What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Polyglyceryl-3 PCA
EmollientDipropylene Glycol
Humectant1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate
Skin Conditioning
Arginine
Masking
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
Papain
Skin ConditioningLactobacillus Ferment
Skin Conditioning
Maltodextrin
Absorbent
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Propanediol
Solvent
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Tranexamic Acid
Astringent
Erythritol
Humectant
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingTrehalose
Humectant
Adenosine
Skin Conditioning
Arginine
Masking
Disodium EDTA
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingGlutathione
Glycyrrhizic Acid
HumectantHydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil
Emollient
Squalane
Emollient
Papain
Skin ConditioningMadecassoside
Antioxidant
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Centella Asiatica Leaf Extract
Skin Conditioning
Asiaticoside
Antioxidant
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Cholesterol
Emollient
Maltodextrin
Absorbent
Water, Glycerin, Niacinamide, Propanediol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Tranexamic Acid, Erythritol, Carbomer, Trehalose, Adenosine, Arginine, Disodium EDTA, Allantoin, Xanthan Gum, Glutathione, Glycyrrhizic Acid, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil, Squalane, Papain, Madecassoside, Ceramide NP, Centella Asiatica Leaf Extract, Asiaticoside, Stearic Acid, Cholesterol, Maltodextrin
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
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 AllantoinArginine 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 ArginineCarbomer is a high-molecular weight polymer of acrylic acid. It is used to form gels and thicken formulas.
Due to its large molecular size, carbomer has minimal skin penetration and is considered an inert ingredient.
A high amount of carbomer can cause pilling or balling up of products. Don't worry, most products contain 1% or less of carbomer.
Learn more about CarbomerDisodium 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 GlycerinMaltodextrin is a polysaccharide. It is derived from starch such as rice, corn, wheat, or potato starch.
In food, Maltodextrin is used to improve the texture and thicken a product. Due to its structure, it can help create a gel texture. As an emulsion stabilizer, it helps keep the ingredients in a product together.
As a polysaccharide, Maltodextrin has moisturizing properties. Polysaccharides are a type of carbohydrate. The top layer of skin uses polysaccharides to retain water, keeping the skin hydrated.
Maltodextrin is water soluble and has a sweet taste.
Learn more about MaltodextrinPapain is an enzyme found naturally in the papaya plant's leaves, fruit, and roots. It has antimicrobial, soothing, and wound healing properties.
Glycine and Vitamin A are naturally found in papain.
While papain is often touted as skin-lightening, further studies are needed to prove this. However, papain has been shown to help soothe acne-inflammation.
Papain belongs to a class of enzymes called proteolytic enzymes. These enzymes break down peptides and amino acids.
Some studies found papain to be a potential skin sensitizer and allergen. Those with latex allergies might also be allergic to papaya.
Learn more about PapainWater. 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 WaterXanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.
On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.
Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.
Learn more about Xanthan Gum
