What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientBetaine
HumectantGlyceryl Stearate Citrate
EmollientEthylhexyl Methoxycinnamate
UV AbsorberButyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane
UV AbsorberDimethicone
EmollientNiacinamide
SmoothingTapioca Starch
Phenoxyethanol
PreservativeButylene Glycol
HumectantOctocrylene
UV AbsorberCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientTetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate
Glycerin
HumectantPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningSodium Hydroxide
BufferingLecithin
EmollientLactic Acid
BufferingSerine
MaskingSodium Lactate
BufferingUrea
BufferingSorbitol
HumectantSodium Chloride
MaskingAllantoin
Skin ConditioningWater, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, Betaine, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, Dimethicone, Niacinamide, Tapioca Starch, Phenoxyethanol, Butylene Glycol, Octocrylene, Carbomer, Caprylyl Glycol, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Glycerin, Pentylene Glycol, Sodium Hydroxide, Lecithin, Lactic Acid, Serine, Sodium Lactate, Urea, Sorbitol, Sodium Chloride, Allantoin
Water
Skin ConditioningAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
SolventNiacinamide
SmoothingC12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialTitanium Dioxide
Cosmetic ColorantCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingDiethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate
UV FilterArginine
MaskingGlycerin
HumectantBetaine
HumectantAllantoin
Skin ConditioningLonicera Caprifolium Flower Extract
PerfumingLonicera Japonica Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningEthylhexyl Triazone
UV AbsorberBis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine
Skin ConditioningCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingLecithin
EmollientJojoba Esters
EmollientCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientPolyhydroxystearic Acid
EmulsifyingHydroxyacetophenone
AntioxidantPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeStearic Acid
CleansingCitric Acid
BufferingWater, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Propanediol, Niacinamide, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Titanium Dioxide, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate, Arginine, Glycerin, Betaine, Allantoin, Lonicera Caprifolium Flower Extract, Lonicera Japonica Flower Extract, Ethylhexyl Triazone, Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine, Carbomer, Lecithin, Jojoba Esters, Caprylyl Glycol, Polyhydroxystearic Acid, Hydroxyacetophenone, Phenoxyethanol, Stearic Acid, Citric 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.
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 AllantoinBetaine is a humectant. Like hyaluronic acid, it helps attract and retain moisture in the skin. Itβs known for being gentle and for helping the skin maintain balanced hydration.
Betaine is mainly used to improve hydration and support calmer skin. It helps skin cells regulate water balance because it functions as an osmolyte.
Some studies suggest betaine may support making skin tone more even.
Fun fact: Betaine naturally exists in the skin and the body. In cosmetic products, it can be either plant-derived (most commonly from sugar beets) or synthetically produced for consistency and stability.
Betaine is also known as trimethylglycine.
Learn more about BetaineCaprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.
Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.
Because it is not a free-fatty acid or alcohol, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolCarbomer is a high-molecular weight polymer of acrylic acid. It is used to form gels and thicken formulas.
Due to its large molecular size, carbomer has minimal skin penetration and is considered an inert ingredient.
A high amount of carbomer can cause pilling or balling up of products. Don't worry, most products contain 1% or less of carbomer.
Learn more about CarbomerGlycerin (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 GlycerinLecithin is a term for a group of substances found in the cell membranes of plants, animals, and humans. They are made up of phospholipids.
Thanks to its amphiphilic structure (water-loving head and oil-loving tail), it is a true multitasker:
It plays well with most ingredients and is typically used at 0.1-1%. However, concentrations up to 50% have been reported in moisturizers.
Depending on the source of this ingredient, lecithin may not be fungal acne safe. This is because some sources of lecithin come from soybean oil, which may feed the malassezia yeast that causes fungal acne.
We recommend reaching out to the brand you are purchasing from to inquire about the source of their lecithin.
Learn more about LecithinNiacinamide is a multitasking form of vitamin B3 that strengthens the skin barrier, reduces pores and dark spots, regulates oil, and improves signs of aging.
And the best part? It's gentle and well-tolerated by most skin types, including sensitive and reactive skin.
You might have heard of "niacin flush", or the reddening of skin that causes itchiness. Niacinamide has not been found to cause this.
In very rare cases, some individuals may not be able to tolerate niacinamide at all or experience an allergic reaction to it.
If you are experiencing flaking, irritation, and dryness with this ingredient, be sure to double check all your products as this ingredient can be found in all categories of skincare.
When incorporating niacinamide into your routine, look out for concentration amounts. Typically, 5% niacinamide provides benefits such as fading dark spots. However, if you have sensitive skin, it is better to begin with a smaller concentration.
When you apply niacinamide to your skin, your body converts it into nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD). NAD is an essential coenzyme that is already found in your cells as "fuel" and powers countless biological processes.
In your skin, NAD helps repair cell damage, produce new healthy cells, support collagen production, strengthen the skin barrier, and fight environmental stressors (like UV and pollution).
Our natural NAD levels start to decline with age, leading to slower skin repair, visible aging, and a weaker skin barrier. By providing your skin niacinamide, you're recharging your skin's NAD levels. This leads to stronger, healthier, and younger looking skin.
Another name for vitamin B3 is nicotinamide. This vitamin is water-soluble and our bodies don't store it. We obtain Vitamin B3 from either food or skincare. Meat, fish, wheat, yeast, and leafy greens contain vitamin B3.
The type of niacinamide used in skincare is synthetically created.
Learn more about NiacinamidePhenoxyethanol 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.
Water. 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