What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Propanediol
Solvent
Mentha Piperita Oil
Masking
Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Humectant
Citric Acid
Buffering
Salicylic Acid
Masking
Lactobionic Acid
Buffering
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantHydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingTromethamine
BufferingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
Sodium Polyacrylate
Absorbent
Water, Glycerin, Propanediol, Mentha Piperita Oil, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Citric Acid, Salicylic Acid, Lactobionic Acid, Tocopherol, Allantoin, Dipropylene Glycol, Hydroxyacetophenone, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Caprylyl Glycol, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Tromethamine, Ethylhexylglycerin, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Polyacrylate
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Methylpropanediol
SolventAcrylates/Ethylhexyl Acrylate Copolymer
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Chondrus Crispus Powder
Abrasive
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Betaine
Humectant
Ceratonia Siliqua Gum
EmollientHydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Glucomannan
Skin ConditioningXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingLaureth-21
CleansingPanthenol
Skin Conditioning
Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate
Skin Conditioning
Propanediol
Solvent
Cellulose Gum
Emulsion StabilisingCyamopsis Tetragonoloba Gum
Emulsion StabilisingParfum
Masking
Potassium Chloride
Dextrin
AbsorbentAdenosine
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Collagen
Emollient
Cyanocobalamin
Skin ConditioningAscorbic Acid
Antioxidant
Sodium Dna
Skin Conditioning
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Acetyl Hexapeptide-8
Humectant
Ascorbic Acid Polypeptide
Antioxidant
Acetyl Octapeptide-3
Humectant
Acetyl Tetrapeptide-2
Skin Conditioning
Acetyl Tetrapeptide-3
Skin Protecting
Acetyl Tetrapeptide-5
Humectant
Acetyl Tetrapeptide-9
Skin Conditioning
Carnosine
Skin Conditioning
Copper Tripeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Nonapeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5
Skin Conditioning
Water, Glycerin, Methylpropanediol, Acrylates/Ethylhexyl Acrylate Copolymer, Niacinamide, Chondrus Crispus Powder, 1,2-Hexanediol, Butylene Glycol, Betaine, Ceratonia Siliqua Gum, Hydroxyacetophenone, Allantoin, Glucomannan, Xanthan Gum, Laureth-21, Panthenol, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Propanediol, Cellulose Gum, Cyamopsis Tetragonoloba Gum, Parfum, Potassium Chloride, Dextrin, Adenosine, Ethylhexylglycerin, Hydrolyzed Collagen, Cyanocobalamin, Ascorbic Acid, Sodium Dna, Tocopherol, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Ascorbic Acid Polypeptide, Acetyl Octapeptide-3, Acetyl Tetrapeptide-2, Acetyl Tetrapeptide-3, Acetyl Tetrapeptide-5, Acetyl Tetrapeptide-9, Carnosine, Copper Tripeptide-1, Nonapeptide-1, Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5
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 GlycerinHydroxyacetophenone is antioxidant with skin conditioning and soothing properties. It also boosts the efficiency of preservatives.
Though naturally occuring in Norwegian spruce needles, this ingredient is usually synthetically created.
This ingredient is not irritating or sensitizing. Recent research also suggests it may have skin-brightening effects through tyrosinase inhibition.
Learn more about HydroxyacetophenonePolyglyceryl-10 Laurate is a cleansing agent and emulsifier.
It rounds up dirt, oil, and grime, so they can be rinsed off easily as a cleanser. On the emulsifier side, it keeps your formula smooth and well-mixed by playing peacekeeper for ingredients that don't naturally get along (like oil and water).
Because it has a C12 (lauric acid) fatty acid chain, this ingredient can potentially feed the Malassezia yeast that causes fungal acne. The Malassezia yeast prefers esters with C11-C24 fatty acids If you're prone to flare-ups, you might want to patch-test or skip this one.
This ingredient is an ester of lauric acid and Polyglycerin-10.
Learn more about Polyglyceryl-10 LauratePropanediol is an all-star ingredient. It softens, hydrates, and smooths the skin.Â
It’s often used to:
Propanediol is not likely to cause sensitivity and considered safe to use. It is derived from corn or petroleum with a clear color and no scent.
Learn more about PropanediolTocopherol is a fat-soluble antioxidant known as Vitamin E.
You'll find this ingredient in the vast majority of skincare (for good reason). It works to neutralize free radicals, or unstable molecules generated by UV exposure, pollution, and other environmental stressors, before they can cause oxidative damage to your skin cells.
Topically applied tocopherol has been shown to protect against UV damage by ramping up the skin's own natural defense enzymes.
It also acts as a skin conditioning agent; some studies show that regular topical use can improve the skin's water-binding capacity over 2-4 weeks.
This ingredient is especially loved for being a team player. When combined with Vitamin C, the photoprotective effect of both ingredients roughly doubles and the combo also helps reduce UV-induced DNA damage.
This ingredient has some brightening potential but it's more of a prevention ingredient than spot-fader. Cell studies show it can slow down melanin production but it's worth noting that it's not the most powerful brightener out there.
In formulations, it also serves as a stabilizer that helps protect other oxidation-prone ingredients from degrading.
Concentrations usually range from 0.1-1% in most leave-on products.
Learn more about TocopherolWater. 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
