What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantButylene Glycol
HumectantSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantHydrolyzed Collagen
EmollientCaffeine
Skin ConditioningCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningArnica Montana Flower Extract
MaskingAlthaea Officinalis Root Extract
Skin ConditioningAllantoin
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
AntioxidantHydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
Skin ConditioningButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningGlycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
BleachingScutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract
AstringentAngelica Gigas Root Extract
Skin ConditioningCimicifuga Racemosa Root Extract
AntimicrobialMorus Alba Bark Extract
Skin ConditioningPaeonia Lactiflora Root Extract
Skin ConditioningPhellinus Linteus Extract
Skin ConditioningPolygonum Multiflorum Root Extract
Skin ConditioningSesamum Indicum Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningSophora Angustifolia Root Extract
Skin ConditioningAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin ConditioningRicinus Communis Seed Oil
MaskingAmorphophallus Konjac Root Powder
AbrasiveCarrageenan
Hydroxyacetophenone
AntioxidantHexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingPropanediol
SolventXylitylglucoside
HumectantSucrose
HumectantAnhydroxylitol
HumectantGlyceryl Caprylate
EmollientXylitol
HumectantBetaine
HumectantEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningGlucose
HumectantLecithin
EmollientMaltodextrin
AbsorbentMagnesium Aspartate
Skin ConditioningZinc Gluconate
Skin ConditioningAluminum Hydroxide
EmollientCopper Gluconate
Skin ConditioningPEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
EmulsifyingGellan Gum
Cyamopsis Tetragonoloba Gum
Emulsion StabilisingCeratonia Siliqua Gum
EmollientCalcium Chloride
AstringentTin Oxide
AbrasiveSynthetic Fluorphlogopite
Bis(Glycidoxyphenyl)Propane/Bisaminomethylnorbornane Copolymer
Caprylhydroxamic Acid
Disodium EDTA
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningEthyl Hexanediol
SolventChlorphenesin
AntimicrobialPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeMica
Cosmetic ColorantCI 42090
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77491
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Collagen, Caffeine, Ceramide NP, Arnica Montana Flower Extract, Althaea Officinalis Root Extract, Allantoin, Tocopherol, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract, Angelica Gigas Root Extract, Cimicifuga Racemosa Root Extract, Morus Alba Bark Extract, Paeonia Lactiflora Root Extract, Phellinus Linteus Extract, Polygonum Multiflorum Root Extract, Sesamum Indicum Seed Extract, Sophora Angustifolia Root Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Ricinus Communis Seed Oil, Amorphophallus Konjac Root Powder, Carrageenan, Hydroxyacetophenone, Hexylene Glycol, Propanediol, Xylitylglucoside, Sucrose, Anhydroxylitol, Glyceryl Caprylate, Xylitol, Betaine, Ethylhexylglycerin, Glucose, Lecithin, Maltodextrin, Magnesium Aspartate, Zinc Gluconate, Aluminum Hydroxide, Copper Gluconate, PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Gellan Gum, Cyamopsis Tetragonoloba Gum, Ceratonia Siliqua Gum, Calcium Chloride, Tin Oxide, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Bis(Glycidoxyphenyl)Propane/Bisaminomethylnorbornane Copolymer, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, Disodium EDTA, 1,2-Hexanediol, Ethyl Hexanediol, Chlorphenesin, Phenoxyethanol, Mica, CI 42090, CI 77891, CI 77491
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantChondrus Crispus Extract
Skin ConditioningCeratonia Siliqua Gum
EmollientCellulose Gum
Emulsion StabilisingHydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningSucrose
HumectantPotassium Chloride
Allantoin
Skin ConditioningXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCalcium Aluminum Borosilicate
Bis-PEG-15 Methyl Ether Dimethicone
EmulsifyingButylene Glycol
HumectantDisodium EDTA
Calcium Lactate
AstringentCI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantSilica
AbrasiveEnteromorpha Compressa Extract
Skin ProtectingGelidium Amansii Extract
Skin ConditioningKjellmaniella Gyrata Extract
Skin ConditioningSargassum Fusiforme Extract
Skin ProtectingLaminaria Japonica Extract
Skin ProtectingMica
Cosmetic ColorantSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantDipotassium Glycyrrhizate
HumectantSodium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate
Emulsion StabilisingPolyglyceryl-6 Caprylate
EmulsifyingPolyglyceryl-4 Caprate
EmulsifyingPEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
EmulsifyingParfum
MaskingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeCI 42090
Cosmetic ColorantTocopherol
AntioxidantCI 19140
Cosmetic ColorantHyaluronic Acid
HumectantHydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
HumectantWater, Glycerin, Chondrus Crispus Extract, Ceratonia Siliqua Gum, Cellulose Gum, Hydroxyacetophenone, 1,2-Hexanediol, Sucrose, Potassium Chloride, Allantoin, Xanthan Gum, Ethylhexylglycerin, Calcium Aluminum Borosilicate, Bis-PEG-15 Methyl Ether Dimethicone, Butylene Glycol, Disodium EDTA, Calcium Lactate, CI 77891, Silica, Enteromorpha Compressa Extract, Gelidium Amansii Extract, Kjellmaniella Gyrata Extract, Sargassum Fusiforme Extract, Laminaria Japonica Extract, Mica, Sodium Hyaluronate, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Sodium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Polyglyceryl-6 Caprylate, Polyglyceryl-4 Caprate, PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Parfum, Phenoxyethanol, CI 42090, Tocopherol, CI 19140, Hyaluronic Acid, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
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.Â
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 preservativesÂ
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 AllantoinButylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:
Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient that works well with other ingredients.
