What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientEthylhexyl Palmitate
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantStearic Acid
CleansingCetyl Alcohol
EmollientStearyl Alcohol
EmollientDipalmitoyl Hydroxyproline
Skin ConditioningAllantoin
Skin ConditioningHyaluronic Acid
HumectantLecithin
EmollientCocos Nucifera Water
MaskingLactococcus Ferment Lysate
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
AntioxidantPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningWater, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glyceryl Stearate, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Glycerin, Stearic Acid, Cetyl Alcohol, Stearyl Alcohol, Dipalmitoyl Hydroxyproline, Allantoin, Hyaluronic Acid, Lecithin, Cocos Nucifera Water, Lactococcus Ferment Lysate, Tocopherol, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin
Water
Skin ConditioningHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
EmollientEthylhexylglyceryl Palmitate
EmulsifyingAcetyl Hexapeptide-8
HumectantGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientCetyl Alcohol
EmollientPalmitoyl Tripeptide-3
Butyrospermum Parkii Oil
EmollientVitis Vinifera Seed Oil
EmollientAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin ConditioningLaminaria Hyperborea Extract
Skin ProtectingTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantMagnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate
AntioxidantPrunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin ConditioningHyaluronic Acid
HumectantTheobroma Cacao Seed Butter
EmollientPanthenol
Skin ConditioningAllantoin
Skin ConditioningXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingAlgin
MaskingAvena Sativa Bran
AbrasiveCocos Nucifera Water
MaskingIris Pallida Leaf Cell Extract
AntioxidantRosa Damascena Leaf Cell Extract
Skin ProtectingCichorium Intybus Root Oligosaccharides
Skin ConditioningCaesalpinia Spinosa Gum
Skin ConditioningCucumis Sativus Fruit Extract
EmollientPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPelargonium Graveolens Oil
MaskingWater, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Ethylhexylglyceryl Palmitate, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Glyceryl Stearate, Cetyl Alcohol, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-3, Butyrospermum Parkii Oil, Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Laminaria Hyperborea Extract, Tocopheryl Acetate, Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Hyaluronic Acid, Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter, Panthenol, Allantoin, Xanthan Gum, Algin, Avena Sativa Bran, Cocos Nucifera Water, Iris Pallida Leaf Cell Extract, Rosa Damascena Leaf Cell Extract, Cichorium Intybus Root Oligosaccharides, Caesalpinia Spinosa Gum, Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Pelargonium Graveolens Oil
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 AllantoinAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice comes from leaves of the aloe plant. Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice is best known for helping to soothe sunburns. It is also anti-inflammatory, moisturizing, antiseptic, and can help heal wounds.
Aloe is packed with good stuff including Vitamins A, C, and E. These vitamins are antioxidants, which help fight free-radicals and the damage they may cause. Free-radicals are molecules that may damage your skin cells, such as pollution.
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice also contains sugars. These sugars come in the form of monosaccharides and polysaccharides, folic acid, and choline. These sugars are able to help bind moisture to skin.
It also contains minerals such as calcium, 12 anthraquinones, fatty acids, amino acids, and Vitamin B12.
Learn more about Aloe Barbadensis Leaf JuiceCetyl Alcohol is a fatty alcohol. Fatty Alcohols are most often used as an emollient or to thicken a product.
Its main roles are:
Though it has "alcohol" in the name, it is not related to denatured alcohol or ethyl alcohol.
The FDA allows products labeled "alcohol-free" to have fatty alcohols.
Learn more about Cetyl AlcoholEthylhexylglycerin 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 EthylhexylglycerinGlyceryl Stearate is made by reacting glycerin with stearic acid (typically sourced from plant oils like palm or coconut). It's an emulsifier, emollient, and mild occlusive.
Emulsifiers help ingredients like oil and water stay mixed so your formula stays nicely blended and uniform in texture.
This ingredient is typically used in concentrations between 1-10%. Studies have found it to be non-sensitizing, non-phototoxic, and non-photoallergenic.
A close cousin of this ingredient is Glyceryl Stearate SE ("self-emulsifying"). This just has a small amount of sodium or potassium stearate added so it can emulsify without a co-emulsifier.
Since this ingredient is an ester of a C18 fatty acid, it may not be fungal acne safe. The Malassezia yeast can potentially metabolize within the C11-C24 range.
Fun fact: The human body also creates Glyceryl Stearate naturally.
Learn more about Glyceryl StearateHyaluronic acid (HA) is a glycosaminoglycan (basically a long sugar chain) that your skin already makes on its own. In your skin, HA lives in the extracellular matrix and acts as the body's moisture reservoir.
Topically, HA is a humectant that binds water and helps skin look more plump, smooth, and hydrated.
The only catch is that HA isn't a single thing; it actually comes in a wide range of molecular weights (~50 - 2,000+ kDA) and size matters.
Some clinical evidence links low molecular weight versions to improved wrinkle depth, elasticity, anti-inflammatory effects, and barrier repair.
This is why the best HA serums blend the two sizes together so you get the best of both worlds.
The majority of cosmetic HA is produced by bacterial fermentation, typically using Streptococcus or Bacillus strains. Typical use levels in skincare sit around 0.1-2%.
A clinical study using a 0.2% low-molecular weight HA gel showed improvement in facial seborrheic dermatitis with excellent tolerance.
These are some other common types of Hyaluronic Acid:
Learn more about Hyaluronic AcidPhenoxyethanol is a preservative that has germicide, antimicrobial, and aromatic properties. Studies show that phenoxyethanol can prevent microbial growth. By itself, it has a scent that is similar to that of a rose.
It's often used in formulations along with Caprylyl Glycol to preserve the shelf life of products.
Water. 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