What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCyclopentasiloxane
EmollientPanthenol
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
HumectantSodium PCA
HumectantCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingGlycerin
HumectantCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingPolysorbate 20
EmulsifyingAllantoin
Skin ConditioningUrea
BufferingTriethanolamine
BufferingHydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingDMDM Hydantoin
PreservativeIsohexadecane
EmollientPolyacrylate-13
Styrene
PerfumingBHT
AntioxidantDisodium EDTA
PPG-26-Buteth-26
Skin ConditioningPolyisobutene
Phenoxyethanol
PreservativeBisabolol
AntioxidantTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantZiziphus Jujuba Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningPEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
EmulsifyingPaeonia Lactiflora Root Extract
Skin ConditioningScutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract
AstringentEthylhexyl Methoxycinnamate
UV AbsorberPolysorbate 60
EmulsifyingSorbitan Isostearate
EmulsifyingGlycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
BleachingSodium Benzoate
MaskingButyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane
UV AbsorberEthylhexyl Salicylate
UV AbsorberOpuntia Ficus-Indica Stem Extract
Skin ConditioningCitric Acid
BufferingWater, Cyclopentasiloxane, Panthenol, Butylene Glycol, Sodium PCA, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glycerin, Carbomer, Polysorbate 20, Allantoin, Urea, Triethanolamine, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, DMDM Hydantoin, Isohexadecane, Polyacrylate-13, Styrene, BHT, Disodium EDTA, PPG-26-Buteth-26, Polyisobutene, Phenoxyethanol, Bisabolol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Ziziphus Jujuba Fruit Extract, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Paeonia Lactiflora Root Extract, Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Polysorbate 60, Sorbitan Isostearate, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Sodium Benzoate, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, Ethylhexyl Salicylate, Opuntia Ficus-Indica Stem Extract, Citric Acid
Water
Skin ConditioningParaffinum Liquidum
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantSimmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
EmollientBehenyl Alcohol
EmollientGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientSqualane
EmollientStearic Acid
CleansingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeSodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingMethylparaben
PreservativePentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningMethylpropanediol
SolventSodium Lactate
BufferingLactic Acid
BufferingSerine
MaskingUrea
BufferingSorbitol
HumectantButylparaben
MaskingEthylparaben
PreservativeParfum
MaskingPropylparaben
PreservativeSodium Chloride
MaskingChamomilla Recutita Extract
Skin ConditioningAllantoin
Skin ConditioningWater, Paraffinum Liquidum, Glycerin, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Behenyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, Squalane, Stearic Acid, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Carbomer, Methylparaben, Pentylene Glycol, Methylpropanediol, Sodium Lactate, Lactic Acid, Serine, Urea, Sorbitol, Butylparaben, Ethylparaben, Parfum, Propylparaben, Sodium Chloride, Chamomilla Recutita Extract, Allantoin
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 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 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.
Urea is also called carbamide and is the diamide of carbonic acid. In cosmetics, urea is used to hydrate the skin. It also provides exfoliation in higher concentrations.
As a humectant, urea helps draw moisture from the air and from deep within the skin. This helps hydrate your skin. Studies show urea is an effective moisturizer for dry skin conditions. 40% urea is typical in medications for treating eczema and other skin conditions.
Urea has the strongest exfoliation effect in concentrations higher than 10%. It is a keratolytic agent, meaning it breaks down the keratin protein in the top layer of skin. This helps remove dead skin cells and flaking skin.
In medicine, urea has been shown to help increase the potency of other ingredients, such as fungal treatments.
Humans and animals use urea to metabolize nitrogen-containing compounds. Urea is highly soluble in water. Once dissolved, it is neither acidic nor alkaline.
Urea is actually one of the more well-studied and well-supported ingredients out there if you have eczema.
Clinical trials have shown that urea creams in the 5 - 10% range can:
Higher concentrations (20 -30%) can also help with thickened, scaly patches but is also more likely to sting on active flares.
Skip urea if you have rosacea. The AAD (American Academy of Dermatology) lists it alongside alcohol, menthol, and fragrance as a potential irritant for rosacea-prone skin. Urea's keratolytic and penetration-enhancing properties can trigger stinging, burning, and redness.
As always, your skin is unique, so definitely check in with your dermatologist.
Learn more about UreaWater. 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