What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium Laureth Sulfate
CleansingCocamidopropyl Betaine
CleansingPropylene Glycol
HumectantCocamide DEA
EmulsifyingPolyquaternium-39
Salicylic Acid
MaskingPropanediol
SolventCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
HumectantGlycerin
HumectantSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantCryptomeria Japonica Leaf Extract
HumectantGlycine Soja Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningHouttuynia Cordata Extract
Skin ConditioningLactobacillus/Pear Juice Ferment Filtrate
Skin ConditioningMelia Azadirachta Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningPhellodendron Amurense Bark Extract
Skin ConditioningRehmannia Chinensis Root Extract
Skin ConditioningSalix Alba Bark Extract
AstringentScutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract
AstringentTrehalose
HumectantUrea
BufferingPullulan
Algin
MaskingSerine
MaskingGlyceryl Caprylate
EmollientGlyceryl Polyacrylate
Sodium Chloride
MaskingPEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
EmulsifyingMenthol
MaskingGlycolic Acid
BufferingCitric Acid
BufferingPotassium Phosphate
BufferingDisodium Phosphate
BufferingTetrasodium EDTA
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningMethylchloroisothiazolinone
PreservativeMethylisothiazolinone
PreservativeO-Cymen-5-Ol
AntimicrobialParfum
MaskingWater, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Propylene Glycol, Cocamide DEA, Polyquaternium-39, Salicylic Acid, Propanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Pentylene Glycol, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Sodium Hyaluronate, Cryptomeria Japonica Leaf Extract, Glycine Soja Seed Extract, Houttuynia Cordata Extract, Lactobacillus/Pear Juice Ferment Filtrate, Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract, Phellodendron Amurense Bark Extract, Rehmannia Chinensis Root Extract, Salix Alba Bark Extract, Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract, Trehalose, Urea, Pullulan, Algin, Serine, Glyceryl Caprylate, Glyceryl Polyacrylate, Sodium Chloride, PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Menthol, Glycolic Acid, Citric Acid, Potassium Phosphate, Disodium Phosphate, Tetrasodium EDTA, Ethylhexylglycerin, Methylchloroisothiazolinone, Methylisothiazolinone, O-Cymen-5-Ol, Parfum
Water
Skin ConditioningCocamidopropyl Betaine
CleansingSodium Cocoyl Alaninate
SurfactantSodium Cocoyl Glycinate
CleansingAcrylates Copolymer
Propanediol
SolventAcanthopanax Senticosus Root Extract
Skin ConditioningInonotus Obliquus Extract
Skin ConditioningRhaponticum Carthamoides Root Extract
Skin ConditioningRhodiola Rosea Extract
EmollientSelaginella Lepidophylla Extract
EmollientTrehalose
HumectantGlycerin
HumectantSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantSerine
MaskingAlgin
MaskingUrea
BufferingPullulan
Glyceryl Laurate
EmollientPolyglyceryl-3 Caprate
EmulsifyingLauryl Lactate
EmollientGlyceryl Polyacrylate
Lauryl Alcohol
EmollientLactic Acid
BufferingPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningSodium Hydroxide
BufferingTrisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Phenoxyethanol
PreservativeParfum
MaskingSodium Benzoate
MaskingChlorphenesin
AntimicrobialWater, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Sodium Cocoyl Alaninate, Sodium Cocoyl Glycinate, Acrylates Copolymer, Propanediol, Acanthopanax Senticosus Root Extract, Inonotus Obliquus Extract, Rhaponticum Carthamoides Root Extract, Rhodiola Rosea Extract, Selaginella Lepidophylla Extract, Trehalose, Glycerin, Sodium Hyaluronate, Serine, Algin, Urea, Pullulan, Glyceryl Laurate, Polyglyceryl-3 Caprate, Lauryl Lactate, Glyceryl Polyacrylate, Lauryl Alcohol, Lactic Acid, Pentylene Glycol, Sodium Hydroxide, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Phenoxyethanol, Parfum, Sodium Benzoate, Chlorphenesin
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Algin is brown algae. Algae is an informal term for a group of aquatic organisms that can photosynthesize. It is estimated there are at least 30,000 types of Algae.
Algae contains antioxidants. Antioxidants help fight free-radicals. Free-radicals are molecules that may damage your skin cells, such as pollution.
Cocamidopropyl Betaine is a fatty acid created by mixing similar compounds in coconut oil and dimethylaminopropylamine, a compound with two amino groups.
This ingredient is a surfactant and cleanser. It helps gather the dirt, pollutants, and other impurities in your skin to be washed away. It also helps thicken a product and make the texture more creamy.
Being created from coconut oil means Cocamidopropyl Betaine is hydrating for the skin.
While Cocamidopropyl Betaine was believed to be an allergen, a study from 2012 disproved this. It found two compounds in unpure Cocamidopropyl Betaine to be the irritants: aminoamide and 3-dimethylaminopropylamine. High-grade and pure Cocamidopropyl Betaine did not induce allergic reactions during this study.
