What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningDipropylene Glycol
HumectantCellulose
Absorbent
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Quaternium-60
Carbomer
Emulsion Stabilising1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Galactomyces Ferment Filtrate
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
Humectant
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
Humectant
Potassium Hyaluronate
Skin ConditioningPapain
Skin Conditioning
Maltodextrin
Absorbent
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Xylitylglucoside
Humectant
Anhydroxylitol
Humectant
Xylitol
Humectant
C12-14 Pareth-12
EmulsifyingGluconolactone
Skin Conditioning
Glucose
Humectant
Sodium Metabisulfite
Antioxidant
Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil
Masking
Pogostemon Cablin Leaf Oil
Masking
Cananga Odorata Flower Oil
Masking
Disodium EDTA
Limonene
Perfuming
Water, Dipropylene Glycol, Cellulose, Propylene Glycol, Quaternium-60, Carbomer, 1,2-Hexanediol, Galactomyces Ferment Filtrate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Potassium Hyaluronate, Papain, Maltodextrin, Caprylyl Glycol, Allantoin, Xylitylglucoside, Anhydroxylitol, Xylitol, C12-14 Pareth-12, Gluconolactone, Glucose, Sodium Metabisulfite, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil, Pogostemon Cablin Leaf Oil, Cananga Odorata Flower Oil, Disodium EDTA, Limonene
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 AllantoinCarbomer 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 CarbomerDipropylene Glycol is a synthetically created humectant, stabilizer, and solvent.
This ingredient helps:
Dipropylene glycol is technically an alcohol, but it belongs to the glycol family (often considered part of the ‘good’ alcohols). This means it is hydrating and gentle on skin unlike drying solvent alcohols like denatured alcohol.
As a masking agent, Dipropylene Glycol can be used to cover the smell of other ingredients. However, it does not have a scent.
Studies show Dipropylene Glycol is considered safe to use in skincare.
Learn more about Dipropylene GlycolGlucose is a simple sugar (a monosaccharide). In skincare, it is mostly a humectant and skin conditioning agent.
Mechanistically, it has multiple hydroxyl groups that hydrogen-bond to water. This pulls moisture into the upper layers of skin to keep the surface soft and hydrated.
It's worth knowing sugars are already a natural component of the skin's NMF (natural moisturizing factor) so it's a molecule that your stratum corneum is well-acquainted with.
Just so you know, glucose is hydrophilic (water-loving) and the stratum corneum is a strong barrier to hydrophilic compounds. This just means penetration is slow and most of the action is happening on the surface.
Gram-to-gram, glucose is not as efficient as a humectant as glycerin. This is why you'll likely see glycose paired with stronger humectants for a bigger hydration payoff.
In skincare, glucose is typically derived from corn or other starch sources.
Learn more about GlucoseWater. 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
