What's inside
What's inside
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningOlive Oil PEG-7 Esters
EmollientCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingOryza Sativa Bran Oil
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientPolyacrylamide
C13-14 Isoparaffin
EmollientLaureth-7
EmulsifyingCeteareth-20
CleansingChamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
MaskingAllantoin
Skin ConditioningAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
Propylene Glycol
HumectantPotassium Sorbate
PreservativeDiazolidinyl Urea
PreservativeIodopropynyl Butylcarbamate
PreservativeWater, Olive Oil PEG-7 Esters, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Oryza Sativa Bran Oil, Glycerin, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, Polyacrylamide, C13-14 Isoparaffin, Laureth-7, Ceteareth-20, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Allantoin, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Disodium EDTA, Propylene Glycol, Potassium Sorbate, Diazolidinyl Urea, Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingStearic Acid
CleansingGlycerin
HumectantCocamidopropyl Betaine
CleansingGlyceryl Distearate
EmollientGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingPolyacrylate Crosspolymer-6
Emulsion StabilisingSaccharide Isomerate
HumectantSodium Chloride
MaskingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPanthenol
Skin ConditioningAllantoin
Skin ConditioningInulin
Skin ConditioningAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin ConditioningAlpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide
CleansingSodium Phytate
Sodium Citrate
BufferingCetyl Alcohol
EmollientCitric Acid
BufferingPotassium Sorbate
PreservativePetrolatum
EmollientCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientHexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingSodium Benzoate
MaskingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeWater, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Stearic Acid, Glycerin, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Glyceryl Distearate, Glyceryl Stearate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Saccharide Isomerate, Sodium Chloride, Xanthan Gum, Panthenol, Allantoin, Inulin, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Alpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide, Sodium Phytate, Sodium Citrate, Cetyl Alcohol, Citric Acid, Potassium Sorbate, Petrolatum, Caprylyl Glycol, Hexylene Glycol, 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 AllantoinAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice comes from leaves of the aloe plant. Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice is best known for helping to soothe sunburns. It is also anti-inflammatory, moisturizing, antiseptic, and can help heal wounds.
Aloe is packed with good stuff including Vitamins A, C, and E. These vitamins are antioxidants, which help fight free-radicals and the damage they may cause. Free-radicals are molecules that may damage your skin cells, such as pollution.
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice also contains sugars. These sugars come in the form of monosaccharides and polysaccharides, folic acid, and choline. These sugars are able to help bind moisture to skin.
It also contains minerals such as calcium, 12 anthraquinones, fatty acids, amino acids, and Vitamin B12.
Learn more about Aloe Barbadensis Leaf JuiceThis ingredient is a lightweight emollient, solvent, and texture enhancer. It is considered a skin-softener by helping the skin prevent moisture loss.
It helps thicken a product's formula and makes it easier to spread by dissolving clumping compounds.
Caprylic Triglyceride is made by combining glycerin with coconut oil, forming a clear liquid. Though it behaves like an oil, it is not technically one due to its chemical composition. It is very stable, resistant to oxidation, and unlikely to go rancid. In practice, that translates to a long shelf life and a consistently elegant skin feel.
While there is an assumption Caprylic Triglyceride can clog pores due to it being derived from coconut oil, there is no research supporting this. Be sure to patch test if you have concerns.
Fractionated coconut oil and MCT Oil are both listed as Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride according to INCI. This is because INCI names are based on the ingredient’s final chemical composition and not its marketing name or source.
Learn more about Caprylic/Capric TriglycerideGlycerin (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 GlycerinGlyceryl Stearate is made by reacting glycerin with stearic acid (typically sourced from plant oils like palm or coconut). It's an emulsifier, emollient, and mild occlusive.
Emulsifiers help ingredients like oil and water stay mixed so your formula stays nicely blended and uniform in texture.
This ingredient is typically used in concentrations between 1-10%. Studies have found it to be non-sensitizing, non-phototoxic, and non-photoallergenic.
A close cousin of this ingredient is Glyceryl Stearate SE ("self-emulsifying"). This just has a small amount of sodium or potassium stearate added so it can emulsify without a co-emulsifier.
Since this ingredient is an ester of a C18 fatty acid, it may not be fungal acne safe. The Malassezia yeast can potentially metabolize within the C11-C24 range.
Fun fact: The human body also creates Glyceryl Stearate naturally.
Learn more about Glyceryl StearatePotassium Sorbate is a preservative used to prevent yeast and mold in products. It is commonly found in both cosmetic and food products.
This ingredient comes from potassium salt derived from sorbic acid. Sorbic acid is a natural antibiotic and effective against fungus.
Both potassium sorbate and sorbic acid can be found in baked goods, cheeses, dried meats, dried fruit, ice cream, pickles, wine, yogurt, and more.
You'll often find this ingredient used with other preservatives.
Learn more about Potassium SorbateWater. 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