What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCalamine
AbsorbentKaolin
AbrasiveGlycerin
HumectantGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientBentonite
AbsorbentNiacinamide
SmoothingPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningChondrus Crispus Extract
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientSaccharum Officinarum Extract
MoisturisingHydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningSaccharide Isomerate
HumectantSophora Japonica Flower Extract
Skin ProtectingTheobroma Cacao Seed Extract
AntioxidantSqualane
EmollientPolysorbate 60
EmulsifyingPropanediol
SolventButylene Glycol
HumectantWater, Calamine, Kaolin, Glycerin, Glyceryl Stearate, Bentonite, Niacinamide, Pentylene Glycol, Chondrus Crispus Extract, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Caprylyl Glycol, Saccharum Officinarum Extract, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Xanthan Gum, Ethylhexylglycerin, Saccharide Isomerate, Sophora Japonica Flower Extract, Theobroma Cacao Seed Extract, Squalane, Polysorbate 60, Propanediol, Butylene Glycol
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantKaolin
AbrasiveCalamine
AbsorbentGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningBentonite
AbsorbentPropanediol
SolventCetyl Alcohol
EmollientIllite
AbrasiveRosa Damascena Flower Water Extract
AntioxidantAllantoin
Skin ConditioningBisabolol
AntioxidantPiperonyl Glucoside
Skin ProtectingSaccharum Officinarum Extract
MoisturisingCucumis Sativus Extract
Skin ConditioningPhragmites Karka Extract
Skin ConditioningAlgae Extract
EmollientPoria Cocos Extract
Skin ConditioningChondrus Crispus Extract
Skin ConditioningMagnesium Carboxymethyl Beta-Glucan
Skin ConditioningMontmorillonite
AbsorbentCaprylic/Capric Glycerides
EmollientLinoleic Acid
CleansingLinolenic Acid
CleansingPolyacrylamide
Laureth-7
EmulsifyingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingC13-14 Isoparaffin
EmollientTocopherol
AntioxidantCitric Acid
BufferingDisodium EDTA
Butylene Glycol
HumectantCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientEthylhexylglycerin
Skin Conditioning1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningOctanediol
Hydroxyacetophenone
AntioxidantSodium Benzoate
MaskingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeChromium Oxide Greens
Water, Glycerin, Kaolin, Calamine, Glyceryl Stearate, Pentylene Glycol, Bentonite, Propanediol, Cetyl Alcohol, Illite, Rosa Damascena Flower Water Extract, Allantoin, Bisabolol, Piperonyl Glucoside, Saccharum Officinarum Extract, Cucumis Sativus Extract, Phragmites Karka Extract, Algae Extract, Poria Cocos Extract, Chondrus Crispus Extract, Magnesium Carboxymethyl Beta-Glucan, Montmorillonite, Caprylic/Capric Glycerides, Linoleic Acid, Linolenic Acid, Polyacrylamide, Laureth-7, Xanthan Gum, C13-14 Isoparaffin, Tocopherol, Citric Acid, Disodium EDTA, Butylene Glycol, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Octanediol, Hydroxyacetophenone, Sodium Benzoate, Phenoxyethanol, Chromium Oxide Greens
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Bentonite is an aluminium phyllosilicate clay with great absorbent properties. The name 'bentonite' comes from the area where the largest source is found: Fort Benton, Wyoming.
As a clay, bentonite is often used to absorb excess oil and provide exfoliation. It has also been shown to have some antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties. Studies show bentonite was effective at calming dermatitis from poison ivy and in diaper dermatitis of infants. Bentonite has also been shown to act as a barrier against toxic compounds on your skin.
Sunscreens containing bentonite display higher water resistance and stay on the skin for much longer. The sunscreens containing bentonite also show higher potency and UV light absorbtion.
Bentonite is naturally created from volcanic ash and several natural weathering/hydrothermal processes.
A common usage of bentonite is removing excess protein from white wines. Bentonite contains a property of being able to absorb large amounts of protein from aqueous solutions.
Phyllosilicate clay has a structure formed by sheets.
Learn more about BentoniteButylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:
Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient that works well with other ingredients.
Though this ingredient works well with most skin types, some people with sensitive skin may experience a reaction such as allergic rashes, closed comedones, or itchiness.
Learn more about Butylene GlycolCalamine is a "pink powder" that is used to calm itchy or irritated skin. In official medical standards, calamine is basically almost all zinc oxide with a tiny bit of iron oxide added for the pink color.
