What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningAzelaic Acid
BufferingPropylene Glycol
HumectantSodium Hydroxide
BufferingPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningPanthenol
Skin ConditioningSorbitol
HumectantChondrus Crispus Extract
Skin ConditioningHydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingChlorella Vulgaris Extract
Skin ConditioningGlucose
HumectantSaccharum Officinarum Extract
Moisturising1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
HumectantFructooligosaccharides
HumectantFructose
HumectantEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningBiosaccharide Gum-1
HumectantTromethamine
BufferingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingTocopherol
AntioxidantBetaine
HumectantZinc PCA
HumectantDipropylene Glycol
HumectantHyaluronic Acid/Polyisopropylacrylamide Copolymer
HumectantCaprylyl/Capryl Glucoside
CleansingHydrogenated Lecithin
EmulsifyingCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningWater, Azelaic Acid, Propylene Glycol, Sodium Hydroxide, Pentylene Glycol, Panthenol, Sorbitol, Chondrus Crispus Extract, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Chlorella Vulgaris Extract, Glucose, Saccharum Officinarum Extract, 1,2-Hexanediol, Butylene Glycol, Fructooligosaccharides, Fructose, Ethylhexylglycerin, Biosaccharide Gum-1, Tromethamine, Xanthan Gum, Tocopherol, Betaine, Zinc PCA, Dipropylene Glycol, Hyaluronic Acid/Polyisopropylacrylamide Copolymer, Caprylyl/Capryl Glucoside, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Ceramide NP
Water
Skin ConditioningPropylene Glycol
HumectantAzelaic Acid
BufferingSodium Hydroxide
Buffering1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningPolysorbate 20
EmulsifyingDimethyl Sulfone
SolventPropanediol
SolventBetaine
HumectantPanthenol
Skin ConditioningDipotassium Glycyrrhizate
HumectantAllantoin
Skin ConditioningCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantHydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
HumectantCentella Asiatica Extract
CleansingMadecassoside
AntioxidantHydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Polyacrylate
AbsorbentPolyglyceryl-10 Laurate
Skin ConditioningCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialSambucus Nigra Flower Extract
RefreshingMomordica Charantia Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningLeontopodium Alpinum Extract
Skin ConditioningWater, Propylene Glycol, Azelaic Acid, Sodium Hydroxide, 1,2-Hexanediol, Polysorbate 20, Dimethyl Sulfone, Propanediol, Betaine, Panthenol, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Allantoin, Ceramide NP, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Centella Asiatica Extract, Madecassoside, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Sodium Polyacrylate, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Sambucus Nigra Flower Extract, Momordica Charantia Fruit Extract, Leontopodium Alpinum Extract
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
1,2-Hexanediol is a synthetic liquid and another multi-functional powerhouse.Â
It is a:
- Humectant, drawing moisture into the skin
- Emollient, helping to soften skin
- Solvent, dispersing and stabilizing formulas
- Preservative booster, enhancing the antimicrobial activity of other preservativesÂ
Azelaic 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 AcidBetaine 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 BetaineCeramide NP (formerly known as Ceramide 3) is one of the skin's naturally occurring lipids.
Since ceramides are the major lipid components of the skin, they are crucial for maintaining skin barrier and hydration. Ceramide NP most closely mirrors the dominant kind in human skin amongst ceramide subtypes.
This ceramide works by slotting into gaps within the stratum corneum's lipid matrix to limit trans-epidermal water loss (TEWL) and shield the skin against external irritants.
A study with 312 patients found that using a ceramide-containing routine for 4 weeks reduced the severity of atopic dermatitis by over 61%.
Another clinical study in subjects aged 60 and older found that a ceramide body wash and moisturizer improved skin dryness and itchy skin in 15 days.
Overall, ceramides are considered non-irritating and safety tests have found little to no observable adverse effects from using this ingredient.
Ceramide NP is usually sourced from plants (like soybean or rice bran), or produced synthetically.
Learn more about Ceramide NPHydroxyethylcellulose is used to improve the texture of products. It is created from a chemical reaction involving ethylene oxide and alkali-cellulose. Cellulose is a sugar found in plant cell walls and help give plants structure.
This ingredient helps stabilize products by preventing ingredients from separating. It can also help thicken the texture of a product.
This ingredient can also be found in pill medicines to help our bodies digest other ingredients.
Learn more about HydroxyethylcellulosePanthenol is a common ingredient that helps hydrate and soothe the skin. It is found naturally in our skin and hair.
There are two forms of panthenol: D and L.
D-panthenol is also known as dexpanthenol. Most cosmetics use dexpanthenol or a mixture of D and L-panthenol.
Panthenol is famous due to its ability to go deeper into the skin's layers. Using this ingredient has numerous pros (and no cons):
Like hyaluronic acid, panthenol is a humectant. Humectants are able to bind and hold large amounts of water to keep skin hydrated.
This ingredient works well for wound healing. It works by increasing tissue in the wound and helps close open wounds.
Once oxidized, panthenol converts to pantothenic acid. Panthothenic acid is found in all living cells.
This ingredient is also referred to as pro-vitamin B5.
Learn more about PanthenolPropylene 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 GlycolSodium Hydroxide is also known as lye or caustic soda. It is used to adjust the pH of products; many ingredients require a specific pH to be effective.
In small amounts, sodium hydroxide is considered safe to use. However, large amounts may cause chemical burns due to its high alkaline.
Your skin has a natural pH and acid mantle. This acid mantle helps prevent harmful bacteria from breaking through. The acid mantle also helps keep your skin hydrated.
"Alkaline" refers to a high pH level. A low pH level would be considered acidic.
Learn more about Sodium HydroxideWater. 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