What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningDipropylene Glycol
HumectantCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientCyclopentasiloxane
EmollientCyclohexasiloxane
EmollientDimethicone
EmollientDimethyl Sulfone
SolventAmmonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Batyl Alcohol
EmollientCetearyl Olivate
Sorbitan Olivate
EmulsifyingGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientPEG-100 Stearate
SurfactantSclerotium Gum
Emulsion StabilisingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingAllantoin
Skin ConditioningPyridoxine Hcl
Skin ConditioningSalix Alba Bark Extract
AstringentTromethamine
BufferingHydroxyacetophenone
AntioxidantButylene Glycol
HumectantGlycerin
HumectantMyrtus Communis Extract
AstringentTropaeolum Majus Extract
AntimicrobialZanthoxylum Piperitum Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningPulsatilla Koreana Extract
Skin ConditioningUsnea Barbata Extract
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningAlanine
MaskingArginine
MaskingGlycine
BufferingGlutamic Acid
HumectantSerine
MaskingSciadopitys Verticillata Root Extract
AntimicrobialAloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
EmollientCopper Tripeptide-1
Skin ConditioningParfum
MaskingWater, Dipropylene Glycol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cyclopentasiloxane, Cyclohexasiloxane, Dimethicone, Dimethyl Sulfone, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Batyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Sclerotium Gum, Carbomer, Allantoin, Pyridoxine Hcl, Salix Alba Bark Extract, Tromethamine, Hydroxyacetophenone, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Myrtus Communis Extract, Tropaeolum Majus Extract, Zanthoxylum Piperitum Fruit Extract, Pulsatilla Koreana Extract, Usnea Barbata Extract, Ethylhexylglycerin, Alanine, Arginine, Glycine, Glutamic Acid, Serine, Sciadopitys Verticillata Root Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Copper Tripeptide-1, Parfum
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantButylene Glycol
HumectantHydrogenated Polyisobutene
EmollientPropylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate
EmollientCyclopentasiloxane
EmollientCeramide EOP
Skin ConditioningCeramide AP
Skin ConditioningCeramide Ns
Skin ConditioningCeramide Ng
Skin ConditioningCeramide As
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantCentella Asiatica Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningAmmonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Hydroxyacetophenone
AntioxidantBetaine
HumectantCyclohexasiloxane
EmollientAllantoin
Skin ConditioningTridecyl Trimellitate
EmollientHydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingSqualane
EmollientTrehalose
HumectantSophora Flavescens Root Extract
AntioxidantOpuntia Ficus-Indica Stem Extract
Skin ConditioningOphiopogon Japonicus Root Extract
Skin ConditioningPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningPanicum Miliaceum Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningHibiscus Abelmoschus Seed Extract
MaskingPyrus Cydonia Seed Extract
MaskingSecale Cereale Seed Extract
AbrasiveGlycine Soja Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
AntioxidantCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningCastanea Sativa Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningVaccinium Angustifolium Fruit Extract
Skin ProtectingHelianthus Annuus Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningMaltodextrin
AbsorbentGentiana Scabra Extract
HumectantHydrogenated Lecithin
EmulsifyingDimethiconol
Emollient1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningPolysorbate 60
EmulsifyingSorbitan Isostearate
EmulsifyingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingDisodium EDTA
Water, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Propylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate, Cyclopentasiloxane, Ceramide EOP, Ceramide AP, Ceramide Ns, Ceramide Ng, Ceramide As, Sodium Hyaluronate, Centella Asiatica Leaf Extract, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Hydroxyacetophenone, Betaine, Cyclohexasiloxane, Allantoin, Tridecyl Trimellitate, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Squalane, Trehalose, Sophora Flavescens Root Extract, Opuntia Ficus-Indica Stem Extract, Ophiopogon Japonicus Root Extract, Pentylene Glycol, Panicum Miliaceum Seed Extract, Hibiscus Abelmoschus Seed Extract, Pyrus Cydonia Seed Extract, Secale Cereale Seed Extract, Glycine Soja Seed Extract, Tocopherol, Ceramide NP, Castanea Sativa Seed Extract, Vaccinium Angustifolium Fruit Extract, Helianthus Annuus Seed Extract, Maltodextrin, Gentiana Scabra Extract, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Dimethiconol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Polysorbate 60, Sorbitan Isostearate, Xanthan Gum, Disodium EDTA
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 AllantoinAmmonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer is a synthetically created polymer. It's used as a film-forming agent and used to thicken the consistency of products.
Think of it as a supportive ingredient that helps your gel-creams feel silky, "cloud cream-like", and spread evenly without being greasy.
The Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) Expert Panel evaluated it (along with 22 other acryloyldimethyltaurate polymers) and concluded it's:
Due to its large molecular size, it sits on the surface of skin rather than penetrating it.
Learn more about Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp CopolymerButylene 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 GlycolCyclohexasiloxane is a type of silicone more commonly known as D6. It is an emollient and solvent.
Cyclohexasiloxane is used to evenly distribute ingredients throughout the product. When applied to the skin, Cyclohexasiloxane evaporates and leaves behind a silky feel.
As an emollient, it can help the skin feel soft and hydrated. It is also used to reduce frizz in hair products.
Learn more about CyclohexasiloxaneCyclopentasiloxane (D5) is a lightweight silicone that mostly acts as an emollient and solvent in cosmetics. Its the reason your products feel silky, fast-spreading, and non-greasy.
Since D5 is volatile, it does its thing and then evaporates off the skin quickly.
The safety profile of this ingredient is reassuring; the US CIR Expert Panel concluded D5 is safe as used in cosmetics and Health Canada concluded that D5 is not harmful to human health or the environment as currently used in cosmetics
There's a study that people mention about D5 in a rat study showing tumors. This study is related to long-term inhalation of high D5 levels.
Regulatory bodies have judged this study to be not applicable in topical skincare since skin absorption of D5 is very low and we're not really inhaling huge amounts of D5.
The only restriction for this ingredient is environmental. The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) restricted D5 in wash-off cosmetics at or above 0.1% due to their persistence in water.
Learn more about CyclopentasiloxaneGlycerin (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 GlycerinHydroxyacetophenone is a small phenolic molecule that earns its place in a formulas as an antioxidant and preservative booster.
As a phenol, it is able to neutralize free radicals to protect both the product and the skin from oxidative stress.
Though it can't kill microbes on its own, it works as a good supporting agent when combined with other preservatives like Phenoxyethanol or 1,2-Hexanediol.
This ingredient naturally occurs as piceol in Norwegian spruce needles (~0.4-1.1% dry weight and in cloudberries). Though the cosmetic-grade material is synthesized for purity and consistency.
You'll usually see it used at low levels and suppliers recommend up to 1% added to a water phase.
Safety testing was done at concentrations like 0.05% in SPF products and 0.5% in a Human Repeated Insult Patch Test. The safety evidence is assuring; this ingredient is safe for cosmetics in current use and also holds safety status as a food flavoring as well.
An honest caveat: the "soothing" and "anti-inflammatory" claims come mostly from supplier marketing rather than published clinical trials. The Cosmetic Ingredient Review's own literature search found no useful efficacy studies on this ingredient.
So the antioxidant and preservative-boosting roles are the well supported ones while the calming benefit is plausible but thinly evidenced.
Overall, this is a well-tolerated, low-irritation multitasker that quietly helps a formula stay fresh and stable.
Learn more about HydroxyacetophenoneWater. 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