What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantAlcohol Denat.
AntimicrobialPolyacrylate Crosspolymer-6
Emulsion StabilisingPEG-7 Glyceryl Cocoate
EmulsifyingPEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
EmulsifyingCeramide Ng
Skin ConditioningSalicylic Acid
MaskingNiacinamide
SmoothingPanthenol
Skin ConditioningLactic Acid
BufferingGlycolic Acid
BufferingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeAllantoin
Skin ConditioningPotassium Hydroxide
BufferingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingDisodium EDTA
Gluconolactone
Skin ConditioningSodium Benzoate
MaskingCitric Acid
BufferingCalcium 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 ConditioningPolyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate
EmulsifyingPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientStearyl Alcohol
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantHydrogenated Starch Hydrolysate
HumectantCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingHydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingHydrogenated Polydecene
EmollientIsododecane
EmollientCreatine
Skin ConditioningPotassium Azeloyl Diglycinate
Skin ConditioningAlteromonas Ferment Extract
Skin ConditioningAsiaticoside
AntioxidantMadecassic Acid
Skin ConditioningAsiatic Acid
Skin ConditioningFaex Extract
Skin ConditioningAllantoin
Skin ConditioningSqualane
EmollientPolysorbate 60
EmulsifyingGlyceryl Caprylate
EmollientEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningParfum
MaskingTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantButylene Glycol
HumectantCyclohexasiloxane
EmollientCyclopentasiloxane
EmollientLactic Acid
BufferingDisodium EDTA
Sodium Phosphate
BufferingSorbitan Isostearate
EmulsifyingCI 42090
Cosmetic ColorantCI 47005
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate, Pentylene Glycol, Glyceryl Stearate, Stearyl Alcohol, Glycerin, Hydrogenated Starch Hydrolysate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Hydrogenated Polydecene, Isododecane, Creatine, Potassium Azeloyl Diglycinate, Alteromonas Ferment Extract, Asiaticoside, Madecassic Acid, Asiatic Acid, Faex Extract, Allantoin, Squalane, Polysorbate 60, Glyceryl Caprylate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Parfum, Tocopheryl Acetate, Butylene Glycol, Cyclohexasiloxane, Cyclopentasiloxane, Lactic Acid, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Phosphate, Sorbitan Isostearate, CI 42090, CI 47005
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 AllantoinDisodium 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 GlycerinLactic Acid is another well-loved alpha hydroxy acid (AHA). It is gentler than glycolic acid but still highly effective.
Its main role is to exfoliate the surface of the skin by loosening the âglueâ that holds dead skin cells together. Shedding those old cells leads to smoother, softer, and more even-toned skin.
Because lactic acid molecules are larger than glycolic acid, they donât penetrate as deeply. This means theyâre less likely to sting or irritate, making it a great choice for beginners or those with sensitive skin.
Like glycolic acid, it can:
Lactic acid also acts as a humectant (like hyaluronic acid). It can draw water into the skin to improve hydration and also plays a role in the skin's natural moisturizing factor (NMF) in the form of sodium lactate.
Studies show it can boost ceramide production to strengthen the skin barrier and even help balance the skinâs microbiome.
To get results, choose products with a pH between 3-4.
Lower strengths (5-12%) focus on surface exfoliation; higher strengths (12% and up) can reach deeper in the dermis (deeper, supportive layer) to improve skin texture and firmness over time.
Though it was originally derived from milk, most modern lactic acid used in skincare is vegan. It is made through non-dairy fermentation to create a bio-identical and stable form suitable for all formulations.
When lactic acid shows up near the end of an ingredient list, it usually means the brand added just a tiny amount to adjust the productâs pH.
Legend has it that Cleopatra used to bathe in sour milk to help reduce wrinkles.
Lactic acid is truly a gentle multitasker: it exfoliates, hydrates, strengthens, and brightens. It's a great ingredient for giving your skin a smooth, glowing, and healthy look without the harshness of stronger acids.
Read more about some other popular AHA's here:
Learn more about Lactic AcidWater. 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