What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Dimethicone
Emollient
Propanediol
Solvent
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Isononyl Isononanoate
EmollientOctyldodecanol
Emollient
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
PEG-100 Stearate
Surfactant
Synthetic Beeswax
Emulsion Stabilising
Hamamelis Virginiana Extract
Antiseborrhoeic
Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingIsohexadecane
EmollientPolysorbate 80
Emulsifying
Cetearyl Glucoside
Emulsifying
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCentella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialChamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
Masking
Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
Bleaching
Polygonum Cuspidatum Root Extract
Antioxidant
Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract
Astringent
Illicium Verum Fruit Extract
Perfuming
Disodium EDTA
Betaine
Humectant
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Trehalose
Humectant
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Polyglutamic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Xylitol
Humectant
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Water, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Dimethicone, Propanediol, Glyceryl Stearate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Isononyl Isononanoate, Octyldodecanol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil, PEG-100 Stearate, Synthetic Beeswax, Hamamelis Virginiana Extract, Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Isohexadecane, Polysorbate 80, Cetearyl Glucoside, Xanthan Gum, Centella Asiatica Extract, Caprylyl Glycol, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Polygonum Cuspidatum Root Extract, Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract, Illicium Verum Fruit Extract, Disodium EDTA, Betaine, Allantoin, Trehalose, Polysorbate 20, Polyglutamic Acid, Xylitol, Ceramide NP
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Cyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Polyglutamic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Phenyl Trimethicone
Skin Conditioning
Squalane
Emollient
Octyldodecanol
Emollient
Glycereth-26
Humectant
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Hamamelis Virginiana Water
Astringent
Glyceryl Stearate Citrate
Emollient
Polyglyceryl-3 Distearate
Emulsifying
Polyglyceryl-10 Dilaurate
Surfactant
Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Humectant
Nicotinoyl Dipeptide-23
Skin Conditioning
Acetyl Hexapeptide-8
Humectant
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingArginine
Masking
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Emulsion Stabilising
Sodium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate
Emulsion StabilisingCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Dicaprylyl Ether
Emollient
Adenosine
Skin Conditioning
Propanediol
Solvent
Caprylhydroxamic Acid
Water, Butylene Glycol, Cyclopentasiloxane, Glycerin, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Sodium Hyaluronate, Polyglutamic Acid, Phenyl Trimethicone, Squalane, Octyldodecanol, Glycereth-26, Pentylene Glycol, Hamamelis Virginiana Water, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Polyglyceryl-3 Distearate, Polyglyceryl-10 Dilaurate, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Nicotinoyl Dipeptide-23, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Carbomer, Arginine, Allantoin, Panthenol, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Sodium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Caprylyl Glycol, Dicaprylyl Ether, Adenosine, Propanediol, Caprylhydroxamic 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 AllantoinButylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:
Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient that works well with other ingredients.
Though this ingredient works well with most skin types, some people with sensitive skin may experience a reaction such as allergic rashes, closed comedones, or itchiness.
Learn more about Butylene GlycolCaprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.
Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.
Because it is not a free-fatty acid or alcohol, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolGlycerin (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 GlycerinOctyldodecanol is a fatty alcohol sourced from plant oils like coconut or palm (or made synthetically).
It is:
You'll likely see this in many BHA products because this is the go-to solvent for salicylic acid.
This ingredient is typically used at levels between 2-20%.
Regarding fungal acne:
In 2019, this ingredient was tested against multiple Malassezia species (the yeast that causes fungal acne) and showed no growth.
Polyglutamic Acid is made up many glutamic acids chained together. It is created from bacterial fermentation.
This ingredient is an effective skin hydrator and may help speed up wound healing. As a humectant, it draws and holds water to the skin. This ingredient is often compared to hyaluronic acid or glycerin. Similarly to hyaluronic acid, it can vary in molecular weights. This means polyglutamic acid is capable of bringing hydration to lower levels of the skin.
Fun fact: Polyglutamic Acid is found in the Japanese food, natto. It is also being used in cancer treatment studies.
Learn more about Polyglutamic AcidPropanediol 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
