What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
HumectantGlycerin
HumectantHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
EmollientButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientDimethicone
EmollientArginine
MaskingGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingPolysorbate 60
EmulsifyingPEG-100 Stearate
SurfactantGlyceryl Stearate Se
EmulsifyingCetearyl Olivate
Phenoxyethanol
PreservativeLecithin
EmollientCetearyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingSorbitan Olivate
EmulsifyingChlorphenesin
AntimicrobialStearic Acid
CleansingAllantoin
Skin ConditioningParfum
MaskingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingAdenosine
Skin Conditioning1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate
HumectantLinalool
PerfumingHexyl Cinnamal
PerfumingHydroxycitronellal
PerfumingLimonene
PerfumingBenzyl Salicylate
PerfumingHydrolyzed Collagen
EmollientGeraniol
PerfumingVegetable Amino Acids
Skin ConditioningProline
Skin ConditioningHydroxyproline
Skin ConditioningWater, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Cetearyl Alcohol, Dimethicone, Arginine, Glyceryl Stearate, Carbomer, Polysorbate 60, PEG-100 Stearate, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Cetearyl Olivate, Phenoxyethanol, Lecithin, Cetearyl Glucoside, Sorbitan Olivate, Chlorphenesin, Stearic Acid, Allantoin, Parfum, Xanthan Gum, Adenosine, 1,2-Hexanediol, Disodium EDTA, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Linalool, Hexyl Cinnamal, Hydroxycitronellal, Limonene, Benzyl Salicylate, Hydrolyzed Collagen, Geraniol, Vegetable Amino Acids, Proline, Hydroxyproline
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantDipropylene Glycol
HumectantChondrus Crispus Powder
AbrasiveBenzyl Glycol
SolventCeratonia Siliqua Gum
EmollientPEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
EmulsifyingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingAllantoin
Skin ConditioningEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
HumectantNiacinamide
SmoothingPanthenol
Skin ConditioningTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantDipotassium Glycyrrhizate
HumectantRaspberry Ketone
MaskingAdenosine
Skin ConditioningSynthetic Fluorphlogopite
Disodium EDTA
CI 77288
Cosmetic ColorantCalcium Lactate
Astringent1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningCI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantCentella Asiatica Extract
CleansingLavandula Angustifolia Oil
MaskingSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantMadecassoside
AntioxidantAloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
EmollientLaminaria Japonica Extract
Skin ProtectingDioscorea Japonica Root Extract
Skin ConditioningUlmus Davidiana Root Extract
Skin ConditioningViola Mandshurica Flower Extract
AntioxidantCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialAsiaticoside
AntioxidantLinalool
PerfumingWater, Glycerin, Dipropylene Glycol, Chondrus Crispus Powder, Benzyl Glycol, Ceratonia Siliqua Gum, PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Xanthan Gum, Allantoin, Ethylhexylglycerin, Butylene Glycol, Niacinamide, Panthenol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Raspberry Ketone, Adenosine, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Disodium EDTA, CI 77288, Calcium Lactate, 1,2-Hexanediol, CI 77891, Centella Asiatica Extract, Lavandula Angustifolia Oil, Sodium Hyaluronate, Madecassoside, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Laminaria Japonica Extract, Dioscorea Japonica Root Extract, Ulmus Davidiana Root Extract, Viola Mandshurica Flower Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Asiaticoside, Linalool
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
1,2-Hexanediol is a synthetic liquid and another multi-functional powerhouse.
It is a:
- Humectant, drawing moisture into the skin
- Emollient, helping to soften skin
- Solvent, dispersing and stabilizing formulas
- Preservative booster, enhancing the antimicrobial activity of other preservatives
Adenosine is in every living organism. It is one of four components in nucleic acids that helps store our DNA.
Adenosine has many benefits when used. These benefits include hydrating the skin, smoothing skin, and reducing wrinkles. Once applied, adenosine increases collagen production. It also helps with improving firmness and tissue repair.
Studies have found adenosine may also help with wound healing.
In skincare products, Adenosine is usually derived from yeast.
Learn more about AdenosineAllantoin 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 AllantoinButylene 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 GlycolDipotassium Glycyrrhizate comes from licorice root.
Extracts of licorice have demonstrated to have antibacterial, anti‐inflammatory, antiviral, antioxidant properties.
One component, glabridin, has extra potent antioxidant and soothing properties. It has also been found to block pigmentation from UVB rays in guinea pigs.
Licorice Root also contains a flavonoid. Flavonoids are a natural substance from in plants. Flavonoids also have antioxidant properties.
Another component, glycyrrhizin, has been found to have anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial benefits. This may make licorice root extract effective at treating acne. However, more research is needed to support this.
Liquiritin is one of the flavone compounds found in licorice. It has been found to help lighten skin by preventing tyrosinase from reacting with tyrosine. When the two react, protein is converted to melanin. Melanin is the substance in your body that gives your features pigmentation.
Licorice root is native to Southern Europe and Asia. It has been used in traditional Chinese medicine to help with respiratory issues.
Learn more about Dipotassium GlycyrrhizateDisodium EDTA is a chelating agent. It grabs onto and deactivates metal ions that sneak into your products from water, packaging, or air.
This ingredient mainly works behind the scenes and helps with:
On top of that, this ingredient can counteract the effects of hard water by binding to the minerals in it.
One thing worth knowing is that Disodium EDTA has been shown to be a mild penetration enhancer. It can help other ingredients absorb into skin more effectively which can be a double-edged sword (great for actives, but can also make the active too strong if you have sensitive skin).
Clinical patch testing showed no significant skin irritation at typical use concentrations and minimal dermal absorption.
You'll most likely see this ingredient near the end of an ingredient list. It's typically found in concentrations less than 1%.
Learn more about Disodium EDTAGlycerin (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 GlycerinLinalool is a fragrance and helps add scent to products. It's derived from common plants such as cinnamon, mint, citrus, and lavender.
Like Limonene, this ingredient oxidizes when exposed to air. Oxidized linalool can cause allergies and skin sensitivity.
This ingredient has a scent that is floral, spicy tropical, and citrus-like.
Learn more about LinaloolWater. 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 WaterXanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.
On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.
Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.
Learn more about Xanthan Gum