What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Alcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6
Emulsion StabilisingPEG-7 Glyceryl Cocoate
Emulsifying
PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Ceramide Ng
Skin Conditioning
Salicylic Acid
Masking
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Glycolic Acid
Buffering
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Potassium Hydroxide
BufferingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingDisodium EDTA
Gluconolactone
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Citric Acid
Buffering
Calcium Gluconate
HumectantWater, Glycerin, Alcohol Denat., Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, PEG-7 Glyceryl Cocoate, PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Ceramide Ng, Salicylic Acid, Niacinamide, Panthenol, Lactic Acid, Glycolic Acid, Phenoxyethanol, Allantoin, Potassium Hydroxide, Xanthan Gum, Disodium EDTA, Gluconolactone, Sodium Benzoate, Citric Acid, Calcium Gluconate
Water
Skin ConditioningC12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialGlyceryl Stearate Se
Emulsifying
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Isononyl Isononanoate
EmollientCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Ethylhexyl Palmitate
Emollient
Cyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Dimethicone
Emollient
Polyester-7
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Neopentyl Glycol Diheptanoate
EmollientHydrogenated Rapeseed Oil
Emollient
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Steareth-21
CleansingAvena Sativa Kernel Extract
Abrasive
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingDimethiconol
Emollient
Potassium Cetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingChlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingHydrolyzed Viola Tricolor Extract
Skin ProtectingAllantoin
Skin Conditioning
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder
Skin Conditioning
Disodium EDTA
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Camellia Oleifera Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Rosa Canina Fruit Oil
Emollient
Rosa Damascena Extract
MaskingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Michelia Alba Leaf Oil
Masking
Sodium Lactate
Buffering
PEG-8
HumectantEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCoco-Glucoside
Cleansing
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Ascorbyl Palmitate
Antioxidant
Plumeria Rubra Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningAscorbic Acid
Antioxidant
Citric Acid
Buffering
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Skin Conditioning
Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein
Skin ConditioningCitronellol
Perfuming
Geraniol
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Water, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Isononyl Isononanoate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cetyl Alcohol, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Cyclopentasiloxane, Dimethicone, Polyester-7, Phenoxyethanol, Neopentyl Glycol Diheptanoate, Hydrogenated Rapeseed Oil, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Steareth-21, Avena Sativa Kernel Extract, Carbomer, Dimethiconol, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Chlorphenesin, Caprylyl Glycol, Xanthan Gum, Hydrolyzed Viola Tricolor Extract, Allantoin, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder, Disodium EDTA, Tocopheryl Acetate, Camellia Oleifera Seed Oil, Rosa Canina Fruit Oil, Rosa Damascena Extract, Sodium Hydroxide, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Michelia Alba Leaf Oil, Sodium Lactate, PEG-8, Ethylhexylglycerin, Coco-Glucoside, Sodium Hyaluronate, Tocopherol, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Plumeria Rubra Flower Extract, Ascorbic Acid, Citric Acid, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein, Citronellol, Geraniol, Linalool
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 AllantoinCitric 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 AcidDisodium EDTA is a chelating agent. It grabs onto and deactivates metal ions that sneak into your products from water, packaging, or air.
This ingredient mainly works behind the scenes and helps with:
On top of that, this ingredient can counteract the effects of hard water by binding to the minerals in it.
One thing worth knowing is that Disodium EDTA has been shown to be a mild penetration enhancer. It can help other ingredients absorb into skin more effectively which can be a double-edged sword (great for actives, but can also make the active too strong if you have sensitive skin).
Clinical patch testing showed no significant skin irritation at typical use concentrations and minimal dermal absorption.
You'll most likely see this ingredient near the end of an ingredient list. It's typically found in concentrations less than 1%.
Learn more about Disodium EDTAGlycerin (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.
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 WaterXanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.
On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.
Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.
Learn more about Xanthan Gum
