What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningOryza Sativa Bran Water
MaskingButylene Glycol
HumectantGlycerin
HumectantNiacinamide
SmoothingPropanediol
Solvent1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningGlyceryl Glucoside
HumectantLimnanthes Alba Seed Oil
Skin ConditioningPanthenol
Skin ConditioningArginine
MaskingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingAmmonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningHydrogenated Lecithin
EmulsifyingPolyglyceryl-10 Oleate
Skin ConditioningPolyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate
EmulsifyingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingDisodium EDTA
Glucose
HumectantCynanchum Atratum Extract
Skin ConditioningFucus Vesiculosus Extract
EmollientPrunella Vulgaris Extract
AntioxidantOryza Sativa Extract
AbsorbentWater, Oryza Sativa Bran Water, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Niacinamide, Propanediol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Glyceryl Glucoside, Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil, Panthenol, Arginine, Carbomer, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Ethylhexylglycerin, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Polyglyceryl-10 Oleate, Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate, Xanthan Gum, Disodium EDTA, Glucose, Cynanchum Atratum Extract, Fucus Vesiculosus Extract, Prunella Vulgaris Extract, Oryza Sativa Extract
Avena Sativa Seed Water 80%
SolventWater
Skin ConditioningLimnanthes Alba Seed Oil
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningHydroxyacetophenone
AntioxidantHydrogenated Lecithin
EmulsifyingPolyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate
EmulsifyingPolyglyceryl-10 Oleate
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantPanthenol
Skin ConditioningDipotassium Glycyrrhizate
HumectantAvena Sativa Straw Extract
Skin ConditioningBeta-Glucan
Skin ConditioningSodium Phytate
Sodium Dna
Skin ConditioningEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningArginine
MaskingCitric Acid
BufferingAvena Sativa Seed Water 80%, Water, Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil, Butylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Hydroxyacetophenone, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate, Polyglyceryl-10 Oleate, Glycerin, Panthenol, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Avena Sativa Straw Extract, Beta-Glucan, Sodium Phytate, Sodium Dna, Ethylhexylglycerin, Arginine, Citric Acid
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
1,2-Hexanediol is a synthetic liquid and another multi-functional powerhouse.
It is a:
- Humectant, drawing moisture into the skin
- Emollient, helping to soften skin
- Solvent, dispersing and stabilizing formulas
- Preservative booster, enhancing the antimicrobial activity of other preservatives
Arginine is a semi-essential amino acid. This just means our bodies can product a bit on its own, but sometimes needs a little boost from food sources.
It is a part of your skin's natural moisturizing factor (NMF), or the water-loving molecules in your outermost layer of skin (stratum corneum) that keeps everything hydrated and happy.
Here's an interesting thing about Arginine: your skin converts it into urea through the Krebs-Henseleit urea cycle. Urea is one of the most effective humectants your skin naturally produces.
A clinical study showed applying 2.5% arginine hydrochloride to atopic dermatitis skin showed significant urea levels in the stratum corneum and improved moisture in just four weeks.
Arginine is also a precursor to nitric oxide; nitric oxide improves microcirculation and supports wound healing and collagen synthesis.
One study found that an amino acid complex containing Arginine reduced skin irritation, improved hydration, and accelerated skin repair in clinical / in-vivo studies.
Arginine itself is an amino acid and not a fatty acid, oil, or ester. On its own, it's not a direct food source for Malassezia, or the yeast that causes fungal acne.
Learn more about ArginineButylene 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 GlycolEthylhexylglycerin 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 GlycerinHydrogenated Lecithin is a more stable version of lecithin.
It's made by taking lecithin (a phospholipid commonly found in soybeans and egg yolks) and hydrogenating it. This just means the unsaturated fatty acids are turned into saturated ones so they don't go bad as easily.
This ingredient is an emollient, emulsifier, and penetration enhancer. As an emollient, it helps soften and hydrate skin by trapping moisture within. As an emulsifier, it prevents oil and water ingredients from separating.
Hydrogenated Lecithin can form tiny spherical structures made of phospholipid bilayers called liposomes. These liposomes are able to capture compounds inside their structure and deliver them through the skin barrier.
Because phospholipids are a natural component of our cell membranes, this ingredient is inherently compatible with skin.
A 2021 study found lecithin-based surfactants were less harsh and more tolerable comared to Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS).
Learn more about Hydrogenated LecithinLimnanthes Alba Seed Oil is from the seeds of the meadowfoam plant. It is a skin conditioning agent and emollient that sits on top of skin to soften and hydrate it.
Over 98% of the oil is made up of long-chain fatty acids, mostly aachidic acid (61%), docosenoic acid (~16%), and docosadienoic acid (~18%).
This combination is not really found in any other plant oil and is the reason this is one of the most stable botanical oils available.
Some studies show it to be more stable than jojoba oil, helps a product resist going rancid, and can help extend the shelf life of a formula.
It also naturally contains vitamin E and phytosterols that give it a mild antioxidant benefit.
This ingredient is typically used from around 1% to fairly high levels since it's gentle; it's well-tolerated and low on the irritation scale.
Learn more about Limnanthes Alba Seed OilPanthenol is a common ingredient that helps hydrate and soothe the skin. It is found naturally in our skin and hair.
There are two forms of panthenol: D and L.
D-panthenol is also known as dexpanthenol. Most cosmetics use dexpanthenol or a mixture of D and L-panthenol.
Panthenol is famous due to its ability to go deeper into the skin's layers. Using this ingredient has numerous pros (and no cons):
Like hyaluronic acid, panthenol is a humectant. Humectants are able to bind and hold large amounts of water to keep skin hydrated.
This ingredient works well for wound healing. It works by increasing tissue in the wound and helps close open wounds.
Once oxidized, panthenol converts to pantothenic acid. Panthothenic acid is found in all living cells.
This ingredient is also referred to as pro-vitamin B5.
Learn more about PanthenolPolyglyceryl-10 Oleate is made by combining ten units of glycerin with oleic acid.
According to a manufacturer, it is a low-irritation and hydrophilic (water loving) skin conditioning agent. It also improves the sensory feel and texture of a product.
Fungal acne note:
Since this ingredient is made from oleic acid, it might not be fungal acne safe. The Malassezia yeast survives by eating certain fats, including oleic acid.
However, it should be noted this oleic acid is chemically bound to a large polyglycerol molecule, so it might not trigger fungal acne for everyone.
Learn more about Polyglyceryl-10 OleatePolyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate is a plant-derived emulsifier whose only job is to keep the oily and watery parts of a formula blended so it doesn't separate into layers.
It's compatible with a wide-range of active ingredients and especially good at making emulsions survive heat/freeze cycles.
Typical use concentrations range from 2-3% and it works across a pH of 4.5-8.5.
This ingredient has been found safe to use in cosmetics and has a low irritation profile.
Because it's build on stearic acid, it may not be fungal acne safe. Stearic acid is a C18 fatty acid that falls within the range (C11-24) that Malassezia can feed on.
Learn more about Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose DistearateWater. 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