What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningAzelaic Acid 15%
BufferingGlycerin
HumectantPropanediol
SolventGlycereth-26
HumectantAvena Sativa Kernel Flour
AbrasiveCarnosine
Skin ConditioningAcetyl Tetrapeptide-2
Skin ConditioningCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningCeramide EOP
Skin ConditioningCeramide Ns
Skin ConditioningCeramide As
Skin ConditioningCeramide AP
Skin ConditioningGallyl Glucoside
AntioxidantPropyl Gallate
AntioxidantEpigallocatechin Gallatyl Glucoside
AntioxidantDaucus Carota Sativa Root Cell Culture Lysate
Skin ConditioningGossypium Herbaceum Callus Culture
Skin ConditioningSphingomonas Ferment Extract
Skin ConditioningEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningHydrogenated Lecithin
EmulsifyingSucrose Distearate
EmollientGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientDipropylene Glycol
HumectantDehydroacetic Acid
PreservativeCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeTriethanolamine
BufferingBenzyl Alcohol
PerfumingCitric Acid
BufferingWater, Azelaic Acid 15%, Glycerin, Propanediol, Glycereth-26, Avena Sativa Kernel Flour, Carnosine, Acetyl Tetrapeptide-2, Ceramide NP, Ceramide EOP, Ceramide Ns, Ceramide As, Ceramide AP, Gallyl Glucoside, Propyl Gallate, Epigallocatechin Gallatyl Glucoside, Daucus Carota Sativa Root Cell Culture Lysate, Gossypium Herbaceum Callus Culture, Sphingomonas Ferment Extract, Ethylhexylglycerin, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Sucrose Distearate, Glyceryl Stearate, Dipropylene Glycol, Dehydroacetic Acid, Caprylyl Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Triethanolamine, Benzyl Alcohol, Citric Acid
Water
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
SolventButyloctyl Salicylate
Skin ConditioningAzelaic Acid 15%
BufferingGlycerin
HumectantGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientAvena Sativa Kernel Flour
AbrasiveRosa Canina Seed Oil
EmollientCetyl Hydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingGlyceryl Caprylate
EmollientXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin ConditioningCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialSodium Anisate
AntimicrobialSodium Levulinate
Skin ConditioningSodium Phytate
Water, Propanediol, Butyloctyl Salicylate, Azelaic Acid 15%, Glycerin, Glyceryl Stearate, Avena Sativa Kernel Flour, Rosa Canina Seed Oil, Cetyl Hydroxyethylcellulose, Glyceryl Caprylate, Xanthan Gum, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Sodium Anisate, Sodium Levulinate, Sodium Phytate
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Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Oatmeal flour is created by grinding down the kernels of oats. Oatmeal helps sooth, hydrate, and protect the skin.
Oatmeal kernel flour has abrasive, or exfoliating, properties.
Learn all about the skin benefits of colloidal oatmeal here.
Learn more about Avena Sativa Kernel FlourAzelaic acid is a multitasker ingredient that helps treat acne, pigmentation, and irritation. It is a great option for sensitive skin.
What makes it special?
OTC Azelaic acid is usually available in concentrations from 10-15% and anything over requires a prescription.
Here's what each tier does best:
Unlike other acids, azelaic acid will not make your skin more photosensitive/sun sensitive.
Though this ingredient is naturally occurring in grains like wheat, rye, and barley, it is usually synthetically created for cosmetics to ensure stability and effectiveness.
Learn more about Azelaic AcidGlycerin (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 GlycerinGlyceryl Stearate is made by reacting glycerin with stearic acid (typically sourced from plant oils like palm or coconut). It's an emulsifier, emollient, and mild occlusive.
Emulsifiers help ingredients like oil and water stay mixed so your formula stays nicely blended and uniform in texture.
This ingredient is typically used in concentrations between 1-10%. Studies have found it to be non-sensitizing, non-phototoxic, and non-photoallergenic.
A close cousin of this ingredient is Glyceryl Stearate SE ("self-emulsifying"). This just has a small amount of sodium or potassium stearate added so it can emulsify without a co-emulsifier.
Since this ingredient is an ester of a C18 fatty acid, it may not be fungal acne safe. The Malassezia yeast can potentially metabolize within the C11-C24 range.
Fun fact: The human body also creates Glyceryl Stearate naturally.
Learn more about Glyceryl StearatePropanediol is an all-star ingredient. It softens, hydrates, and smooths the skin.Â
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