What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningHamamelis Virginiana Leaf Water
AstringentSalvia Officinalis Extract
AntimicrobialCitrus Medica Limonum Peel Extract
EmollientRosa Canina Fruit Extract
AstringentCitrus Aurantium Amara Flower Extract
RefreshingTuber Melanosporum Extract
HumectantRosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialCucumis Sativus Fruit Extract
EmollientLavandula Angustifolia Flower Extract
CleansingCalendula Officinalis Flower Extract
MaskingGlycerin
HumectantParfum
MaskingSodium Lactate
BufferingSodium PCA
HumectantProline
Skin ConditioningNiacinamide
SmoothingInositol
HumectantPanthenol
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
Phenoxyethanol
PreservativePolysorbate 20
EmulsifyingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCoumarin
PerfumingWater, Hamamelis Virginiana Leaf Water, Salvia Officinalis Extract, Citrus Medica Limonum Peel Extract, Rosa Canina Fruit Extract, Citrus Aurantium Amara Flower Extract, Tuber Melanosporum Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract, Lavandula Angustifolia Flower Extract, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract, Glycerin, Parfum, Sodium Lactate, Sodium PCA, Proline, Niacinamide, Inositol, Panthenol, Disodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol, Polysorbate 20, Ethylhexylglycerin, Coumarin
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycolic Acid
BufferingRosa Damascena Flower Water
MaskingCentaurea Cyanus Flower Water
Skin ConditioningAloe Barbadensis Leaf Water
MaskingPropanediol
SolventGlycerin
HumectantTriethanolamine
BufferingAminomethyl Propanol
BufferingPanax Ginseng Root Extract
EmollientTasmannia Lanceolata Fruit/Leaf Extract
AntioxidantAspartic Acid
MaskingAlanine
MaskingGlycine
BufferingSerine
MaskingValine
MaskingIsoleucine
Skin ConditioningProline
Skin ConditioningThreonine
Histidine
HumectantPhenylalanine
MaskingGlutamic Acid
HumectantArginine
MaskingPCA
HumectantSodium PCA
HumectantSodium Lactate
BufferingFructose
HumectantGlucose
HumectantSucrose
HumectantUrea
BufferingHexyl Nicotinate
EmollientDextrin
AbsorbentCitric Acid
BufferingPolysorbate 20
EmulsifyingGellan Gum
Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Sodium Chloride
MaskingHexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingPotassium Sorbate
PreservativeSodium Benzoate
Masking1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientWater, Glycolic Acid, Rosa Damascena Flower Water, Centaurea Cyanus Flower Water, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Water, Propanediol, Glycerin, Triethanolamine, Aminomethyl Propanol, Panax Ginseng Root Extract, Tasmannia Lanceolata Fruit/Leaf Extract, Aspartic Acid, Alanine, Glycine, Serine, Valine, Isoleucine, Proline, Threonine, Histidine, Phenylalanine, Glutamic Acid, Arginine, PCA, Sodium PCA, Sodium Lactate, Fructose, Glucose, Sucrose, Urea, Hexyl Nicotinate, Dextrin, Citric Acid, Polysorbate 20, Gellan Gum, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Sodium Chloride, Hexylene Glycol, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Glycerin (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 GlycerinPolysorbate 20 is a gentle, water-soluble emulsifier and mild surfactant. It stops oil and water from separating to keep your formulas blended and stable.
It also acts as a mild penetration enhancer by helping active ingredients absorb slightly better.
The common safety discussion around this ingredient involves a manufacturing byproduct called 1,4-dioxane.
Trace amounts can form during production but the EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety has concluded that levels at/below 10 ppm in finished products are safe (commercial products consistently fall within acceptable margins).
True allergic reactions are uncommon and the CIR Expert Panel has confirmed this ingredient to be safe as used in cosmetics.
Because it is derived from lauric acid, it may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Polysorbate 20Proline is a non-essential amino acid, meaning your body can make it on its own. In skincare, it is a skin conditioning ingredient that keeps skin soft and hydrated.
It makes up about 23% of the collagen molecule (collagen is the protein responsible for keeping your skin firm) and is involved in your skin's natural hyaluronic acid production. When applied topically, proline can penetrate the skin fairly well due to its small molecular size.
Reviews of this ingredient have found it to be neither a dermal irritant nor a sensitizer.
Fun fact: Proline can be found in protein-rich foods like meat, fish, eggs, and dairy.
Learn more about ProlineSodium Lactate is the sodium salt of lactic acid, an AHA. It is a humectant and sometimes used to adjust the pH of a product.
This ingredient is part of our skin's NMF, or natural moisturizing factor. Our NMF is essential for the hydration of our top skin layers and plasticity of skin. NMF also influences our skin's natural acid mantle and pH, which protects our skin from harmful bacteria.
High percentages of Sodium Lactate can have an exfoliating effect.
Fun fact: Sodium Lactate is produced from fermented sugar.
Learn more about Sodium LactateSodium PCA is the sodium salt of pyroglutamic acid. It is naturally occurring in our skin's natural moisturizing factors where it works to maintain hydration.
The PCA stands for pyrrolidone carboxylic acid, a natural amino acid derivative.
This ingredient has skin conditioning, anti-inflammatory, and humectant properties. Humectants help hydrate your skin by drawing moisture from the air. This helps keep your skin moisturized.
Learn more about Sodium PCAWater. 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