What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cocoglycerides
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate Se
Emulsifying
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Olea Europaea Fruit Oil
Masking
Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter
Emollient
Cetearyl Phosphate
Skin Conditioning
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Helianthus Annuus Extract
Emollient
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Rosmarinus Officinalis Extract
AntimicrobialAllantoin
Skin Conditioning
Oryza Sativa Bran Extract
Skin Conditioning
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingDimethicone
Emollient
Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningHexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingCI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantCI 17200
Cosmetic ColorantCI 42090
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Glycerin, Cetyl Alcohol, Cocoglycerides, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter, Cetearyl Phosphate, Pentylene Glycol, Helianthus Annuus Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Rosmarinus Officinalis Extract, Allantoin, Oryza Sativa Bran Extract, Tocopherol, Carbomer, Dimethicone, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Hexylene Glycol, Sodium Hydroxide, CI 77891, CI 17200, CI 42090
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate
Cleansing
Sodium Coco-Sulfate
Cleansing
Glycerin
Humectant
Glycol Distearate
Emollient
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Aloe Ferox Leaf Juice
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
Antioxidant
Oleth-3
Emulsifying
Hydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingChamomilla Recutita Extract
Skin Conditioning
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingLavandula Angustifolia Extract
Skin Conditioning
PEG-150 Distearate
Emulsifying
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCamellia Sinensis Extract
Antioxidant
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningEchinacea Purpurea Extract
MoisturisingParfum
Masking
Water, Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate, Sodium Coco-Sulfate, Glycerin, Glycol Distearate, Cetyl Alcohol, Aloe Ferox Leaf Juice, Tocopherol, Oleth-3, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Chamomilla Recutita Extract, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Lavandula Angustifolia Extract, PEG-150 Distearate, Xanthan Gum, Camellia Sinensis Extract, Allantoin, Panthenol, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Echinacea Purpurea Extract, Parfum
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 AllantoinCetyl Alcohol is a fatty alcohol. Fatty Alcohols are most often used as an emollient or to thicken a product.
Its main roles are:
Though it has "alcohol" in the name, it is not related to denatured alcohol or ethyl alcohol.
The FDA allows products labeled "alcohol-free" to have fatty alcohols.
Learn more about Cetyl AlcoholEthylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:
The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure.
Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.
Learn more about EthylhexylglycerinGlycerin (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 GlycerinPhenoxyethanol 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.
Tocopherol is a fat-soluble antioxidant known as Vitamin E.
You'll find this ingredient in the vast majority of skincare (for good reason). It works to neutralize free radicals, or unstable molecules generated by UV exposure, pollution, and other environmental stressors, before they can cause oxidative damage to your skin cells.
Topically applied tocopherol has been shown to protect against UV damage by ramping up the skin's own natural defense enzymes.
It also acts as a skin conditioning agent; some studies show that regular topical use can improve the skin's water-binding capacity over 2-4 weeks.
This ingredient is especially loved for being a team player. When combined with Vitamin C, the photoprotective effect of both ingredients roughly doubles and the combo also helps reduce UV-induced DNA damage.
This ingredient has some brightening potential but it's more of a prevention ingredient than spot-fader. Cell studies show it can slow down melanin production but it's worth noting that it's not the most powerful brightener out there.
In formulations, it also serves as a stabilizer that helps protect other oxidation-prone ingredients from degrading.
Concentrations usually range from 0.1-1% in most leave-on products.
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
