What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningAzelaic Acid 10%
Buffering
Glycereth-26
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantNiacinamide 2%
Smoothing
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Panthenol 1%
Skin Conditioning
Centella Asiatica Leaf Extract
Skin Conditioning
Centella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Centella Asiatica Root Extract
Skin Conditioning
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Propanediol
Solvent
Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate
Skin Conditioning
Cellulose Gum
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Polyacrylate
Absorbent
Disodium EDTA
Snail Secretion Filtrate 0.98%
Skin Conditioning
Decyl Glucoside
Cleansing
Salix Alba Bark Extract
Astringent
Cladosiphon Okamuranus Extract
Skin ConditioningCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Asiatic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Asiaticoside
Antioxidant
Acetyl Hexapeptide-8
Humectant
Madecassic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Madecassoside
Antioxidant
Coffea Arabica Seed Extract
Masking
Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Leaf Extract
AstringentPinus Densiflora Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Water, Azelaic Acid 10%, Glycereth-26, Glycerin, Dipropylene Glycol, Niacinamide 2%, Butylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Panthenol 1%, Centella Asiatica Leaf Extract, Centella Asiatica Extract, Centella Asiatica Root Extract, Lactic Acid, Propanediol, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Cellulose Gum, Sodium Polyacrylate, Disodium EDTA, Snail Secretion Filtrate 0.98%, Decyl Glucoside, Salix Alba Bark Extract, Cladosiphon Okamuranus Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Asiatic Acid, Asiaticoside, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Madecassic Acid, Madecassoside, Coffea Arabica Seed Extract, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Leaf Extract, Pinus Densiflora Leaf Extract
Reviews
Alternatives
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Azelaic acid is a multitasker ingredient that helps treat acne, pigmentation, and irritation. It is a great option for sensitive skin.
What makes it special?
OTC Azelaic acid is usually available in concentrations from 10-15% and anything over requires a prescription.
Here's what each tier does best:
Unlike other acids, azelaic acid will not make your skin more photosensitive/sun sensitive.
Though this ingredient is naturally occurring in grains like wheat, rye, and barley, it is usually synthetically created for cosmetics to ensure stability and effectiveness.
Learn more about Azelaic AcidGlycerin (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 GlycerinWater. 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
