copolymer, Carbomer, Sodium Hydroxide, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Persea Gratissima Oil, Caprylyl Glycol, Lecithin, Sodium Citrate, P-Anisic Acid, Chlorphenesin, Allantoin, Sodium Hyaluronate
Water
Skin ConditioningMilk Extract 8.1%
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Cetyl Ethylhexanoate
EmollientSorbeth-30 Tetraoleate
Emulsifying
Sorbitol
Humectant
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
C14-22 Alcohols
Emulsion Stabilising
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Illicium Verum Fruit Extract
Perfuming
Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract
Astringent
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
C12-20 Alkyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingGlyceryl Caprylate
EmollientCetearyl Glucoside
Emulsifying
Sodium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate
Emulsion StabilisingPolyacrylate Crosspolymer-6
Emulsion StabilisingHydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingGlucose
Humectant
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Jasminum Officinale Flower Water
MaskingCananga Odorata Flower Oil
Masking
Water, Milk Extract 8.1%, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Sorbeth-30 Tetraoleate, Sorbitol, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, 1,2-Hexanediol, C14-22 Alcohols, Cetearyl Alcohol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Allantoin, Panthenol, Illicium Verum Fruit Extract, Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract, Glyceryl Stearate, C12-20 Alkyl Glucoside, Glyceryl Caprylate, Cetearyl Glucoside, Sodium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Glucose, Ethylhexylglycerin, Xanthan Gum, Caprylyl Glycol, Tocopherol, Jasminum Officinale Flower Water, Cananga Odorata Flower Oil
Reviews
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 AllantoinCaprylyl 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 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 GlycerinGlyceryl Stearate is made by reacting glycerin with stearic acid (typically sourced from plant oils like palm or coconut). It's an emulsifier, emollient, and mild occlusive.
Emulsifiers help ingredients like oil and water stay mixed so your formula stays nicely blended and uniform in texture.
This ingredient is typically used in concentrations between 1-10%. Studies have found it to be non-sensitizing, non-phototoxic, and non-photoallergenic.
A close cousin of this ingredient is Glyceryl Stearate SE ("self-emulsifying"). This just has a small amount of sodium or potassium stearate added so it can emulsify without a co-emulsifier.
Since this ingredient is an ester of a C18 fatty acid, it may not be fungal acne safe. The Malassezia yeast can potentially metabolize within the C11-C24 range.
Fun fact: The human body also creates Glyceryl Stearate naturally.
Learn more about Glyceryl StearateHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil is a plant oil derived from the seeds of a sunflower.
It is rich in fatty acids, primarily linoleic acid and oleic acid. This gives it emollient and skin conditioning properties.
The reason this ingredient is so effective is because it forms a thin film on the skin that reduces transepidermal water loss (TEWL) while supplying linoleic acid to the stratum corneum to improve barrier strength.
The high linoleic acid content is particularly noteworthy for acne-prone skin.
Research suggests that acne-prone skin tends to be deficient in linoleic acid in sebum. Topical application may help replenish this to support a healthier follicular environment and less comedone-promoting sebum.
One randomized study found sunflower seed oil preserved skin barrier integrity in adult volunteers with and without atopic dermatitis (outperforming olive oil).
This ingredient is well-studied, gentle, and an effective emollient suitable for most skin types.
On fungal acne: This ingredient may not be Fungal acne (Malassezia folliculitis) safe. This is because it contains fatty acids with carbon chain lengths in the C11-C24 range.
Learn more about Helianthus Annuus Seed OilSodium 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 HyaluronateSorbitol is a sugar alcohol. It is a hydrating and moisturizing agent created from the reduction process of glucose.
Most sorbitol is usually made from potato starch. It is also found in fruits such as apples and pears.
As a humectant, Sorbitol helps draw water to the skin. This helps keep the skin hydrated. Sorbitol also helps create a thicker texture in products. You might find sorbitol in your toothpaste and other gels.
It is a non-irritating ingredient that is great for those with dry skin.
Sorbitol is a prebiotic. It helps promote the growth of healthy bacteria on your skin. The bacteria on your skin form a microbiome. This microbiome helps protect your skin from infection and harmful bacteria.
Learn more about SorbitolWater. 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
