What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Avena Sativa Seed Water 80%
Solvent
Water
Skin ConditioningLimnanthes Alba Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate
Emulsifying
Polyglyceryl-10 Oleate
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Humectant
Avena Sativa Straw Extract
Skin ConditioningBeta-Glucan
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Phytate
Sodium Dna
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningArginine
Masking
Citric Acid
Buffering
Avena Sativa Seed Water 80%, Water, Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil, Butylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Hydroxyacetophenone, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate, Polyglyceryl-10 Oleate, Glycerin, Panthenol, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Avena Sativa Straw Extract, Beta-Glucan, Sodium Phytate, Sodium Dna, Ethylhexylglycerin, Arginine, Citric Acid
Water
Skin ConditioningPanthenol
Skin Conditioning
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Centella Asiatica Leaf Water
Skin Conditioning
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Spirulina Maxima Extract
SmoothingPolyglyceryl-10 Laurate
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningArginine
Masking
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingDisodium EDTA
Houttuynia Cordata Extract
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Lactobacillus Ferment
Skin Conditioning
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Cholesterol
Emollient
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Honey Extract
Humectant
Citric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Citrate
BufferingAscorbic Acid
Antioxidant
Bakuchiol
Antimicrobial
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Water, Panthenol, Butylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Centella Asiatica Leaf Water, Hydroxyacetophenone, Spirulina Maxima Extract, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Arginine, Carbomer, Xanthan Gum, Disodium EDTA, Houttuynia Cordata Extract, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Lactobacillus Ferment, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Cholesterol, Ceramide NP, Honey Extract, Citric Acid, Sodium Citrate, Ascorbic Acid, Bakuchiol, Hyaluronic Acid, Niacinamide
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
Arginine 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 ArginineButylene 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 GlycolCitric Acid is an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) naturally found in citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, and limes.
Like other AHAs, citric acid can exfoliate skin by breaking down the bonds that hold dead skin cells together. This helps reveal smoother and brighter skin underneath.
However, this exfoliating effect only happens at high concentrations (20%) which can be hard to find in cosmetic products.
Due to this, citric acid is usually included in small amounts as a pH adjuster. This helps keep products slightly more acidic and compatible with skin's natural pH.
In skincare formulas, citric acid can:
While it can provide some skin benefits, research shows lactic acid and glycolic acid are generally more effective and less irritating exfoliants.
Most citric acid used in skincare today is made by fermenting sugars (usually from molasses). This synthetic version is identical to the natural citrus form but easier to stabilize and use in formulations.
Read more about some other popular AHA's here:
Learn more about Citric AcidEthylhexylglycerin 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 GlycerinHydrogenated Lecithin is a more stable version of lecithin.
It's made by taking lecithin (a phospholipid commonly found in soybeans and egg yolks) and hydrogenating it. This just means the unsaturated fatty acids are turned into saturated ones so they don't go bad as easily.
This ingredient is an emollient, emulsifier, and penetration enhancer. As an emollient, it helps soften and hydrate skin by trapping moisture within. As an emulsifier, it prevents oil and water ingredients from separating.
Hydrogenated Lecithin can form tiny spherical structures made of phospholipid bilayers called liposomes. These liposomes are able to capture compounds inside their structure and deliver them through the skin barrier.
Because phospholipids are a natural component of our cell membranes, this ingredient is inherently compatible with skin.
A 2021 study found lecithin-based surfactants were less harsh and more tolerable comared to Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS).
Learn more about Hydrogenated LecithinHydroxyacetophenone is antioxidant with skin conditioning and soothing properties. It also boosts the efficiency of preservatives.
Though naturally occuring in Norwegian spruce needles, this ingredient is usually synthetically created.
This ingredient is not irritating or sensitizing. Recent research also suggests it may have skin-brightening effects through tyrosinase inhibition.
Learn more about HydroxyacetophenonePanthenol is a common ingredient that helps hydrate and soothe the skin. It is found naturally in our skin and hair.
There are two forms of panthenol: D and L.
D-panthenol is also known as dexpanthenol. Most cosmetics use dexpanthenol or a mixture of D and L-panthenol.
Panthenol is famous due to its ability to go deeper into the skin's layers. Using this ingredient has numerous pros (and no cons):
Like hyaluronic acid, panthenol is a humectant. Humectants are able to bind and hold large amounts of water to keep skin hydrated.
This ingredient works well for wound healing. It works by increasing tissue in the wound and helps close open wounds.
Once oxidized, panthenol converts to pantothenic acid. Panthothenic acid is found in all living cells.
This ingredient is also referred to as pro-vitamin B5.
Learn more about PanthenolWater. 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
