What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Centella Asiatica Leaf Extract
Skin Conditioning
PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Ectoin
Skin Conditioning
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Hydrogenated Phosphatidylcholine
Emulsifying
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Squalane
Emollient
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Lactococcus Ferment Lysate
Skin Conditioning
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Levulinic Acid
Perfuming
Glyceryl Caprylate
EmollientHydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingTetrasodium EDTA
Water, Glycerin, Centella Asiatica Leaf Extract, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Ectoin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Hydrogenated Phosphatidylcholine, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Squalane, Ceramide NP, Lactococcus Ferment Lysate, Allantoin, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Pentylene Glycol, Levulinic Acid, Glyceryl Caprylate, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Xanthan Gum, Tetrasodium EDTA
Water
Skin ConditioningNiacinamide
Smoothing
Tranexamic Acid
Astringent
Glycerin
Humectant
PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Hydroxyethylpiperazine Ethane Sulfonic Acid
BufferingNonapeptide-9
Skin Conditioning
Ascorbyl Glucoside
Antioxidant
Madecassoside
Antioxidant
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Alpha-Arbutin
Antioxidant
Aminopropyl Ascorbyl Phosphate
Antioxidant
Geranium Robertianum Extract
AstringentPaeonia Suffruticosa Root Extract
Skin ProtectingScutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract
Astringent
Thymus Serpyllum Extract
Skin ConditioningAlpinia Katsumadai Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningGlutathione
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Hydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Citric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Citrate
BufferingSodium Metabisulfite
Antioxidant
Tetrasodium EDTA
Water, Niacinamide, Tranexamic Acid, Glycerin, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Hydroxyethylpiperazine Ethane Sulfonic Acid, Nonapeptide-9, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Madecassoside, Panthenol, Alpha-Arbutin, Aminopropyl Ascorbyl Phosphate, Geranium Robertianum Extract, Paeonia Suffruticosa Root Extract, Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract, Thymus Serpyllum Extract, Alpinia Katsumadai Seed Extract, Glutathione, Allantoin, Phenoxyethanol, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Ethylhexylglycerin, Pentylene Glycol, Citric Acid, Sodium Citrate, Sodium Metabisulfite, Tetrasodium 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 AllantoinEthylhexylglycerin 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 GlycerinHydroxyethylcellulose is used to improve the texture of products. It is created from a chemical reaction involving ethylene oxide and alkali-cellulose. Cellulose is a sugar found in plant cell walls and help give plants structure.
This ingredient helps stabilize products by preventing ingredients from separating. It can also help thicken the texture of a product.
This ingredient can also be found in pill medicines to help our bodies digest other ingredients.
Learn more about HydroxyethylcellulosePEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil is an emulsifier derived from castor oil.
As an emulsifying agent, it helps other ingredients like fragrances and fat-soluble vitamins dissolve cohesively.
Due to its large molecule size, it doesn't penetrate beyond the skin's surface.
This ingredient has a solid regulatory track record; the CIR Expert Panel first concluded it was safe for use in cosmetics at concentrations up to 100% in 1997. A 2012 reassessment reaffirmed that finding. Safety studies have also found no irritation or evidence of toxicity.
A 2019 study did find this ingredient to grow Malassezia, so this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor OilPentylene 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 GlycolPhenoxyethanol 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.
Tetrasodium 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
