What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantC12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningTheobroma Grandiflorum Seed Butter
Skin ConditioningPanthenol
Skin ConditioningSaccharide Isomerate
HumectantIsononyl Isononanoate
EmollientSodium PCA
HumectantTrideceth-6
EmulsifyingSodium Polyacrylate
AbsorbentPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeHydrogenated Polydecene
EmollientAllantoin
Skin ConditioningTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantHydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
HumectantSodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
HumectantSodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
HumectantSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantErythritol
HumectantCarrageenan
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSodium Acrylates Copolymer
Lecithin
EmollientAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingPhytosphingosine
Skin ConditioningHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
EmollientHydrogenated Lecithin
EmulsifyingCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
AntioxidantAscorbic Acid
AntioxidantBenzoic Acid
MaskingSodium Citrate
BufferingCitric Acid
BufferingCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientWater, Glycerin, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Theobroma Grandiflorum Seed Butter, Panthenol, Saccharide Isomerate, Isononyl Isononanoate, Sodium PCA, Trideceth-6, Sodium Polyacrylate, Phenoxyethanol, Hydrogenated Polydecene, Allantoin, Tocopheryl Acetate, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Erythritol, Carrageenan, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Acrylates Copolymer, Lecithin, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Phytosphingosine, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Ceramide NP, Tocopherol, Ascorbic Acid, Benzoic Acid, Sodium Citrate, Citric Acid, Caprylyl Glycol
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantLimnanthes Alba Seed Oil
Skin ConditioningSorbitan Olivate
EmulsifyingAvena Sativa Kernel Oil
Skin ConditioningSqualane
EmollientPrunus Domestica Seed Oil
Skin ConditioningSaccharide Isomerate
HumectantCetearyl Olivate
Panthenol
Skin ConditioningMangifera Indica Seed Butter
Skin ConditioningTremella Fuciformis Extract
HumectantTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantDecapeptide-52
Skin ConditioningAllantoin
Skin ConditioningAsiaticoside
AntioxidantCentella Asiatica Extract
CleansingSodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
HumectantCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningAnadenanthera Colubrina Bark Extract
HumectantLepidium Sativum Sprout Extract
Skin ConditioningGenistein
Skin ConditioningNiacinamide
SmoothingBentonite
AbsorbentCetyl Palmitate
EmollientSorbitan Palmitate
EmulsifyingLecithin
EmollientXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPolyglyceryl-10 Laurate
Skin ConditioningPolyglyceryl-6 Olivate
EmulsifyingSorbitan Oleate
EmulsifyingGlyceryl Caprylate
EmollientPolysorbate 80
EmulsifyingAlcohol
AntimicrobialCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientSorbic Acid
PreservativeCitric Acid
BufferingSodium Citrate
BufferingPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningPotassium Sorbate
PreservativeEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCaprylhydroxamic Acid
Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate
Phenoxyethanol
PreservativeAvena Sativa Peptide
Skin ConditioningWater, Glycerin, Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil, Sorbitan Olivate, Avena Sativa Kernel Oil, Squalane, Prunus Domestica Seed Oil, Saccharide Isomerate, Cetearyl Olivate, Panthenol, Mangifera Indica Seed Butter, Tremella Fuciformis Extract, Tocopheryl Acetate, Decapeptide-52, Allantoin, Asiaticoside, Centella Asiatica Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Ceramide NP, Anadenanthera Colubrina Bark Extract, Lepidium Sativum Sprout Extract, Genistein, Niacinamide, Bentonite, Cetyl Palmitate, Sorbitan Palmitate, Lecithin, Xanthan Gum, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Polyglyceryl-6 Olivate, Sorbitan Oleate, Glyceryl Caprylate, Polysorbate 80, Alcohol, Caprylyl Glycol, Sorbic Acid, Citric Acid, Sodium Citrate, Pentylene Glycol, Potassium Sorbate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Phenoxyethanol, Avena Sativa Peptide
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 GlycolCeramide NP (formerly known as Ceramide 3) is one of the skin's naturally occurring lipids.
