What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Dipropylene Glycol
Humectant1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Diglycerin
Humectant
Isopentyldiol
Humectant
Polyglycerin-3
Humectant
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
4-Terpineol
Masking
Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil
Antioxidant
Salix Alba Bark Extract
Astringent
Brassica Oleracea Gemmifera Extract
AstringentBrassica Oleracea Italica Extract
AstringentPrunus Domestica Fruit Extract
MoisturisingTrehalose
Humectant
Propanediol
Solvent
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Myristyl Alcohol
Emollient
PCA
Humectant
Palmitic Acid
Emollient
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Arginine
Masking
Glycolic Acid
Buffering
Salicylic Acid
Masking
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Colostrum
Skin Conditioning
Disodium EDTA
Origanum Vulgare Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningCupressus Sempervirens Leaf Extract
Perfuming
Lactobacillus/Soybean Ferment Extract
Skin ConditioningPortulaca Oleracea Extract
Skin Conditioning
Cinnamomum Cassia Bark Extract
Masking
Golden Extract
Myristic Acid
Cleansing
Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Carica Papaya Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningVitis Vinifera Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningPolygonum Cuspidatum Root Extract
Antioxidant
Water, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Dipropylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Diglycerin, Isopentyldiol, Polyglycerin-3, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, 4-Terpineol, Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil, Salix Alba Bark Extract, Brassica Oleracea Gemmifera Extract, Brassica Oleracea Italica Extract, Prunus Domestica Fruit Extract, Trehalose, Propanediol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetyl Alcohol, Myristyl Alcohol, PCA, Palmitic Acid, Stearic Acid, Arginine, Glycolic Acid, Salicylic Acid, Allantoin, Colostrum, Disodium EDTA, Origanum Vulgare Leaf Extract, Cupressus Sempervirens Leaf Extract, Lactobacillus/Soybean Ferment Extract, Portulaca Oleracea Extract, Cinnamomum Cassia Bark Extract, Golden Extract, Myristic Acid, Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract, Carica Papaya Fruit Extract, Vitis Vinifera Fruit Extract, Polygonum Cuspidatum Root Extract
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Butylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate
EmollientNiacinamide
Smoothing
Sorbitan Stearate
Emulsifying
Sucrose Cocoate
Emulsifying
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Dimethicone
Emollient
Salix Alba Bark Water
Astringent
Glyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer
HumectantPropylene Glycol
Humectant
Pvm/Ma Copolymer
Emulsion Stabilising1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Illicium Verum Fruit Extract
Perfuming
Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract
Astringent
PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Cholesteryl Macadamiate
EmollientPhytosteryl Macadamiate
Skin Conditioning
Methyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer
Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6
Emulsion StabilisingRetinyl Palmitate
Skin Conditioning
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Polyacrylate-13
Polyisobutene
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingIsohexadecane
EmollientPolysorbate 80
Emulsifying
Adenosine
Skin Conditioning
Bisabolol
Antioxidant
Tranexamic Acid
Astringent
Betaine
Humectant
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Ascorbyl Tetraisopalmitate
Antioxidant
Polyglutamic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Cynanchum Atratum Extract
Skin ConditioningOlea Europaea Leaf Extract
Perfuming
Ascorbyl Glucoside
Antioxidant
Zinc PCA
Humectant
Ethyl Hexanediol
SolventAcetyl Hexapeptide-8
Humectant
Copper Tripeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4
Skin Conditioning
Oligopeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Oligopeptide-2
Skin Conditioning
Methionine
Skin ConditioningCysteine
Antioxidant
Madecassoside
Antioxidant
Asiaticoside
Antioxidant
Asiatic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Madecassic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Biotin
AntiseborrhoeicStearyl Glycyrrhetinate
Skin ConditioningSerine
Masking
Arginine
Masking
Parfum
Masking
Water, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Butylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate, Niacinamide, Sorbitan Stearate, Sucrose Cocoate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Dimethicone, Salix Alba Bark Water, Glyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer, Propylene Glycol, Pvm/Ma Copolymer, 1,2-Hexanediol, Illicium Verum Fruit Extract, Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract, PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Stearic Acid, Cholesteryl Macadamiate, Phytosteryl Macadamiate, Methyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Retinyl Palmitate, Tocopherol, Polyacrylate-13, Polyisobutene, Polysorbate 20, Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Isohexadecane, Polysorbate 80, Adenosine, Bisabolol, Tranexamic Acid, Betaine, Allantoin, Panthenol, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Ascorbyl Tetraisopalmitate, Polyglutamic Acid, Cynanchum Atratum Extract, Olea Europaea Leaf Extract, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Zinc PCA, Ethyl Hexanediol, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Copper Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4, Oligopeptide-1, Oligopeptide-2, Methionine, Cysteine, Madecassoside, Asiaticoside, Asiatic Acid, Madecassic Acid, Biotin, Stearyl Glycyrrhetinate, Serine, Arginine, Parfum
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.
