What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Ethylhexyl Stearate
EmollientIsopropyl Myristate
EmollientSorbeth-30 Tetraoleate
EmulsifyingWater
Skin ConditioningDiisostearyl Malate
EmollientTocopherol
AntioxidantSimmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
EmollientHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
EmollientMacadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil
EmollientPrunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin ConditioningPersea Gratissima Oil
Skin ConditioningOlea Europaea Fruit Oil
MaskingAllantoin
Skin ConditioningPanthenol
Skin ConditioningCoptis Japonica Root Extract
Skin ConditioningCentella Asiatica Extract
CleansingPortulaca Oleracea Extract
Skin ConditioningCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialSaponaria Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialMelaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Extract
PerfumingSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantButylene Glycol
Humectant1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantEthylhexyl Stearate, Isopropyl Myristate, Sorbeth-30 Tetraoleate, Water, Diisostearyl Malate, Tocopherol, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Persea Gratissima Oil, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Allantoin, Panthenol, Coptis Japonica Root Extract, Centella Asiatica Extract, Portulaca Oleracea Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Saponaria Officinalis Leaf Extract, Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Butylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Pentylene Glycol, Caprylyl Glycol, Glycerin
Ethylhexyl Stearate
EmollientSorbeth-30 Tetraoleate
EmulsifyingDiisostearyl Malate
EmollientEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningWater
Skin ConditioningOenothera Biennis Oil
EmollientLimnanthes Alba Seed Oil
Skin ConditioningPersea Gratissima Oil
Skin ConditioningVitis Vinifera Seed Oil
EmollientCanola Oil
EmollientMacadamia Integrifolia Seed Oil
Skin ConditioningSea Water
HumectantButylene Glycol
HumectantAllantoin
Skin ConditioningPanthenol
Skin Conditioning1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingPhosphatidylcholine
EmulsifyingHyaluronic Acid
HumectantCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningGlycine
BufferingHydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
HumectantGlutamic Acid
HumectantSerine
MaskingSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantLysine
Skin ConditioningAlanine
MaskingArginine
MaskingThreonine
Proline
Skin ConditioningCitrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil
MaskingSalvia Officinalis Oil
MaskingTocopherol
AntioxidantEthylhexyl Stearate, Sorbeth-30 Tetraoleate, Diisostearyl Malate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Water, Oenothera Biennis Oil, Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil, Persea Gratissima Oil, Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil, Canola Oil, Macadamia Integrifolia Seed Oil, Sea Water, Butylene Glycol, Allantoin, Panthenol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Phosphatidylcholine, Hyaluronic Acid, Ceramide NP, Glycine, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Glutamic Acid, Serine, Sodium Hyaluronate, Lysine, Alanine, Arginine, Threonine, Proline, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil, Salvia Officinalis Oil, Tocopherol
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
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 GlycolDiisostearyl Malate is an emollient and most often used in lip products. It comes from isostearyl alcohol, a fatty acid, and malic acid, an AHA.
As an emollient, Diisostearyl Malate helps create a thin film on your skin to trap moisture in. This helps keep your skin soft and smooth.
Ethylhexyl Stearate mainly acts as an emollient that also helps reduce the greasiness of oils in a formula. As an emollient, it softens and hydrates your skin by locking moisture in.
Because Ethylhexyl Stearate contains a C18 fatty acid chain, it may not be Malassezia/fungal acne safe. This is because the Malassezia yeast potentially feeds on C11-C24 fatty acids. If you're prone to flare-ups, you might want to patch-test or skip this one.
This ingredient is an ester of 2-ethylhexyl alcohol and stearic acid.
Learn more about Ethylhexyl StearatePanthenol 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 PanthenolPersea Gratissima Oil is also known as avocado oil.
Avocado Oil has antioxidant properties. It is mostly made up of the glycerides of fatty acids. About 67% of these fatty acids is made up of oleic acid. Palmitic acid and linoleic acid are also present.
These fatty acids help hydrate and soften the skin. It may increase collagen content in the skin. Collagen helps keep your skin plump and firm. This ingredient helps reduce inflammation and has not shown to clog pores.
This ingredient may not be fungal-acne safe due to its high fatty acid content.
Avocados also have B vitamins, vitamin K, vitamin C, vitamin E, and potassium.
Learn more about Persea Gratissima OilSodium 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 HyaluronateSorbeth-30 Tetraoleate is a surfactant and emulsifier.
This ingredient is a tetraester from oleic acid and polyethylene glycol ether of sorbitol.
As an emulsifier, it helps ingredients such as oil and water mix together. This allows the dirt and oils in your skin to be washed away.
One study found pumpkin oil containing Sorbeth-30 Tetraoleate helped hydrate the skin and did not cause any irritation.
Learn more about Sorbeth-30 TetraoleateTocopherol 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