What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningHomosalate
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexyl Dimethyl Paba
UV Absorber
Ethylhexyl Salicylate
UV Absorber
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane
UV Absorber
Terephthalylidene Dicamphor Sulfonic Acid
UV Absorber
Phenylbenzimidazole Sulfonic Acid
UV Absorber
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Polymethylsilsesquioxane
Dimethicone
Emollient
Isohexadecane
EmollientCetearyl Methicone
Skin Conditioning
PEG-40 Stearate
Emulsifying
Steareth-2
EmulsifyingSteareth-21
CleansingGlyceryl Stearate Se
Emulsifying
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
PEG-7 Glyceryl Cocoate
Emulsifying
PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Ceramide Ng
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Gluconolactone
Skin Conditioning
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Zinc Oxide
Cosmetic Colorant
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Ceteareth-20
CleansingCeteareth-12
EmulsifyingCetyl Palmitate
Emollient
Betaine
Humectant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Triethanolamine
BufferingAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Benzoate
Masking
Citric Acid
Buffering
Calcium Gluconate
HumectantWater, Homosalate, Ethylhexyl Dimethyl Paba, Ethylhexyl Salicylate, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, Terephthalylidene Dicamphor Sulfonic Acid, Phenylbenzimidazole Sulfonic Acid, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glycerin, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Dimethicone, Isohexadecane, Cetearyl Methicone, PEG-40 Stearate, Steareth-2, Steareth-21, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, PEG-7 Glyceryl Cocoate, PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Ceramide Ng, Ceramide NP, Gluconolactone, Niacinamide, Zinc Oxide, Glyceryl Stearate, Ceteareth-20, Ceteareth-12, Cetyl Palmitate, Betaine, Phenoxyethanol, Allantoin, Triethanolamine, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Sodium Benzoate, Citric Acid, Calcium Gluconate
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
Emollient
Sodium Lactate
Buffering
Glycerin
Humectant
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Propanediol
Solvent
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Emulsifying Wax Nf
Cetyl Esters
Emollient
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Centella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
Bleaching
Isopropyl Myristate
Emollient
Gluconolactone
Skin Conditioning
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Disodium EDTA
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingRosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialAloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Sodium Lactate, Glycerin, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Propanediol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Emulsifying Wax Nf, Cetyl Esters, Panthenol, Centella Asiatica Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Isopropyl Myristate, Gluconolactone, Tocopherol, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol, Allantoin, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Hyaluronate, Xanthan Gum, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
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 AllantoinCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride (aka MCT Oil) is a lightweight emollient, solvent, and texture enhancer. It is considered a skin-softener by helping to prevent moisture loss.
Though it behaves like an oil, it is not technically one due to its chemical composition. One perk of this ingredient is that it is very stable, resistant to oxidation, and unlikely to go rancid.
In practice, that translates to a long shelf life and a consistently elegant skin feel.
While there is an assumption Caprylic Triglyceride can clog pores due to it being derived from coconut oil, there is no research supporting this. Just patch test if you have concerns.
Fractionated coconut oil and MCT Oil are both listed as Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride according to INCI. This is because INCI names are based on the ingredient’s final chemical composition and not its marketing name or source.
This ingredient is treated as the gold standard fungal acne safe oil. Even though it is coconut derived, the problematic lauric acid is stripped out.
This leaves just caprylic (C8) and capric (C10) acid. These chain lengths actually trend antifungal; a 2020 study found caprylic acid was enough to disrupt Malassezia furfur cell membrane, with a caprylic acid derivative damaging membrane structures at concentrations as low as 0.2%.
Learn more about Caprylic/Capric TriglycerideGluconolactone is a PHA. PHAs are a great gentle alternative to traditional AHAs.
When applied, Gluconolactone has the same affect on skin as AHAs such as lactic acid. It helps dissolve the dead skin cells in the top layer of your skin. This improves texture and brightens the skin.
PHAs are more gentle than AHAs due to their larger structure. They do not penetrate as deeply as AHAs and take a longer time to dissolve dead cells. Studies show PHAs do not cause as much irritation.
Gluconolactone has some interesting properties:
In a 2004 study, Gluconolactone was found to prevent UV damage in mouse skin cells and has not been found to increase sun sensitivity. However, we still recommend wearing SPF daily.
This ingredient is is an created by reacting gluconic acid with an alcohol.
Learn more about GluconolactoneGlycerin (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 one of the most widely used preservatives in skincare (and for good reason!).
It has a large spectrum of antimicrobial activity and especially effective bacteria, yeast, and mold while only having a weak effect on your skin's natural microbiome.
On a cellular level, it disrupts the cell membranes of microbes by poking holes that make the cell leak. This shuts down the chemical reactions the microbe needs to make energy so it can no longer survive.
Another perk of this ingredient is that it stays functional across a wide pH range (3-10).
You'll often see it paired with boosters like Ethylhexylglycerin; one study showed that a 1:9 ratio of Ethylhexylglycerin to Phenoxyethanol damages bacterial membranes as effectively as doubling the Phenoxyethanol concentration on its own.
Typical use concentrations range from 0.3-1% depending on the formula, and this ingredient is capped at 1% int the EU.
Safety-wise, the fear mongering does not hold up to the evidence. The EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety and FDA consider it safe as a preservative at up to 1%, including for children of all ages.
Adverse systemic effects only showed up in animal studies at exposures roughly 200x higher than what people get from cosmetics. And despite its very widespread use, this ingredient is a rare sensitizer and allergic reactions are uncommon.
Learn more about Phenoxyethanol
