What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningEthylhexyl Methoxycinnamate
UV Absorber
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane
UV Absorber
Propanediol
Solvent
Polymethyl Methacrylate
C14-22 Alcohols
Emulsion Stabilising
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Octocrylene
UV Absorber
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Nylon-12
C12-20 Alkyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingGlycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
Bleaching
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingAllantoin
Skin Conditioning
Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine
Skin Conditioning
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Glycerin
Humectant
Potassium Hydroxide
BufferingLecithin
Emollient
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Parfum
Masking
Dimethicone
Emollient
Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Skin Conditioning
Glycereth-20
HumectantPentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Amodimethicone
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingDisodium EDTA
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingGlucose
Humectant
Prunus Persica Fruit Extract
Abrasive
BHT
Antioxidant
Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate
Antioxidant
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Citric Acid
Buffering
Sorbic Acid
Preservative
Water, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, Propanediol, Polymethyl Methacrylate, C14-22 Alcohols, Butylene Glycol, Octocrylene, Phenoxyethanol, Propylene Glycol, Niacinamide, Nylon-12, C12-20 Alkyl Glucoside, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Allantoin, Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine, Chlorphenesin, Glycerin, Potassium Hydroxide, Lecithin, Tocopheryl Acetate, Parfum, Dimethicone, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Glycereth-20, Pentylene Glycol, Amodimethicone, Carbomer, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Hydroxide, Glucose, Prunus Persica Fruit Extract, BHT, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Potassium Sorbate, Citric Acid, Sorbic Acid
Water
Skin ConditioningTitanium Dioxide
Cosmetic Colorant
Zinc Oxide
Cosmetic Colorant
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Squalane
Emollient
Silica
Abrasive
Propanediol
Solvent
Ectoin
Skin Conditioning
Phytol
Emollient
Isomalt
HumectantSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Acrylates Crosspolymer
AbsorbentAllantoin
Skin Conditioning
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Acetyl Hexapeptide-8
Humectant
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Disodium EDTA
Xanthan Gum
Emulsifying
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 AllantoinChlorphenesin is a synthetic preservative. It helps protect a product against bacteria in order to extend shelf life. In most cases, Chlorphenesin is paired with other preservatives such as phenoxyethanol and caprylyl glycol.
Chlorphenesin is a biocide. This means it is able to help fight the microorganisms on our skin. It is also able to fight odor-releasing bacteria.
Chlorphenesin is soluble in both water and glycerin.
Studies show Chlorphenesin is easily absorbed by our skin. You should speak with a skincare professional if you have concerns about using Chlorphenesin.
Learn more about ChlorphenesinDisodium EDTA is a chelating agent. It grabs onto and deactivates metal ions that sneak into your products from water, packaging, or air.
This ingredient mainly works behind the scenes and helps with:
On top of that, this ingredient can counteract the effects of hard water by binding to the minerals in it.
One thing worth knowing is that Disodium EDTA has been shown to be a mild penetration enhancer. It can help other ingredients absorb into skin more effectively which can be a double-edged sword (great for actives, but can also make the active too strong if you have sensitive skin).
Clinical patch testing showed no significant skin irritation at typical use concentrations and minimal dermal absorption.
You'll most likely see this ingredient near the end of an ingredient list. It's typically found in concentrations less than 1%.
Learn more about Disodium EDTAGlycerin (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 GlycerinPhenoxyethanol is one of the most widely used preservatives in skincare (and for good reason!).
It has a large spectrum of antimicrobial activity and especially effective bacteria, yeast, and mold while only having a weak effect on your skin's natural microbiome.
On a cellular level, it disrupts the cell membranes of microbes by poking holes that make the cell leak. This shuts down the chemical reactions the microbe needs to make energy so it can no longer survive.
Another perk of this ingredient is that it stays functional across a wide pH range (3-10).
You'll often see it paired with boosters like Ethylhexylglycerin; one study showed that a 1:9 ratio of Ethylhexylglycerin to Phenoxyethanol damages bacterial membranes as effectively as doubling the Phenoxyethanol concentration on its own.
Typical use concentrations range from 0.3-1% depending on the formula, and this ingredient is capped at 1% int the EU.
Safety-wise, the fear mongering does not hold up to the evidence. The EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety and FDA consider it safe as a preservative at up to 1%, including for children of all ages.
Adverse systemic effects only showed up in animal studies at exposures roughly 200x higher than what people get from cosmetics. And despite its very widespread use, this ingredient is a rare sensitizer and allergic reactions are uncommon.
Learn more about PhenoxyethanolPropanediol is an all-star ingredient. It softens, hydrates, and smooths the skin.
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 PropanediolWater. 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
