What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Decyl Glucoside
Cleansing
Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract
Astringent
Paeonia Suffruticosa Root Extract
Skin ProtectingArachidyl Alcohol
Emollient
Behenyl Alcohol
Emollient
Arachidyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingGlyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Diheptyl Succinate
EmollientCapryloyl Glycerin/Sebacic Acid Copolymer
Skin ConditioningPanthenol
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Milk Protein Extract
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Citric Acid
Buffering
Xanthan Gum
Emulsifying1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Water, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Glycerin, Decyl Glucoside, Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract, Paeonia Suffruticosa Root Extract, Arachidyl Alcohol, Behenyl Alcohol, Arachidyl Glucoside, Glyceryl Stearate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Diheptyl Succinate, Capryloyl Glycerin/Sebacic Acid Copolymer, Panthenol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Milk Protein Extract, Allantoin, Tocopherol, Citric Acid, Xanthan Gum, 1,2-Hexanediol
Citrus Junos Fruit Water
Masking
Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil
Emollient
Water
Skin ConditioningLauryl Glucoside
CleansingGlycerin
Humectant
Isoamyl Laurate
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil
Emollient
Cetearyl Olivate
Polyglyceryl-10 Oleate
Skin Conditioning
Glyceryl Stearate Citrate
Emollient
Sorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract
Astringent
Paeonia Suffruticosa Root Extract
Skin ProtectingGlycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
Bleaching
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCitric Acid
Buffering
Propanediol
Solvent
Arginine
Masking
P-Anisic Acid
Masking
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
Emollient
Bioflavonoids
Skin ConditioningBrassica Oleracea Italica Extract
AstringentCitrus Junos Fruit Water, Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil, Water, Lauryl Glucoside, Glycerin, Isoamyl Laurate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil, Cetearyl Olivate, Polyglyceryl-10 Oleate, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Sorbitan Olivate, Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract, Paeonia Suffruticosa Root Extract, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Xanthan Gum, Citric Acid, Propanediol, Arginine, P-Anisic Acid, Allantoin, Tocopherol, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Bioflavonoids, Brassica Oleracea Italica 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 AllantoinCetearyl alcohol is a waxy mixture of two fatty alcohols: cetyl alcohol and stearyl alcohol. It is an emollient and emulsifier.
Despite having "alcohol" in its name, it has nothing to do with drying solvent alcohols; the FDA also allows "alcohol-free" products to contain fatty alcohols like this ingredient.
It plays several roles in a formula:
Typical use levels for this ingredient sit around 1-10% and the Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has affirmed safety at concentrations up to 25% in leave-on products.
Multiple assessments have found it to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing to most people.
However, there have been some cases of allergic contact dermatitis in patients with chronically compromised skin barriers.
Cetearyl alcohol has a comedogenic rating of 2 and irritancy rating of 1. Both of these numbers come from the 1989 study that used rabbit ears; a "2" means mildly comedogenic and a "1" means low irritancy.
Here's the catch: rabbit skin is more sensitive than human skin and throws a lot of false positives. A 1996 reappraisal found that ingredients rated 1-2 in the rabbit ear tests are generally safe for humans.
Remember comedogenic ratings are unable to assess the entire formula of a product or how it will react on your skin. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure about certain ingredients.
This ingredient is not fungal acne safe. Cetearyl alcohol is a fatty alcohol with chain lengths that fall within the range that Malassezia can metabolize.
Learn more about Cetearyl AlcoholCitric Acid is an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) naturally found in citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, and limes.
Like other AHAs, citric acid can exfoliate skin by breaking down the bonds that hold dead skin cells together. This helps reveal smoother and brighter skin underneath.
However, this exfoliating effect only happens at high concentrations (20%) which can be hard to find in cosmetic products.
Due to this, citric acid is usually included in small amounts as a pH adjuster. This helps keep products slightly more acidic and compatible with skin's natural pH.
In skincare formulas, citric acid can:
While it can provide some skin benefits, research shows lactic acid and glycolic acid are generally more effective and less irritating exfoliants.
Most citric acid used in skincare today is made by fermenting sugars (usually from molasses). This synthetic version is identical to the natural citrus form but easier to stabilize and use in formulations.
Read more about some other popular AHA's here:
Learn more about Citric AcidGlycerin (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 GlycerinPaeonia Suffruticosa Root Extract comes Peony plant. It has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.
Emerging studies also show peony root may help reduce hyperpigmentation.
Ancient Chinese medicine has used peony root to treat dark spots, but studies are looking into this claim more.
Learn more about Paeonia Suffruticosa Root ExtractScutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract comes from the Baikal skullcap or Chinese skullcap plant. This plant is native to Northeast Asia and can be found in China, Mongolia, Korea, and Siberia.
In cosmetics, Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract provides antioxidant and anti-inflammatory benefits. This is due to the flavonoid composition of Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract.
In Chinese traditional folk medicine, Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract is used to help treat lung issues and hypertension.
Learn more about Scutellaria Baicalensis Root ExtractTocopherol (also known as Vitamin E) is a common antioxidant used to help protect the skin from free-radicals and strengthen the skin barrier. It's also fat soluble - this means our skin is great at absorbing it.
Vitamin E also helps keep your natural skin lipids healthy. Your lipid skin barrier naturally consists of lipids, ceramides, and fatty acids. Vitamin E offers extra protection for your skin’s lipid barrier, keeping your skin healthy and nourished.
Another benefit is a bit of UV protection. Vitamin E helps reduce the damage caused by UVB rays. (It should not replace your sunscreen). Combining it with Vitamin C can decrease sunburned cells and hyperpigmentation after UV exposure.
You might have noticed Vitamin E + C often paired together. This is because it is great at stabilizing Vitamin C. Using the two together helps increase the effectiveness of both ingredients.
There are often claims that Vitamin E can reduce/prevent scarring, but these claims haven't been confirmed by scientific research.
Learn more about TocopherolWater. 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 WaterXanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.
On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.
Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.
Learn more about Xanthan Gum
