What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantDimethicone
EmollientCetearyl Olivate
Sorbitan Olivate
EmulsifyingAlanine
MaskingGlycine
BufferingThreonine
Lidocaine Hcl
Serine
MaskingArginine
MaskingProline
Skin ConditioningAllantoin
Skin ConditioningMaltose
MaskingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientDimethiconol
EmollientPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantFructose
HumectantBetaine
HumectantPCA
HumectantSodium PCA
HumectantUrea
BufferingGlucose
HumectantTrehalose
HumectantSodium Lactate
BufferingGlutamic Acid
HumectantSynthetic Beeswax
Emulsion StabilisingDimethicone Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingPolyacrylate Crosspolymer-6
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Chloride
MaskingT-Butyl Alcohol
PerfumingCitric Acid
BufferingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingTocopherol
AntioxidantParfum
MaskingCI 42090
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Glycerin, Dimethicone, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, Alanine, Glycine, Threonine, Lidocaine Hcl, Serine, Arginine, Proline, Allantoin, Maltose, Ethylhexylglycerin, Caprylyl Glycol, Dimethiconol, Pentylene Glycol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Fructose, Betaine, PCA, Sodium PCA, Urea, Glucose, Trehalose, Sodium Lactate, Glutamic Acid, Synthetic Beeswax, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Sodium Chloride, T-Butyl Alcohol, Citric Acid, Sodium Hydroxide, Tocopherol, Parfum, CI 42090
Water
Skin ConditioningCyclopentasiloxane
EmollientDimethicone Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingGlycerin
HumectantPolyacrylamide
C13-14 Isoparaffin
EmollientLaureth-7
EmulsifyingNiacinamide
SmoothingDivinyldimethicone/Dimethicone Copolymer
C12-13 Pareth-23
CleansingC12-13 Pareth-3
EmulsifyingSaccharide Isomerate
HumectantSilanetriol
Hyaluronic Acid
HumectantBenzyl Alcohol
PerfumingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
AntioxidantMethylsilanol Mannuronate
Skin ConditioningAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantAllantoin
Skin ConditioningSodium Hydroxide
BufferingDisodium EDTA
Laminaria Digitata Extract
Skin ProtectingCetyl-Pg Hydroxyethyl Palmitamide
Skin ConditioningCeramide EOP
Skin ConditioningCeramide Ns
Skin ConditioningCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningCeramide As
Skin ConditioningCeramide AP
Skin ConditioningCentella Asiatica Extract
CleansingAvena Sativa Meal Extract
SoothingAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder
Skin ConditioningCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialWater, Cyclopentasiloxane, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Glycerin, Polyacrylamide, C13-14 Isoparaffin, Laureth-7, Niacinamide, Divinyldimethicone/Dimethicone Copolymer, C12-13 Pareth-23, C12-13 Pareth-3, Saccharide Isomerate, Silanetriol, Hyaluronic Acid, Benzyl Alcohol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Tocopherol, Methylsilanol Mannuronate, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Tocopheryl Acetate, Allantoin, Sodium Hydroxide, Disodium EDTA, Laminaria Digitata Extract, Cetyl-Pg Hydroxyethyl Palmitamide, Ceramide EOP, Ceramide Ns, Ceramide NP, Ceramide As, Ceramide AP, Centella Asiatica Extract, Avena Sativa Meal Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder, Camellia Sinensis Leaf 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.
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 AllantoinDimethicone Crosspolymer is a silicone created by modifying dimethicone with hydrocarbon side chains. Due to its large size, it does not penetrate skin. It is considered non-occlusive.
Dimethicone Crosspolymer is used to stabilize and thicken products. It also helps give products a silky feel.
Ethylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:
The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure.
Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.
Learn more about EthylhexylglycerinGlycerin (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 GlycerinSodium Hydroxide is also known as lye or caustic soda. It is used to adjust the pH of products; many ingredients require a specific pH to be effective.
In small amounts, sodium hydroxide is considered safe to use. However, large amounts may cause chemical burns due to its high alkaline.
Your skin has a natural pH and acid mantle. This acid mantle helps prevent harmful bacteria from breaking through. The acid mantle also helps keep your skin hydrated.
"Alkaline" refers to a high pH level. A low pH level would be considered acidic.
Learn more about Sodium HydroxideTocopherol is a fat-soluble antioxidant known as Vitamin E.
You'll find this ingredient in the vast majority of skincare (for good reason). It works to neutralize free radicals, or unstable molecules generated by UV exposure, pollution, and other environmental stressors, before they can cause oxidative damage to your skin cells.
Topically applied tocopherol has been shown to protect against UV damage by ramping up the skin's own natural defense enzymes.
It also acts as a skin conditioning agent; some studies show that regular topical use can improve the skin's water-binding capacity over 2-4 weeks.
This ingredient is especially loved for being a team player. When combined with Vitamin C, the photoprotective effect of both ingredients roughly doubles and the combo also helps reduce UV-induced DNA damage.
This ingredient has some brightening potential but it's more of a prevention ingredient than spot-fader. Cell studies show it can slow down melanin production but it's worth noting that it's not the most powerful brightener out there.
In formulations, it also serves as a stabilizer that helps protect other oxidation-prone ingredients from degrading.
Concentrations usually range from 0.1-1% in most leave-on products.
Learn more about TocopherolWater. 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