What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningLactic Acid
Buffering
Glycerin
Humectant
Propanediol
Solvent
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingCurcuma Longa Root Extract
Masking
Glycolic Acid
Buffering
Betaine
Humectant
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Bis-PEG-18 Methyl Ether Dimethyl Silane
EmollientPEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingTrisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Curcuma Longa Root Oil
Perfuming
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Water, Lactic Acid, Glycerin, Propanediol, Sodium Hydroxide, Curcuma Longa Root Extract, Glycolic Acid, Betaine, Allantoin, Pentylene Glycol, Hydroxyacetophenone, Bis-PEG-18 Methyl Ether Dimethyl Silane, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Xanthan Gum, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Curcuma Longa Root Oil, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate
Allium Cepa Bulb Extract
Skin Conditioning
Propanediol
Solvent
Glycerin
Humectant
Methylpropanediol
SolventNiacinamide
Smoothing
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Water
Skin ConditioningHydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingAdenosine
Skin Conditioning
Disodium EDTA
Biosaccharide Gum-1
Humectant
Tromethamine
BufferingMelia Azadirachta Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningMelia Azadirachta Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningCitric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Citrate
BufferingHyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Glycereth-26
Humectant
Coccinia Indica Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Hydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingBetaine
Humectant
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Houttuynia Cordata Extract
Skin Conditioning
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Solanum Melongena Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningCorallina Officinalis Extract
Skin Conditioning
Ocimum Sanctum Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningCurcuma Longa Root Extract
Masking
Sodium Heparin
Skin ConditioningAmmonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Ascorbyl Phosphate
Antioxidant
Tranexamic Acid
Astringent
Allium Cepa Bulb Extract, Propanediol, Glycerin, Methylpropanediol, Niacinamide, 1,2-Hexanediol, Butylene Glycol, Water, Hydroxyacetophenone, Ethylhexylglycerin, Carbomer, Adenosine, Disodium EDTA, Biosaccharide Gum-1, Tromethamine, Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract, Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract, Citric Acid, Sodium Citrate, Hyaluronic Acid, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate, Glycereth-26, Coccinia Indica Fruit Extract, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Betaine, Allantoin, Houttuynia Cordata Extract, Panthenol, Solanum Melongena Fruit Extract, Corallina Officinalis Extract, Ocimum Sanctum Leaf Extract, Curcuma Longa Root Extract, Sodium Heparin, Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Tranexamic Acid
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 AllantoinBetaine is a humectant. Like hyaluronic acid, it helps attract and retain moisture in the skin. It’s known for being gentle and for helping the skin maintain balanced hydration.
Betaine is mainly used to improve hydration and support calmer skin. It helps skin cells regulate water balance because it functions as an osmolyte.
Some studies suggest betaine may support making skin tone more even.
Fun fact: Betaine naturally exists in the skin and the body. In cosmetic products, it can be either plant-derived (most commonly from sugar beets) or synthetically produced for consistency and stability.
Betaine is also known as trimethylglycine.
Learn more about BetaineCurcuma Longa Root Extract is from the spice, turmeric. Besides being a healthy and delicious spice, turmeric also has plenty of skincare benefits. It has anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anti-microbial properties.
Turmeric contains curcumin, an antioxidant. Antioxidants help neutralize unstable free-radical molecules. Free-radical molecules may damage your skin's cells and DNA. Curcumin may help with anti-aging.
Curcumin also has anti-inflammatory properties and can help soothe skin and reduce irritation. On top of that, curcumin has been shown to help prevent hyperpigmentation from sun damage.
The anti-microbial property of turmeric can make it effective in treating acne. This property has also been shown to help regulate the production of sebum.
Learn more about Curcuma Longa Root ExtractGlycerin (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 a small phenolic molecule that earns its place in a formulas as an antioxidant and preservative booster.
As a phenol, it is able to neutralize free radicals to protect both the product and the skin from oxidative stress.
Though it can't kill microbes on its own, it works as a good supporting agent when combined with other preservatives like Phenoxyethanol or 1,2-Hexanediol.
This ingredient naturally occurs as piceol in Norwegian spruce needles (~0.4-1.1% dry weight and in cloudberries). Though the cosmetic-grade material is synthesized for purity and consistency.
You'll usually see it used at low levels and suppliers recommend up to 1% added to a water phase.
Safety testing was done at concentrations like 0.05% in SPF products and 0.5% in a Human Repeated Insult Patch Test. The safety evidence is assuring; this ingredient is safe for cosmetics in current use and also holds safety status as a food flavoring as well.
An honest caveat: the "soothing" and "anti-inflammatory" claims come mostly from supplier marketing rather than published clinical trials. The Cosmetic Ingredient Review's own literature search found no useful efficacy studies on this ingredient.
So the antioxidant and preservative-boosting roles are the well supported ones while the calming benefit is plausible but thinly evidenced.
Overall, this is a well-tolerated, low-irritation multitasker that quietly helps a formula stay fresh and stable.
Learn more about HydroxyacetophenonePropanediol is an all-star ingredient. It softens, hydrates, and smooths the skin.
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 PropanediolWater. 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
