What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Phenoxyethylparaben
Antimicrobial
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Bis-PEG-18 Methyl Ether Dimethyl Silane
EmollientGlyceryl Glucoside
Humectant
Fructose
Humectant
Rhamnose
HumectantCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingTriethanolamine
BufferingSodium PEG-50 Hydrogenated Castor Oil Succinate
Cleansing
Sodium Lactate
Buffering
CI 15980
Cosmetic ColorantBeta-Glucan
Skin Conditioning
CI 19140
Cosmetic Colorant3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Ascorbyl Glucoside
Antioxidant
Ascorbic Acid
Antioxidant
Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate
Antioxidant
Ascorbyl Tetraisopalmitate
Antioxidant
Citrus Junos Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningNiacinamide
Smoothing
Water, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Phenoxyethylparaben, Allantoin, Bis-PEG-18 Methyl Ether Dimethyl Silane, Glyceryl Glucoside, Fructose, Rhamnose, Carbomer, Triethanolamine, Sodium PEG-50 Hydrogenated Castor Oil Succinate, Sodium Lactate, CI 15980, Beta-Glucan, CI 19140, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Ascorbic Acid, Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Ascorbyl Tetraisopalmitate, Citrus Junos Fruit Extract, Niacinamide
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 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 GlycerinWe don't have a description for Rhamnose yet.
Triethanolamine (TEA) is an emulsifier and pH adjuster. It is created using ethylene oxide and ammonia. This gives Triethanolamine a nitrogen core and a similar scent to ammonia.
As an emulsifier, it prevents ingredients from separating and enhances texture by adding volume to a product.
PH adjusters are common in cosmetic products. The pH of a product can affect the effectiveness of other ingredients. A product with a high pH may also irritate the skin.
If you are looking for the tea leaf ingredient, click here.
Learn more about TriethanolamineWater. 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