Learn more about Cocamidopropyl BetaineGlycerin (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 GlycerinWe don't have a description for Glyceryl Polyacrylate yet.
Parfum is a catch-all term for an ingredient or more that is used to give a scent to products.
Also called "fragrance", this ingredient can be a blend of hundreds of chemicals or plant oils. This means every product with "fragrance" or "parfum" in the ingredients list is a different mixture.
For instance, Habanolide is a proprietary trade name for a specific aroma chemical. When used as a fragrance ingredient in cosmetics, most aroma chemicals fall under the broad labeling category of “FRAGRANCE” or “PARFUM” according to EU and US regulations.
The term 'parfum' or 'fragrance' is not regulated in many countries. In many cases, it is up to the brand to define this term.
For instance, many brands choose to label themselves as "fragrance-free" because they are not using synthetic fragrances. However, their products may still contain ingredients such as essential oils that are considered a fragrance by INCI standards.
One example is Calendula flower extract. Calendula is an essential oil that still imparts a scent or 'fragrance'.
Depending on the blend, the ingredients in the mixture can cause allergies and sensitivities on the skin. Some ingredients that are known EU allergens include linalool and citronellol.
Parfum can also be used to mask or cover an unpleasant scent.
The bottom line is: not all fragrances/parfum/ingredients are created equally. If you are worried about fragrances, we recommend taking a closer look at an ingredient. And of course, we always recommend speaking with a professional.
Learn more about ParfumPentylene 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 GlycolPropanediol is an all-star ingredient. It softens, hydrates, and smooths the skin.
It’s often used to:
Propanediol is not likely to cause sensitivity and considered safe to use. It is derived from corn or petroleum with a clear color and no scent.
Learn more about PropanediolPullulan is a low viscosity polysaccharide (a long chain carbohydrate) with binding and film forming properties when dissolved in water. It is used to create a "silicone-like" or silky feel in cosmetics without adding viscosity.
According to a manufacturer, this ingredient's ability to easily dissolves makes it a great carrier for active ingredients.
Due to it being edible and tasteless, you'll likely find this ingredient in breath freshener strips. This ingredient is produced from the starch of the fungus, Aureobasidium pullulans.
Pullulan is stable over a broad-range of pH.
Learn more about PullulanSerine is a non-essential amino acid (your body makes it on its own!). It is a major player in 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.
Serine is one of your NMF's most abundant components that works as a skin-identical humectant. Its hydroxyl group grabs onto water molecules to boost hydration without any heaviness or occlusion.
Research on a hydrogel with serine confirmed this serine got delivered to your stratum corneum and demonstrated enhanced skin moisturization.
Interestingly serine also helps your skin produce filaggrin, a protein that keeps your skin barrier strong and used to create collagen.
Learn more about SerineSodium 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 HyaluronateTrehalose is a disaccharide made of two glucose molecules (glucose is sugar!). Trehalose is used to help moisturize skin. It also has antioxidant properties.
As a humectant, trehalose helps draw moisture from the air to your skin. This helps keep your skin hydrated.
Due to its antioxidant properties, trehalose may help with signs of aging. Antioxidants help fight free-radical molecules, unstable molecules that may damage your skin.
In medicine, trehalose and hyaluronic acid are used to help treat dry eyes.
Some animals, plants, and bacteria create trehalose as a source of energy to survive freeze or lack of water.
Learn more about TrehaloseUrea is also called carbamide and is the diamide of carbonic acid. In cosmetics, urea is used to hydrate the skin. It also provides exfoliation in higher concentrations.
As a humectant, urea helps draw moisture from the air and from deep within the skin. This helps hydrate your skin. Studies show urea is an effective moisturizer for dry skin conditions. 40% urea is typical in medications for treating eczema and other skin conditions.
Urea has the strongest exfoliation effect in concentrations higher than 10%. It is a keratolytic agent, meaning it breaks down the keratin protein in the top layer of skin. This helps remove dead skin cells and flaking skin.
In medicine, urea has been shown to help increase the potency of other ingredients, such as fungal treatments.
Humans and animals use urea to metabolize nitrogen-containing compounds. Urea is highly soluble in water. Once dissolved, it is neither acidic nor alkaline.
Urea is actually one of the more well-studied and well-supported ingredients out there if you have eczema.
Clinical trials have shown that urea creams in the 5 - 10% range can:
Higher concentrations (20 -30%) can also help with thickened, scaly patches but is also more likely to sting on active flares.
Skip urea if you have rosacea. The AAD (American Academy of Dermatology) lists it alongside alcohol, menthol, and fragrance as a potential irritant for rosacea-prone skin. Urea's keratolytic and penetration-enhancing properties can trigger stinging, burning, and redness.
As always, your skin is unique, so definitely check in with your dermatologist.
Learn more about UreaWater. 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