What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCamellia Sinensis Leaf Water
MaskingGlycerin
HumectantCellulose
AbsorbentButylene Glycol
HumectantSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantDipotassium Glycyrrhizate
HumectantCetyl Ethylhexanoate
EmollientBetaine
HumectantBeta-Glucan
Skin ConditioningArginine
MaskingAnthemis Nobilis Flower Extract
MaskingAllantoin
Skin ConditioningSodium Polyglutamate
HumectantCarbomer
Emulsion Stabilising1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientSodium Hydroxide
BufferingLavandula Angustifolia Oil
MaskingWater, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Water, Glycerin, Cellulose, Butylene Glycol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Betaine, Beta-Glucan, Arginine, Anthemis Nobilis Flower Extract, Allantoin, Sodium Polyglutamate, Carbomer, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Sodium Hydroxide, Lavandula Angustifolia Oil
Water
Skin ConditioningHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantGluconolactone
Skin ConditioningGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientPEG-100 Stearate
Sorbitol
HumectantSodium Acrylates Copolymer
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingAvena Sativa Kernel Oil
Skin ConditioningPEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
EmulsifyingCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientLecithin
EmollientSodium Citrate
BufferingP-Anisic Acid
MaskingChlorphenesin
AntimicrobialAllantoin
Skin ConditioningWater, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Glycerin, Gluconolactone, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Sorbitol, Sodium Acrylates Copolymer, Carbomer, Sodium Hydroxide, Avena Sativa Kernel Oil, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Caprylyl Glycol, Lecithin, Sodium Citrate, P-Anisic Acid, Chlorphenesin, 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 AllantoinCaprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.
Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.
Because it is not a free-fatty acid or alcohol, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolCarbomer 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 GlycerinSodium Hydroxide is also known as lye or caustic soda. It is used to adjust the pH of products; many ingredients require a specific pH to be effective.
In small amounts, sodium hydroxide is considered safe to use. However, large amounts may cause chemical burns due to its high alkaline.
Your skin has a natural pH and acid mantle. This acid mantle helps prevent harmful bacteria from breaking through. The acid mantle also helps keep your skin hydrated.
"Alkaline" refers to a high pH level. A low pH level would be considered acidic.
Learn more about Sodium HydroxideWater. 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