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 ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantGlycerin
Humectant
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Water
AntimicrobialPolyglyceryl-4 Caprate
EmulsifyingCarica Papaya Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningLens Esculenta Seed Extract
Skin ProtectingHamamelis Virginiana Extract
Antiseborrhoeic
Nelumbo Nucifera Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningSwiftlet Nest Extract
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Fructan
Skin ConditioningAllantoin
Skin Conditioning
Adenosine
Skin Conditioning
Hydroxyethyl Urea
Humectant
Xylitol
Humectant
Salicylic Acid
Masking
Lactobionic Acid
Buffering
Citric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Citrate
Buffering1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Benzyl Glycol
SolventEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningRaspberry Ketone
Masking
Mentha Piperita Oil
Masking
Water, Butylene Glycol, Dipropylene Glycol, Glycerin, Niacinamide, Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Water, Polyglyceryl-4 Caprate, Carica Papaya Fruit Extract, Lens Esculenta Seed Extract, Hamamelis Virginiana Extract, Nelumbo Nucifera Flower Extract, Swiftlet Nest Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Fructan, Allantoin, Adenosine, Hydroxyethyl Urea, Xylitol, Salicylic Acid, Lactobionic Acid, Citric Acid, Sodium Citrate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Benzyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Raspberry Ketone, Mentha Piperita Oil
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 AllantoinGlycerin (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 GlycerinSalicylic Acid (also known as beta hydroxy acid or BHA) is a well-known ingredient for treating skin that struggles with acne and clogged pores. It exfoliates both the skin's surface and deep within the pores to help clear out buildup, control oil, and reduce inflammation.
Unlike AHAs (alpha hydroxy acids), salicylic acid is oil-soluble. This allows it to penetrate into pores which makes it especially effective for treating blackheads and preventing future breakouts.
Salicylic acid is also known for its soothing properties. It has a similar structure to aspirin and can calm inflamed or irritated skin, making it a good option for acne-prone skin that is also sensitive.
Concentrations of 0.5-2% are recognized by the U.S. FDA as an over-the-counter topical acne product.
It can cause irritation and/or dryness if one's skin already has a compromised moisture barrier, so it's best to focus on repairing that before introducing this ingredient into your routine.
While salicylic acid does not increase sun sensitivity, itβs still important to wear sunscreen daily to protect your skin.
If you are looking for the ingredient called BHA or Butylated Hydroxyanisole, click here.
Learn more about Salicylic AcidWater. 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
