What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Sodium Lauroyl Methyl Isethionate
CleansingDecyl Glucoside
Cleansing
Sodium Cocoyl Glycinate
Cleansing
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Gluconolactone
Skin Conditioning
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSodium PCA
Humectant
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
Skin Conditioning
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Potassium Hydroxide
BufferingSodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
Humectant
Sodium Phytate
Water, Glycerin, Sodium Lauroyl Methyl Isethionate, Decyl Glucoside, Sodium Cocoyl Glycinate, Niacinamide, Gluconolactone, Xanthan Gum, Sodium PCA, Allantoin, Chlorphenesin, Ethylhexylglycerin, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Pentylene Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Potassium Hydroxide, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Sodium Phytate
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate
CleansingGlycerin
Humectant
Betaine
Humectant
Chondrus Crispus Extract
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
Humectant
Gluconolactone
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Cocoyl Glycinate
Cleansing
Phenethyl Alcohol
MaskingCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Decylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningAmmonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Carboxyethyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Aphanizomenon Flos-Aquae Extract
HumectantXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPotassium Sorbate
Preservative
Disodium EDTA
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Water, Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate, Glycerin, Betaine, Chondrus Crispus Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Gluconolactone, Sodium Cocoyl Glycinate, Phenethyl Alcohol, Caprylyl Glycol, Decylene Glycol, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Carboxyethyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Aphanizomenon Flos-Aquae Extract, Xanthan Gum, Pentylene Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Potassium Sorbate, Disodium EDTA, Lactic 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.
Ethylhexylglycerin 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 EthylhexylglycerinGluconolactone is a PHA. PHAs are a great gentle alternative to traditional AHAs.
When applied, Gluconolactone has the same affect on skin as AHAs such as lactic acid. It helps dissolve the dead skin cells in the top layer of your skin. This improves texture and brightens the skin.
PHAs are more gentle than AHAs due to their larger structure. They do not penetrate as deeply as AHAs and take a longer time to dissolve dead cells. Studies show PHAs do not cause as much irritation.
Gluconolactone has some interesting properties:
In a 2004 study, Gluconolactone was found to prevent UV damage in mouse skin cells and has not been found to increase sun sensitivity. However, we still recommend wearing SPF daily.
This ingredient is is an created by reacting gluconic acid with an alcohol.
Learn more about GluconolactoneGlycerin (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 GlycerinPentylene glycol is typically used within a product to thicken it. It also adds a smooth, soft, and moisturizing feel to the product. It is naturally found in plants such as sugar beets.
The hydrophilic trait of Pentylene Glycol makes it a humectant. As a humectant, Pentylene Glycol helps draw moisture from the air to your skin. This can help keep your skin hydrated.
This property also makes Pentylene Glycol a great texture enhancer. It can also help thicken or stabilize a product.
Pentylene Glycol also acts as a mild preservative and helps to keep a product microbe-free.
Some people may experience mild eye and skin irritation from Pentylene Glycol. We always recommend speaking with a professional about using this ingredient in your routine.
Pentylene Glycol has a low molecular weight and is part of the 1,2-glycol family.
Learn more about Pentylene GlycolSodium Cocoyl Glycinate is a cleansing agent. It can be naturally derived or synthetically-created.
As a surfactant, it helps clean your skin by gathering dirt, oil, and other pollutants to be rinsed away more easily.
Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer is a crosslinked version of sodium hyaluronate. This just means it's linked into a 3D mesh network that lets it be more stable and sit on skin as a cohesive, gel-like film rather than sinking into skin.
A 2016 human skin study found crosslinked HA increased epidermal water content by 7.6% over the control group and reduced transepidermal water loss by 27.8%.
A follow-up clinical trial found that a topical crosslinked HA serum applied after fillers, microneedling, or chemical peels was well-tolerated and enhanced skin quality at 14 / 28 days.
More recent research suggests that concentrations as low as 0.03% can act as a penetration enhancer for other skincare actives.
Learn more about Sodium Hyaluronate CrosspolymerWater. 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
