What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningAlcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Tapioca Starch
PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Hamamelis Virginiana Water
Astringent
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil
Antioxidant
Alcohol
Antimicrobial
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Calophyllum Inophyllum Seed Oil
Antimicrobial
Salicylic Acid
Masking
Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingPolymethylsilsesquioxane
Limonene
Perfuming
Citral
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Leptospermum Petersonii Oil
Masking
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
CI 19140
Cosmetic ColorantCaramel
Cosmetic ColorantCI 42090
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Alcohol Denat., Tapioca Starch, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Hamamelis Virginiana Water, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol, Glycerin, Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil, Alcohol, Allantoin, Calophyllum Inophyllum Seed Oil, Salicylic Acid, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Sodium Hydroxide, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Limonene, Citral, Linalool, Leptospermum Petersonii Oil, Tocopherol, CI 19140, Caramel, CI 42090
Water
Skin ConditioningHamamelis Virginiana Water
Astringent
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Alcohol
Antimicrobial
PPG-5-Ceteth-20
EmulsifyingChondrus Crispus Extract
Skin Conditioning
Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract
Emollient
Citrus Medica Limonum Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningCalendula Officinalis Flower Extract
Masking
Lecithin
Emollient
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate
Antioxidant
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Hydroxypropyltrimonium Amylopectin/Glycerin Crosspolymer
Skin ConditioningVitis Vinifera Seed Extract
Antimicrobial
PEG-12 Dimethicone
Skin Conditioning
Menthol
Masking
Menthoxypropanediol
Masking
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Methylparaben
Preservative
Citral
Perfuming
Cymbopogon Schoenanthus Oil
Masking
CI 42090
Cosmetic ColorantExtracts
CI 60730
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Hamamelis Virginiana Water, Butylene Glycol, Alcohol, PPG-5-Ceteth-20, Chondrus Crispus Extract, Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract, Citrus Medica Limonum Fruit Extract, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract, Lecithin, Tocopherol, Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Allantoin, Palmitoyl Hydroxypropyltrimonium Amylopectin/Glycerin Crosspolymer, Vitis Vinifera Seed Extract, PEG-12 Dimethicone, Menthol, Menthoxypropanediol, Sodium Hydroxide, Phenoxyethanol, Methylparaben, Citral, Cymbopogon Schoenanthus Oil, CI 42090, Extracts, CI 60730
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
This ingredient is also called ethanol or ethyl alcohol. It is denatured, meaning made undrinkable for cosmetic use.
In formulas, it:
Is it bad for your skin?
The answer comes down to concentration. Patch and wash studies have found highly concentrated alcohol-based hand rubs (60-100%) cause less barrier disruption than washing with a basic detergent like SLS. The only measurable effect in these studies was a temporary dip in skin hydration.
Concentrations below 12-15% in leave-on cosmetics is generally well-tolerated. Concentrations above start to see increased transepidermal water loss (TEWL) and reduced hydration.
In concentrations about 58%, it creates temporary channels in your skin's lipid layers to become more permeable and allow other ingredients to slip through easily.
This ingredient can be up to 80% of the formula in alcohol-based perfumes.
Overall, this ingredient is probably harmless if found lower down an ingredients list but worth side-eyeing if it's high up (especially if your barrier is already struggling).
Alcohol can worsen dry skin, eczema, and oily skin, especially at higher concentrations. This is because it can increase transepidermal water loss and decrease hydration to disrupt the skin barrier.
According to the National Rosacea Society based in the US, you should be mindful of products with these alcohols in the top half of ingredients.
True allergic contact dermatitis to ethanol is uncommon, but be sure to patch test if you have dry or sensitive skin.
Learn more about AlcoholAllantoin 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 AllantoinCi 42090 is a synthetic dye created from petroleum. It is used to give a bright blue color to cosmetics, medicine, and food.
Citral is the molecule responsible for the fresh lemon scent in lemon, lime, and lemongrass. It is a fragrance ingredient that can be created from plant essential oils or synthetically.
Though Citral has documented antimicrobial activity against acne bacteria (which is where the marketing claims about it being good for acne-prone skin originate), real formulas use it at fragrance-level concentrations under 1% so there's likely no skin benefit.
You should know this ingredient is a known EU fragrance allergen.
Animal studies classifies this ingredient as a weak-to-moderate skin sensitizer and clinical patch testing on eczema patients confirmed it to be both a contact allergen and irritant.
The term 'citral' is a collective term for two geometric isomers: geranial/Citral A and neral/Citral B.
The term 'fragrance' is not regulated in many countries. In many cases, it is up to the brand to define this term. For instance, many brands choose to label themselves as "fragrance-free" because they are not using synthetic fragrances. However, their products may still contain ingredients such as essential oils that are considered a fragrance.
Learn more about CitralHamamelis Virginiana Water is made by distilling parts of the witch hazel plant. You can also call this ingredient "witch hazel water".
The name 'Hamamelis Virginiana Water' refers to the distillation product used in cosmetics. On the other hand, 'Witch Hazel' refers to the active drug ingredient.
Unless it is specified to be non-alcohol, many types of witch hazel ingredients are distilled in denatured alcohol.
Witch Hazel water is an astringent, anti-inflammatory antioxidant, and antibacterial ingredient.
It contains tannins. Tannins have a drying effect when used on skin by constricting proteins. The constriction also minimizes the appearance of pores.
Both the tannins and fragrance found in witch hazel may be skin-sensitizing.
Witch hazel water gets anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties from its catechin and gallic acid content.
Indigenous groups have used witch hazel to help treat inflammation in North America for centuries.
Learn more about Hamamelis Virginiana WaterPhenoxyethanol 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.
Sodium Hydroxide is also known as lye or caustic soda. It is used to adjust the pH of products; many ingredients require a specific pH to be effective.
In small amounts, sodium hydroxide is considered safe to use. However, large amounts may cause chemical burns due to its high alkaline.
Your skin has a natural pH and acid mantle. This acid mantle helps prevent harmful bacteria from breaking through. The acid mantle also helps keep your skin hydrated.
"Alkaline" refers to a high pH level. A low pH level would be considered acidic.
Learn more about Sodium HydroxideTocopherol (also known as Vitamin E) is a common antioxidant used to help protect the skin from free-radicals and strengthen the skin barrier. It's also fat soluble - this means our skin is great at absorbing it.
Vitamin E also helps keep your natural skin lipids healthy. Your lipid skin barrier naturally consists of lipids, ceramides, and fatty acids. Vitamin E offers extra protection for your skin’s lipid barrier, keeping your skin healthy and nourished.
Another benefit is a bit of UV protection. Vitamin E helps reduce the damage caused by UVB rays. (It should not replace your sunscreen). Combining it with Vitamin C can decrease sunburned cells and hyperpigmentation after UV exposure.
You might have noticed Vitamin E + C often paired together. This is because it is great at stabilizing Vitamin C. Using the two together helps increase the effectiveness of both ingredients.
There are often claims that Vitamin E can reduce/prevent scarring, but these claims haven't been confirmed by scientific research.
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