Though this ingredient works well with most skin types, some people with sensitive skin may experience a reaction such as allergic rashes, closed comedones, or itchiness.
Learn more about Butylene GlycolCeratonia Siliqua Gum is extracted from the seeds of the carob tree. You might know this ingredient as Carob Gum or Locust Bean Gum. It is used to stabilize other ingredients and improve the texture of products.
Carob gum is made up of long-chain polysaccharides. This makes it a natural thickener.
Yes! This ingredient comes from the seeds of a tree. The name 'Locust Bean Gum' can be misleading.
Learn more about Ceratonia Siliqua GumCi 42090 is a synthetic dye created from petroleum. It is used to give a bright blue color to cosmetics, medicine, and food.
Ci 77891 is a white pigment from Titanium dioxide. It is naturally found in minerals such as rutile and ilmenite.
It's main function is to add a white color to cosmetics. It can also be mixed with other colors to create different shades.
Ci 77891 is commonly found in sunscreens due to its ability to block UV rays.
Learn more about CI 77891Disodium 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 EDTAEthylhexylglycerin 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 EthylhexylglycerinGlycerin (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 GlycerinHydroxyacetophenone is a small phenolic molecule that earns its place in a formulas as an antioxidant and preservative booster.
As a phenol, it is able to neutralize free radicals to protect both the product and the skin from oxidative stress.
Though it can't kill microbes on its own, it works as a good supporting agent when combined with other preservatives like Phenoxyethanol or 1,2-Hexanediol.
This ingredient naturally occurs as piceol in Norwegian spruce needles (~0.4-1.1% dry weight and in cloudberries). Though the cosmetic-grade material is synthesized for purity and consistency.
You'll usually see it used at low levels and suppliers recommend up to 1% added to a water phase.
Safety testing was done at concentrations like 0.05% in SPF products and 0.5% in a Human Repeated Insult Patch Test. The safety evidence is assuring; this ingredient is safe for cosmetics in current use and also holds safety status as a food flavoring as well.
An honest caveat: the "soothing" and "anti-inflammatory" claims come mostly from supplier marketing rather than published clinical trials. The Cosmetic Ingredient Review's own literature search found no useful efficacy studies on this ingredient.
So the antioxidant and preservative-boosting roles are the well supported ones while the calming benefit is plausible but thinly evidenced.
Overall, this is a well-tolerated, low-irritation multitasker that quietly helps a formula stay fresh and stable.
Learn more about HydroxyacetophenoneMica is a naturally occurring mineral used to add shimmer and color in cosmetics. It can also help improve the texture of a product or give it an opaque, white/silver color.
Serecite is the name for very fine but ragged grains of mica.
This ingredient is often coated with metal oxides like titanium dioxide. Trace amounts of heavy metals may be found in mica, but these metals are not harmful in our personal products.
Mica has been used since prehistoric times throughout the world. Ancient Egyptian, Indian, Greek, Roman, Aztec, and Chinese civilizations have used mica.
Learn more about MicaPeg-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil comes from hydrogenated castor oil. It is a solubilizer and emulsifier.
As a solubilizer, it helps dissolve ingredients into a water-based version. It is also an emulsifer. Emulsifier help prevent oils and water from separating. Both these properties help create evenly-spread and uniform products.
Basically, Peg-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil helps hold ingredients together.
Learn more about PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor OilPhenoxyethanol 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 PhenoxyethanolSodium Hyaluronate is the salt form of hyaluronic acid. It is a long sugar chain that is naturally found in your skin, joints, and connective tissue that maintains hydration and elasticity.
In skincare, it works as a humectant. It pulls water from the environment and deeper layers of skin and binds it to the surface.
Interestingly, the size of the molecule affects its behavior:
Some clinical evidence links low molecular weight versions to improved wrinkle depth, elasticity, anti-inflammatory effects, and barrier repair.
Many serums use a blend of both weights so you can get surface hydration plus longer-lasting and deeper effects.
You'll typically see concentrations between 0.1-2% for this ingredient.
Learn more about Sodium HyaluronateSucrose is a natural sugar found in fruits, vegetables, and nuts. It is the main constituent of white sugar.
In skincare, sucrose is a humectant and can be a mild exfoliant.
Sucrose is hydrophilic, meaning it attracts water. This makes it an effective humectant and helps hydrate the skin.
Studies show sugars may worsen acne-prone skin due to it disrupting the skin's natural biome. We recommend speaking with a professional if you have any concerns.
In some products such as body scrubs, sucrose is used as an gentle exfoliant.
The term 'sucrose' comes from the french word for sugar, 'sucre'.
Learn more about SucroseTocopherol is a fat-soluble antioxidant known as Vitamin E.
You'll find this ingredient in the vast majority of skincare (for good reason). It works to neutralize free radicals, or unstable molecules generated by UV exposure, pollution, and other environmental stressors, before they can cause oxidative damage to your skin cells.
Topically applied tocopherol has been shown to protect against UV damage by ramping up the skin's own natural defense enzymes.
It also acts as a skin conditioning agent; some studies show that regular topical use can improve the skin's water-binding capacity over 2-4 weeks.
This ingredient is especially loved for being a team player. When combined with Vitamin C, the photoprotective effect of both ingredients roughly doubles and the combo also helps reduce UV-induced DNA damage.
This ingredient has some brightening potential but it's more of a prevention ingredient than spot-fader. Cell studies show it can slow down melanin production but it's worth noting that it's not the most powerful brightener out there.
In formulations, it also serves as a stabilizer that helps protect other oxidation-prone ingredients from degrading.
Concentrations usually range from 0.1-1% in most leave-on products.
Learn more about TocopherolWater. 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