Lab testing requires that it’s at least 98% zinc oxide, which just means it has to be very pure and mostly zinc oxide.
In skincare, calamine can help relieve itches, calm skin, and absorb excess moisture/oil. This is why you'll often see it used for oozing rashes. Calamine is approved as a skin protectant active at 1-25% in US OTC drug products.
A big part of calamine's soothing effect comes from zinc oxide's protective properties. Since calamine can absorb excess moisture/oil, it might be drying for already dry skin types.
A review of topical medicament allergies notes that contact dermatitis from calamine isn't typically reported, but added actives in a formulation are known sensitizers.
Learn more about CalamineCaprylyl 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 GlycolChondrus Crispus Extract comes from a red algae native to the northern Atlantic coasts of Europe and North America. It helps hydrate the skin and is rich in antioxidants.
The antioxidants in chondrus crispus include lutein and zeaxanthin. Lutein has the ability to filter blue light from screens.
Other contents of chondrus crispus include polysaccharides, peptides, and amino acids. These help hydrate the skin.
What's the difference between algae and seaweed?
Algae is a broad term that includes seaweed. Not all algae is seaweed.
Ethylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:
The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure.
Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.
Learn more about EthylhexylglycerinGlycerin (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 GlycerinGlyceryl Stearate is made by reacting glycerin with stearic acid (typically sourced from plant oils like palm or coconut). It's an emulsifier, emollient, and mild occlusive.
Emulsifiers help ingredients like oil and water stay mixed so your formula stays nicely blended and uniform in texture.
This ingredient is typically used in concentrations between 1-10%. Studies have found it to be non-sensitizing, non-phototoxic, and non-photoallergenic.
A close cousin of this ingredient is Glyceryl Stearate SE ("self-emulsifying"). This just has a small amount of sodium or potassium stearate added so it can emulsify without a co-emulsifier.
Since this ingredient is an ester of a C18 fatty acid, it may not be fungal acne safe. The Malassezia yeast can potentially metabolize within the C11-C24 range.
Fun fact: The human body also creates Glyceryl Stearate naturally.
Learn more about Glyceryl StearateKaolin is a clay. It is used for oil control and to help minimize pores. Like other clays, kaolin has the ability to absorb excess sebum or oil. This can help clean out pores and mattify the skin.
Some types of kaolin may have exfoliating properties. When water is added to kaolin, it becomes a paste with small abrasive particles.
Most kaolin is a white color, but may be pink/orange/red depending on where it comes from.
The name 'kaolin' comes from a Chinese village named 'Gaoling'. Kaolin clay comes from rocks rich in kaolinite. Kaolinite, the mineral, has a silicate layered structure. Kaolinite is formed from chemical weathering of aluminum siilicate minerals.
Besides skincare, kaolin is commonly used to make glossy paper, in ceramics, toothpaste, and as medicine to soothe stomach issues.
Learn more about KaolinPentylene glycol is typically used within a product to thicken it. It also adds a smooth, soft, and moisturizing feel to the product. It is naturally found in plants such as sugar beets.
The hydrophilic trait of Pentylene Glycol makes it a humectant. As a humectant, Pentylene Glycol helps draw moisture from the air to your skin. This can help keep your skin hydrated.
This property also makes Pentylene Glycol a great texture enhancer. It can also help thicken or stabilize a product.
Pentylene Glycol also acts as a mild preservative and helps to keep a product microbe-free.
Some people may experience mild eye and skin irritation from Pentylene Glycol. We always recommend speaking with a professional about using this ingredient in your routine.
Pentylene Glycol has a low molecular weight and is part of the 1,2-glycol family.
Learn more about Pentylene GlycolPropanediol is an all-star ingredient. It softens, hydrates, and smooths the skin.Â
It’s often used to:
Propanediol is not likely to cause sensitivity and considered safe to use. It is derived from corn or petroleum with a clear color and no scent.
Learn more about PropanediolThis ingredient is also called sugarcane extract. It is a moisturizing humectant and has skin soothing properties.
Similar to hyaluronic acid, sugarcane can attract moisture to your skin.
Glycolic acid is a derivative of sugarcane. While glycolic acid is an AHA with exfoliating properties, sugarcane is not an AHA.
A study from 2021 found the compounds in sugarcane extract to have antioxidant, antimicrobial, and anti-inflammatory activity. The study also suggests these compounds can inhibit skin ageing enzymes and promote collagen synthesis.
Learn more about Saccharum Officinarum ExtractWater. 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