What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Glycyrrhetinic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Madecassoside
Antioxidant
Zea Mays Starch
Absorbent
Water
Skin ConditioningPropylene Glycol
Humectant
Propylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate
EmollientGlycerin
Humectant
Oleic Acid
Emollient
Oxidized Corn Oil
Skin Conditioning
Steareth-2
EmulsifyingPolymethyl Methacrylate
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Lysine PCA
HumectantPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
C13-14 Isoparaffin
Emollient
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Emulsion Stabilising
Palmitic Acid
Emollient
Glyceryl Oleate
Emollient
Laureth-7
EmulsifyingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningTocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Stearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Ascorbyl Palmitate
Antioxidant
Polyacrylamide
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Myristyl Alcohol
Emollient
Lauryl Alcohol
Emollient
Parfum
Masking
Glycyrrhetinic Acid, Allantoin, Madecassoside, Zea Mays Starch, Water, Propylene Glycol, Propylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate, Glycerin, Oleic Acid, Oxidized Corn Oil, Steareth-2, Polymethyl Methacrylate, Cetyl Alcohol, Cyclopentasiloxane, Lysine PCA, Phenoxyethanol, C13-14 Isoparaffin, Stearic Acid, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Palmitic Acid, Glyceryl Oleate, Laureth-7, Ethylhexylglycerin, Tocopheryl Acetate, Stearyl Alcohol, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Polyacrylamide, Tocopherol, Myristyl Alcohol, Lauryl Alcohol, Parfum
Water
Skin ConditioningEthylhexyl Stearate
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Steareth-2
EmulsifyingSteareth-21
CleansingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningAminomethyl Propanol
BufferingAllantoin
Skin Conditioning
Hamamelis Virginiana Leaf Extract
Skin Conditioning
Glycine Soja Oil
Emollient
Arnica Montana Flower Extract
Masking
Betula Alba Leaf Extract
AstringentChamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
Masking
Urtica Dioica Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningPhenethyl Alcohol
MaskingCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Daucus Carota Sativa Root Extract
Skin Conditioning
Beta-Carotene
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
Antioxidant
Water, Ethylhexyl Stearate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glycerin, Steareth-2, Steareth-21, Phenoxyethanol, Propylene Glycol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Carbomer, Ethylhexylglycerin, Aminomethyl Propanol, Allantoin, Hamamelis Virginiana Leaf Extract, Glycine Soja Oil, Arnica Montana Flower Extract, Betula Alba Leaf Extract, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Urtica Dioica Leaf Extract, Phenethyl Alcohol, Caprylyl Glycol, Daucus Carota Sativa Root Extract, Beta-Carotene, 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.
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 AllantoinEthylhexylglycerin 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 GlycerinPhenoxyethanol is a preservative that has germicide, antimicrobial, and aromatic properties. Studies show that phenoxyethanol can prevent microbial growth. By itself, it has a scent that is similar to that of a rose.
It's often used in formulations along with Caprylyl Glycol to preserve the shelf life of products.
Propylene Glycol is a synthetic, colorless, odorless liquid that has been a staple in cosmetics for decades. It is a skin conditioning agent, humectant, and solvent.
As a humectant, it draw water to the skin to reduce flaking and restore suppleness. It's also a solvent that helps dissolve other actives and keeps formulas stable across temperature changes.
The CIR Expert Panel has confirmed this ingredient to be nontoxic and clinical studies show no sensitization at cosmetic use concentrations.
True allergic reactions are quite rare: a 15-year retrospective study of 6,751 patients found only 0.31% had a positive reaction (and less than half were considered clinically relevant).
It seemed that when sensitization does occur, it's most commonly linked to topical medication (like corticosteroids) and not cosmetics. Allergic contact dermatitis also appears largely limited to individuals with underlying skin conditions.
Overall, propylene glycol is a well-studied ingredient that most people can tolerate without issue.
Learn more about Propylene GlycolSteareth-2 is a waxy compound used to emulsify ingredients. It is created from polyethylene glycol and stearyl alcohol. The 2 stands for the number of ethylene oxide units used to create this ingredient.
Due to the low degree of ethoxylation, the molecule stays mostly oil-loving. That's why you'll often see it paired with water-loving steareth-20 or steareth-21 to create elegant emulsions.
In testing, this ingredient was nontoxic in acute oral studies and not a skin irritant or sensitizer.
You might hear concerns about 1,4-dioxane as a byproduct of ethoxylation; this is well-known in the industry and is controlled through purification steps before the ingredient is blended into finished products.
Learn more about Steareth-2Tocopherol 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 TocopherolTocopheryl Acetate is AKA Vitamin E. It is an antioxidant and protects your skin from free radicals. Free radicals damage the skin by breaking down collagen.
One study found using Tocopheryl Acetate with Vitamin C decreased the number of sunburned cells.
Tocopheryl Acetate is commonly found in both skincare and dietary supplements.
Learn more about Tocopheryl AcetateWater. 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