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 preservatives
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 AllantoinArginine is a semi-essential amino acid. This just means our bodies can product a bit on its own, but sometimes needs a little boost from food sources.
It is a part of your skin's natural moisturizing factor (NMF), or the water-loving molecules in your outermost layer of skin (stratum corneum) that keeps everything hydrated and happy.
Here's an interesting thing about Arginine: your skin converts it into urea through the Krebs-Henseleit urea cycle. Urea is one of the most effective humectants your skin naturally produces.
A clinical study showed applying 2.5% arginine hydrochloride to atopic dermatitis skin showed significant urea levels in the stratum corneum and improved moisture in just four weeks.
Arginine is also a precursor to nitric oxide; nitric oxide improves microcirculation and supports wound healing and collagen synthesis.
One study found that an amino acid complex containing Arginine reduced skin irritation, improved hydration, and accelerated skin repair in clinical / in-vivo studies.
Arginine itself is an amino acid and not a fatty acid, oil, or ester. On its own, it's not a direct food source for Malassezia, or the yeast that causes fungal acne.
Learn more about ArginineButylene 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 GlycolCetearyl alcohol is a waxy mixture of two fatty alcohols: cetyl alcohol and stearyl alcohol. It is an emollient and emulsifier.
Despite having "alcohol" in its name, it has nothing to do with drying solvent alcohols; the FDA also allows "alcohol-free" products to contain fatty alcohols like this ingredient.
It plays several roles in a formula:
Typical use levels for this ingredient sit around 1-10% and the Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has affirmed safety at concentrations up to 25% in leave-on products.
Multiple assessments have found it to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing to most people.
However, there have been some cases of allergic contact dermatitis in patients with chronically compromised skin barriers.
Cetearyl alcohol has a comedogenic rating of 2 and irritancy rating of 1. Both of these numbers come from the 1989 study that used rabbit ears; a "2" means mildly comedogenic and a "1" means low irritancy.
Here's the catch: rabbit skin is more sensitive than human skin and throws a lot of false positives. A 1996 reappraisal found that ingredients rated 1-2 in the rabbit ear tests are generally safe for humans.
Remember comedogenic ratings are unable to assess the entire formula of a product or how it will react on your skin. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure about certain ingredients.
This ingredient is not fungal acne safe. Cetearyl alcohol is a fatty alcohol with chain lengths that fall within the range that Malassezia can metabolize.
Learn more about Cetearyl AlcoholGlycerin (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 GlycerinStearic Acid is a fatty acid that is already found in your skin. It's one of the free fatty acids that works alongside ceramides and cholesterols to maintain your barrier.
In cosmetics, it is a multitasker:
Safety-wise, the CIR Expert Panel has concluded it to be safe in cosmetics when formulated to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing.
Free stearic acid is a C18 fatty acid that the Malassezia yeast can substrate, so this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Stearic AcidWater. 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
