What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Dimethyl Isosorbide
SolventPolysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Amp-Acrylates/Allyl Methacrylate Copolymer
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Sodium PCA
Humectant
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Hamamelis Virginiana Water
Astringent
Mentha Piperita Oil
Masking
Glycerin
Humectant
Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Citric Acid
Buffering
Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Humectant
Sodium Lactate
Buffering
Dextran
Arginine
Masking
Aspartic Acid
Masking
PCA
Humectant
Acetyl Tetrapeptide-3
Skin Protecting
Trifolium Pratense Flower Extract
AstringentSodium Benzoate
Masking
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Glycine
Buffering
Alanine
Masking
Pisum Sativum Sprout Extract
Skin ConditioningSerine
Masking
Valine
MaskingPotassium Sorbate
Preservative
Arctium Majus Root Extract
Skin Conditioning
Arnica Montana Flower Extract
Masking
Ascorbic Acid
Antioxidant
Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract
Masking
Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
Masking
Citrus Limon Peel Extract
EmollientHedera Helix Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningIsoleucine
Skin ConditioningLamium Album Extract
AstringentNasturtium Officinale Extract
Perfuming
Pinus Sylvestris Bud Extract
Perfuming
Proline
Skin Conditioning
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialSalvia Officinalis Leaf Extract
CleansingThreonine
Biotin
AntiseborrhoeicTocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Tropaeolum Majus Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningHistidine
Humectant
Phenylalanine
Masking
Benzoic Acid
Masking
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Sodium Dehydroacetate
Preservative
Limonene
Perfuming
Water, Butylene Glycol, Dimethyl Isosorbide, Polysorbate 20, Amp-Acrylates/Allyl Methacrylate Copolymer, Niacinamide, Panthenol, Sodium PCA, Allantoin, Hamamelis Virginiana Water, Mentha Piperita Oil, Glycerin, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Citric Acid, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Sodium Lactate, Dextran, Arginine, Aspartic Acid, PCA, Acetyl Tetrapeptide-3, Trifolium Pratense Flower Extract, Sodium Benzoate, Phenoxyethanol, Glycine, Alanine, Pisum Sativum Sprout Extract, Serine, Valine, Potassium Sorbate, Arctium Majus Root Extract, Arnica Montana Flower Extract, Ascorbic Acid, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Citrus Limon Peel Extract, Hedera Helix Leaf Extract, Isoleucine, Lamium Album Extract, Nasturtium Officinale Extract, Pinus Sylvestris Bud Extract, Proline, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Salvia Officinalis Leaf Extract, Threonine, Biotin, Tocopheryl Acetate, Tropaeolum Majus Flower Extract, Histidine, Phenylalanine, Benzoic Acid, Chlorphenesin, Sodium Dehydroacetate, Limonene
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
Bleaching
Saccharomyces Ferment Lysate Filtrate
Skin Conditioning
Glycine
Buffering
Pisum Sativum Extract
Skin ConditioningPullulan
Zinc Sulfate
Antimicrobial
Quercus Robur Bark Extract
AstringentLarix Europaea Wood Extract
HumectantZinc Gluconate
Skin Conditioning
Acetyl Tyrosine
Skin ConditioningAmaranthus Caudatus Seed Extract
Skin Conditioning
Urtica Dioica Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Yeast Protein
Skin ConditioningCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Vitis Vinifera Seed Extract
Antimicrobial
Zinc Chloride
AntimicrobialHydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingLysolecithin
EmulsifyingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSclerotium Gum
Emulsion StabilisingParfum
Masking
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingPentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Limonene
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Water, Glycerin, Polysorbate 20, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Saccharomyces Ferment Lysate Filtrate, Glycine, Pisum Sativum Extract, Pullulan, Zinc Sulfate, Quercus Robur Bark Extract, Larix Europaea Wood Extract, Zinc Gluconate, Acetyl Tyrosine, Amaranthus Caudatus Seed Extract, Urtica Dioica Leaf Extract, Hydrolyzed Yeast Protein, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Vitis Vinifera Seed Extract, Zinc Chloride, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Lysolecithin, Xanthan Gum, Sclerotium Gum, Parfum, Sodium Hydroxide, Pentylene Glycol, Hydroxyacetophenone, Limonene, Linalool
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Glycerin (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 GlycerinGlycine is the smallest amino acid and a key building block of collagen. It's part if 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.
A study from 2022 found that an amino acid complex featuring taurine, arginine, and glycine significantly reduced skin irritation, improved redness, and accelerated the skin repair process.
Limonene is a fragrance that adds scent and taste to a formulation.
It's found in the peel oil of citrus fruits and other plants such as lavender and eucalyptus. The scent of limonene is generally described as "sweet citrus".
Limonene acts as an antioxidant, meaning it helps neutralize free radicals.
When exposed to air, oxidized limonene may sensitize the skin. Because of this, limonene is often avoided by people with sensitive skin.
The term 'fragrance' is not regulated in many countries. In many cases, it is up to the brand to define this term. For instance, many brands choose to label themselves as "fragrance-free" because they are not using synthetic fragrances. However, their products may still contain ingredients such as essential oils that are considered a fragrance.
Learn more about LimonenePolysorbate 20 is a gentle, water-soluble emulsifier and mild surfactant. It stops oil and water from separating to keep your formulas blended and stable.
It also acts as a mild penetration enhancer by helping active ingredients absorb slightly better.
The common safety discussion around this ingredient involves a manufacturing byproduct called 1,4-dioxane.
Trace amounts can form during production but the EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety has concluded that levels at/below 10 ppm in finished products are safe (commercial products consistently fall within acceptable margins).
True allergic reactions are uncommon and the CIR Expert Panel has confirmed this ingredient to be safe as used in cosmetics.
Because it is derived from lauric acid, it may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Polysorbate 20Water. 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
