What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCocamidopropyl Betaine
CleansingSodium Lauroyl Silk Amino Acids
CleansingSodium Lauroyl Methylalanine
Butylene Glycol
HumectantIsopentyldiol
HumectantCocamide DEA
EmulsifyingCocamide Methyl Mea
Betaine
HumectantPolyquaternium-10
Silk
Hydrolyzed Collagen
EmollientInulin
Skin ConditioningCatalase
Skin ConditioningMalus Domestica Fruit Cell Culture Extract
Skin ConditioningSodium PCA
HumectantPCA
HumectantGlycine
BufferingAlanine
MaskingSerine
MaskingValine
MaskingProline
Skin ConditioningThreonine
Isoleucine
Skin ConditioningHistidine
HumectantPhenylalanine
MaskingSodium Lactate
BufferingArginine
MaskingAspartic Acid
MaskingGlycerin
HumectantLecithin
EmollientXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningAlcohol Denat.
AntimicrobialSodium Citrate
BufferingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeParfum
MaskingWater, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Sodium Lauroyl Silk Amino Acids, Sodium Lauroyl Methylalanine, Butylene Glycol, Isopentyldiol, Cocamide DEA, Cocamide Methyl Mea, Betaine, Polyquaternium-10, Silk, Hydrolyzed Collagen, Inulin, Catalase, Malus Domestica Fruit Cell Culture Extract, Sodium PCA, PCA, Glycine, Alanine, Serine, Valine, Proline, Threonine, Isoleucine, Histidine, Phenylalanine, Sodium Lactate, Arginine, Aspartic Acid, Glycerin, Lecithin, Xanthan Gum, Ethylhexylglycerin, Alcohol Denat., Sodium Citrate, Phenoxyethanol, Parfum
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate
CleansingLauramidopropyl Betaine
CleansingGlycerin
HumectantCocamide Methyl Mea
Cocamidopropyl Betaine
CleansingSodium Lauroyl Methylalanine
Hydrolyzed Keratin
HumectantHydrolyzed Silk
HumectantPropolis Extract
Skin ConditioningTaurine
BufferingLysine Hcl
Skin ConditioningAlanine
MaskingLecithin
EmollientHistidine
HumectantArginine
MaskingGlutamic Acid
HumectantSerine
MaskingProline
Skin ConditioningThreonine
Valine
MaskingLeucine
Skin ConditioningGlycine
BufferingIsoleucine
Skin ConditioningPhenylalanine
MaskingAllantoin
Skin ConditioningZinc
AntioxidantCitrus Nobilis Peel Extract
MaskingOlea Europaea Leaf Extract
PerfumingMelissa Officinalis Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningThymus Vulgaris Extract
PerfumingGamma-Docosalactone
Skin ConditioningHematin
Ceramide Ns
Skin ConditioningCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningCeramide AP
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingSodium Bicarbonate
AbrasiveQuaternium-18
Quaternium-33
Cholesterol
EmollientPhenoxyethanol
PreservativePolyquaternium-10
Citric Acid
BufferingDisodium EDTA
Butylene Glycol
HumectantAlcohol
AntimicrobialPropylene Glycol
HumectantMethylparaben
PreservativeParfum
MaskingWater, Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate, Lauramidopropyl Betaine, