What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningNiacinamide
Smoothing
Squalane
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Butylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate
EmollientDimethicone
Emollient
Centella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Extract
Perfuming
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Polyacrylate
Absorbent
Disodium EDTA
CI 42090
Cosmetic ColorantPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Triethylene Glycol
Masking
Parfum
Masking
Water, Niacinamide, Squalane, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate, Dimethicone, Centella Asiatica Extract, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Propylene Glycol, Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Extract, Allantoin, Sodium Polyacrylate, Disodium EDTA, CI 42090, Phenoxyethanol, Triethylene Glycol, Parfum
Water
Skin ConditioningMethylene Bis-Benzotriazolyl Tetramethylbutylphenol
UV Filter
Decyl Glucoside
Cleansing
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingEthylhexyl Salicylate
UV Absorber
Undecane
EmollientTridecane
Perfuming
Steareth-21
CleansingCyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Skin Conditioning
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
PEG-100 Stearate
Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate
UV Filter
Dibutyl Adipate
EmollientEthylhexyl Triazone
UV Absorber
Zinc Oxide
Cosmetic Colorant
Coco-Caprylate/Caprate
Emollient
Polyglyceryl-3 Polyricinoleate
Emulsifying
Isostearic Acid
Cleansing
Sodium Lactate
Buffering
Squalane
Emollient
Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Humectant
Titanium Dioxide
Cosmetic Colorant
Betula Alba Bark Extract
Masking
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingDisodium EDTA
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Triethylene Glycol
Masking
Water, Methylene Bis-Benzotriazolyl Tetramethylbutylphenol, Decyl Glucoside, Propylene Glycol, Xanthan Gum, Ethylhexyl Salicylate, Undecane, Tridecane, Steareth-21, Cyclopentasiloxane, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate, Dibutyl Adipate, Ethylhexyl Triazone, Zinc Oxide, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Polyglyceryl-3 Polyricinoleate, Isostearic Acid, Sodium Lactate, Squalane, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Titanium Dioxide, Betula Alba Bark Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Lactic Acid, Allantoin, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Disodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol, Triethylene Glycol
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 AllantoinDisodium 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 EDTAPhenoxyethanol 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.
Propylene Glycol is a synthetic, colorless, odorless liquid that has been a staple in cosmetics for decades. It is a skin conditioning agent, humectant, and solvent.
As a humectant, it draw water to the skin to reduce flaking and restore suppleness. It's also a solvent that helps dissolve other actives and keeps formulas stable across temperature changes.
The CIR Expert Panel has confirmed this ingredient to be nontoxic and clinical studies show no sensitization at cosmetic use concentrations.
True allergic reactions are quite rare: a 15-year retrospective study of 6,751 patients found only 0.31% had a positive reaction (and less than half were considered clinically relevant).
It seemed that when sensitization does occur, it's most commonly linked to topical medication (like corticosteroids) and not cosmetics. Allergic contact dermatitis also appears largely limited to individuals with underlying skin conditions.
Overall, propylene glycol is a well-studied ingredient that most people can tolerate without issue.
Learn more about Propylene GlycolSqualane is the hydrogenated and shelf-stable form of squalene (a lipid that naturally occurs in human sebum).
It is an emollient and skin conditioning agent that is able to integrate seamlessly into the skin's lipid barrier without clogging pores.
This is due to how structurally similar it is to what your skin already produces.
Though it is mostly an emollient that helps soften and hydrate skin, it also has some humectant and occlusive action. Humectants help the skin retain moisture while occlusives seal it in, making squalane a triple-threat moisturizer.
Research shows it has antioxidant capabilities that help protect against stressors like UV exposure, specifically UVA induced oxidative stress. This study also found that it supports collagen biosynthesis in human dermal fibroblasts.
No clinical study has reported significant adverse effects and irritation reactions are very rare from this ingredient (even at 100% concentration).
Overall, it's a fantastic ingredient for hydration and is suitable for all skin types.
This depends on the source. Squalane can be derived from both plants and animals. Most squalane used in skincare comes from plants.
Please note: the source of squalane is only known if disclosed by the brand. We recommend reaching out to the brand if you have any questions about their squalane.
Read more about squalene with an "e".
Though squalane is often called an oil, it’s technically not one. It is a hydrocarbon, meaning it is only made of carbon and hydrogen. True oils are triglycerides and made of fatty acids and glycerol.
The term “oil-free” isn’t regulated so companies can define it however they want. Some exclude all oils, while others just avoid mineral oil or comedogenic oils.
Squalane has a comedogenic rating of 1 from the original 1972 study that tested raw ingredients under occlusion on rabbit ears. This system is not standardized or peer-reviewed, and using the raw ingredients is very different from how diluted cosmetic formulations are used on human skin.
A comedogenic rating of 1 means it is "unlikely to clog pores" according to the original rating system.
The overall formula of a product matters more than the individual ingredients on whether or not it will cause clogged pores.
Learn more about SqualaneTriethylene Glycol is a fragrance.
Water. 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
