What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Cocamide DEA
Emulsifying
Salicylic Acid 2%
Masking
PEG-120 Methyl Glucose Dioleate
Emulsifying
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycolic Acid
Buffering
Lactobacillus/Pear Juice Ferment Filtrate
Skin ConditioningO-Cymen-5-Ol
Antimicrobial
Phellodendron Amurense Bark Extract
Skin ConditioningSalix Alba Bark Extract
Astringent
Rehmannia Chinensis Root Extract
Skin ConditioningMelia Azadirachta Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningScutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract
Astringent
Houttuynia Cordata Extract
Skin Conditioning
Glycine Soja Seed Extract
Skin Conditioning
Saccharide Isomerate
Humectant
Hydrogenated Phosphatidylcholine
Emulsifying
Glycerin
Humectant
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Squalane
Emollient
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningGlyceryl Caprylate
EmollientSodium Hydroxide
BufferingCitric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Citrate
BufferingTetrasodium EDTA
Methylchloroisothiazolinone
Preservative
Methylisothiazolinone
Preservative
Water, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Cocamide DEA, Salicylic Acid 2%, PEG-120 Methyl Glucose Dioleate, Butylene Glycol, Glycolic Acid, Lactobacillus/Pear Juice Ferment Filtrate, O-Cymen-5-Ol, Phellodendron Amurense Bark Extract, Salix Alba Bark Extract, Rehmannia Chinensis Root Extract, Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract, Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract, Houttuynia Cordata Extract, Glycine Soja Seed Extract, Saccharide Isomerate, Hydrogenated Phosphatidylcholine, Glycerin, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Squalane, Ceramide NP, Allantoin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Pentylene Glycol, PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Ethylhexylglycerin, Glyceryl Caprylate, Sodium Hydroxide, Citric Acid, Sodium Citrate, Tetrasodium EDTA, Methylchloroisothiazolinone, Methylisothiazolinone
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate
Cleansing
Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate
CleansingSodium Lauroamphoacetate
CleansingAcrylates Copolymer
Cocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Sodium Lauryl Glycol Carboxylate
CleansingCitric Acid
Buffering
Arginine
Masking
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide AP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide EOP
Skin Conditioning
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Tea-Cocoyl Glutamate
Cleansing
Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Humectant
Saccharide Isomerate
Humectant
Phytosphingosine
Skin Conditioning
Cholesterol
Emollient
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Lauroyl Lactylate
EmulsifyingSodium Citrate
BufferingTetrasodium EDTA
Disodium EDTA
Sodium Chloride
MaskingSodium Benzoate
Masking
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Water, Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate, Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate, Sodium Lauroamphoacetate, Acrylates Copolymer, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Sodium Lauryl Glycol Carboxylate, Citric Acid, Arginine, Panthenol, Ceramide NP, Ceramide AP, Ceramide EOP, Allantoin, Tea-Cocoyl Glutamate, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Saccharide Isomerate, Phytosphingosine, Cholesterol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Xanthan Gum, Carbomer, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Sodium Citrate, Tetrasodium EDTA, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Benzoate, Phenoxyethanol
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 AllantoinCeramide 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 AcidCocamidopropyl Betaine is a fatty acid created by mixing similar compounds in coconut oil and dimethylaminopropylamine, a compound with two amino groups.
This ingredient is a surfactant and cleanser. It helps gather the dirt, pollutants, and other impurities in your skin to be washed away. It also helps thicken a product and make the texture more creamy.
Being created from coconut oil means Cocamidopropyl Betaine is hydrating for the skin.
While Cocamidopropyl Betaine was believed to be an allergen, a study from 2012 disproved this. It found two compounds in unpure Cocamidopropyl Betaine to be the irritants: aminoamide and 3-dimethylaminopropylamine. High-grade and pure Cocamidopropyl Betaine did not induce allergic reactions during this study.
Learn more about Cocamidopropyl BetaineEthylhexylglycerin 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 EthylhexylglycerinSaccharide 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 CitrateTetrasodium EDTA is the salt formed from neutralizing ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid with sodium hydroxide. It is a chelating agent and used to prevent metal ions from binding to other ingredients. This helps keep the product and ingredients stable.
Tetrasodium EDTA comes as a white solid and is soluble in water.
Water. 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
