What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Diatomaceous Earth
Abrasive
Glucose
Humectant
Algin
Masking
Kaolin
Abrasive
CI 77231
Cosmetic ColorantXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingZea Mays Starch
Absorbent
Cellulose Gum
Emulsion StabilisingTrehalose
Humectant
Betaine
Humectant
Xylitol
Humectant
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Potassium Hyaluronate
Skin ConditioningHydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate
Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
Skin Conditioning
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Potassium Alginate
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Dehydroacetate
Preservative
Dextrin
AbsorbentTetrasodium Pyrophosphate
BufferingWater
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Undaria Pinnatifida Extract
Skin ConditioningGardenia Florida Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningDiatomaceous Earth, Glucose, Algin, Kaolin, CI 77231, Xanthan Gum, Zea Mays Starch, Cellulose Gum, Trehalose, Betaine, Xylitol, Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate, Potassium Hyaluronate, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Panthenol, Allantoin, Potassium Alginate, Sodium Dehydroacetate, Dextrin, Tetrasodium Pyrophosphate, Water, Glycerin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Undaria Pinnatifida Extract, Gardenia Florida Fruit Extract
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Water
Skin ConditioningBifida Ferment Lysate
Skin Conditioning
Bisabolol
Antioxidant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Caprylhydroxamic Acid
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cetearyl Glucoside
Emulsifying
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Citric Acid
Buffering
Dicaprylyl Carbonate
EmollientDimethicone
Emollient
Disodium EDTA
Glucose
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingMirabilis Jalapa Extract
Skin ConditioningPEG-100 Stearate
Surfactant
PEG-8
HumectantPEG-6 Caprylic/Capric Glycerides
EmulsifyingPhragmites Karka Extract
Skin ConditioningPolysilicone-11
Poria Cocos Extract
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
Solvent
Saccharide Isomerate
Humectant
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Sodium Citrate
BufferingSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Squalane
Emollient
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Xanthan Gum
Emulsifying1,2-Hexanediol, Allantoin, Water, Bifida Ferment Lysate, Bisabolol, Butylene Glycol, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Glucoside, Chlorphenesin, Citric Acid, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Dimethicone, Disodium EDTA, Glucose, Glycerin, Glyceryl Stearate, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Mirabilis Jalapa Extract, PEG-100 Stearate, PEG-8, PEG-6 Caprylic/Capric Glycerides, Phragmites Karka Extract, Polysilicone-11, Poria Cocos Extract, Propanediol, Saccharide Isomerate, Sodium Benzoate, Sodium Citrate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Squalane, Tocopheryl Acetate, Xanthan Gum
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
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 AllantoinGlucose is a simple sugar (a monosaccharide). In skincare, it is mostly a humectant and skin conditioning agent.
Mechanistically, it has multiple hydroxyl groups that hydrogen-bond to water. This pulls moisture into the upper layers of skin to keep the surface soft and hydrated.
It's worth knowing sugars are already a natural component of the skin's NMF (natural moisturizing factor) so it's a molecule that your stratum corneum is well-acquainted with.
Just so you know, glucose is hydrophilic (water-loving) and the stratum corneum is a strong barrier to hydrophilic compounds. This just means penetration is slow and most of the action is happening on the surface.
Gram-to-gram, glucose is not as efficient as a humectant as glycerin. This is why you'll likely see glycose paired with stronger humectants for a bigger hydration payoff.
In skincare, glucose is typically derived from corn or other starch sources.
Learn more about GlucoseGlycerin (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 GlycerinSodium Hyaluronate is the salt form of hyaluronic acid. It is a long sugar chain that is naturally found in your skin, joints, and connective tissue that maintains hydration and elasticity.
In skincare, it works as a humectant. It pulls water from the environment and deeper layers of skin and binds it to the surface.
Interestingly, the size of the molecule affects its behavior:
Some clinical evidence links low molecular weight versions to improved wrinkle depth, elasticity, anti-inflammatory effects, and barrier repair.
Many serums use a blend of both weights so you can get surface hydration plus longer-lasting and deeper effects.
You'll typically see concentrations between 0.1-2% for this ingredient.
Learn more about Sodium HyaluronateWater. 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 WaterXanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.
On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.
Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.
Learn more about Xanthan Gum
