What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Sr-Hydrozoan Polypeptide-1
Humectant
Cetyl Esters
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Stearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Diheptyl Succinate
EmollientCapryloyl Glycerin/Sebacic Acid Copolymer
Skin ConditioningMagnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate
Antioxidant
Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningJasminum Officinale Extract
Masking
Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
Masking
Arnica Montana Extract
Skin ConditioningAllantoin
Skin Conditioning
Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Humectant
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningParfum
Masking
Water, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Glycerin, Sr-Hydrozoan Polypeptide-1, Cetyl Esters, Glyceryl Stearate, Cetyl Alcohol, Stearyl Alcohol, Stearic Acid, Tocopheryl Acetate, Diheptyl Succinate, Capryloyl Glycerin/Sebacic Acid Copolymer, Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Flower Extract, Jasminum Officinale Extract, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Arnica Montana Extract, Allantoin, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Xanthan Gum, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Parfum
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Water
Skin ConditioningDicaprylyl Carbonate
EmollientStearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Linum Usitatissimum Seed Oil
Perfuming
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Ethylhexyl Palmitate
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Malus Domestica Fruit Cell Culture Extract
Skin ConditioningTheobroma Cacao Seed Butter
Emollient
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Resveratrol
Antioxidant
Ubiquinone
Antioxidant
Hydrolyzed Rice Protein
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Lycium Barbarum Fruit Extract
Astringent
Fagus Sylvatica Bud Extract
TonicTocopherol
Antioxidant
Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate
Antioxidant
Borago Officinalis Seed Oil
Emollient
Persea Gratissima Oil
Skin Conditioning
Rosa Canina Fruit Oil
Emollient
Oenothera Biennis Oil
Emollient
Squalane
Emollient
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Aspalathus Linearis Extract
Skin ConditioningHibiscus Sabdariffa Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningRiboflavin
Cosmetic ColorantPhenethyl Alcohol
MaskingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningEthyl Vanillate
Perfuming
Symphytum Officinale Callus Culture Extract
Skin ConditioningAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Water, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Stearyl Alcohol, Linum Usitatissimum Seed Oil, Cetyl Alcohol, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Glyceryl Stearate, Malus Domestica Fruit Cell Culture Extract, Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter, Allantoin, Resveratrol, Ubiquinone, Hydrolyzed Rice Protein, Sodium Hyaluronate, Lycium Barbarum Fruit Extract, Fagus Sylvatica Bud Extract, Tocopherol, Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Borago Officinalis Seed Oil, Persea Gratissima Oil, Rosa Canina Fruit Oil, Oenothera Biennis Oil, Squalane, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Aspalathus Linearis Extract, Hibiscus Sabdariffa Flower Extract, Riboflavin, Phenethyl Alcohol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Ethyl Vanillate, Symphytum Officinale Callus Culture Extract
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 AllantoinCetyl 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 StearateMagnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate (MAP) is a water-soluble form of Vitamin C. It is used in skincare because it tends to be more formulation friendly than pure vitamin C (ascorbic acid).
According to research, MAP has three major benefits:
While MAP is gentler on the skin than ascorbic acid, it is thought to be less easily absorbed into the skin.
In a well-known absorption study, pure vitamin C increased skin vitamin C levels when formulated correctly, but derivatives like MAP did not in that experiment. This suggests MAP may not always convert into active vitamin C in the skin.
Due to MAP's stability up to a pH level of 7, it is more stable to air and sunlight exposure than ascorbic acid. The best pH range for MAP is between 5 and 6.
Learn more about Magnesium Ascorbyl PhosphateStearyl Alcohol is a type of fatty alcohol from stearic acid. It is a white, waxy compound used to emulsify ingredients used as an emollient or to thicken a product.
Emollients help soothe and hydrate the skin by trapping moisture.
Fatty alcohols are usually derived from natural fats and oils and therefore do not have the same drying or irritating effect as solvent (ethanol) alcohols.
The FDA allows products labeled "alcohol-free" to have fatty alcohols.
Learn more about Stearyl AlcoholWater. 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