Since ceramides are the major lipid components of the skin, they are crucial for maintaining skin barrier and hydration. Ceramide NP most closely mirrors the dominant kind in human skin amongst ceramide subtypes.
This ceramide works by slotting into gaps within the stratum corneum's lipid matrix to limit trans-epidermal water loss (TEWL) and shield the skin against external irritants.
A study with 312 patients found that using a ceramide-containing routine for 4 weeks reduced the severity of atopic dermatitis by over 61%.
Another clinical study in subjects aged 60 and older found that a ceramide body wash and moisturizer improved skin dryness and itchy skin in 15 days.
Overall, ceramides are considered non-irritating and safety tests have found little to no observable adverse effects from using this ingredient.
Ceramide NP is usually sourced from plants (like soybean or rice bran), or produced synthetically.
Learn more about Ceramide NPCitric 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 GlycerinLecithin is a term for a group of substances found in the cell membranes of plants, animals, and humans. They are made up of phospholipids.
Thanks to its amphiphilic structure (water-loving head and oil-loving tail), it is a true multitasker:
It plays well with most ingredients and is typically used at 0.1-1%. However, concentrations up to 50% have been reported in moisturizers.
Depending on the source of this ingredient, lecithin may not be fungal acne safe. This is because some sources of lecithin come from soybean oil, which may feed the malassezia yeast that causes fungal acne.
We recommend reaching out to the brand you are purchasing from to inquire about the source of their lecithin.
Learn more about LecithinPanthenol is a common ingredient that helps hydrate and soothe the skin. It is found naturally in our skin and hair.
There are two forms of panthenol: D and L.
D-panthenol is also known as dexpanthenol. Most cosmetics use dexpanthenol or a mixture of D and L-panthenol.
Panthenol is famous due to its ability to go deeper into the skin's layers. Using this ingredient has numerous pros (and no cons):
Like hyaluronic acid, panthenol is a humectant. Humectants are able to bind and hold large amounts of water to keep skin hydrated.
This ingredient works well for wound healing. It works by increasing tissue in the wound and helps close open wounds.
Once oxidized, panthenol converts to pantothenic acid. Panthothenic acid is found in all living cells.
This ingredient is also referred to as pro-vitamin B5.
Learn more about PanthenolPhenoxyethanol 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.
Saccharide Isomerate comes from sugars found in corn. It is a skin hydrator.
The structure of this ingredient can be altered to be more similar to the carbohydrates found in our skin. This ability to mimic our skin gives it hydrating properties.
Specifically, saccharide Isomerate is a humectant. Humectants draw moisture from the air to our skin.
Research shows Saccharide Isomerate to be an effective moisturizer.
Learn more about Saccharide IsomerateSodium Citrate is the sodium salts of citric acid. In skincare, it is used to alter pH levels and acts as a preservative.
Its main functions are to maintain the pH of a product and neutralize metal ions.
The acidity of our skin is maintained by our glands and skin biome; normal pH level of skin is slightly acidic (~4.75-5.5).
Being slightly acidic allows our skin to create an "acid mantle". This acid mantle is a thin barrier that protects our skin from bacteria and contaminants.
Learn more about Sodium CitrateSodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer is a crosslinked version of sodium hyaluronate. This just means it's linked into a 3D mesh network that lets it be more stable and sit on skin as a cohesive, gel-like film rather than sinking into skin.
A 2016 human skin study found crosslinked HA increased epidermal water content by 7.6% over the control group and reduced transepidermal water loss by 27.8%.
A follow-up clinical trial found that a topical crosslinked HA serum applied after fillers, microneedling, or chemical peels was well-tolerated and enhanced skin quality at 14 / 28 days.
More recent research suggests that concentrations as low as 0.03% can act as a penetration enhancer for other skincare actives.
Learn more about Sodium Hyaluronate CrosspolymerTocopheryl Acetate is AKA Vitamin E. It is an antioxidant and protects your skin from free radicals. Free radicals damage the skin by breaking down collagen.
One study found using Tocopheryl Acetate with Vitamin C decreased the number of sunburned cells.
Tocopheryl Acetate is commonly found in both skincare and dietary supplements.
Learn more about Tocopheryl AcetateWater. 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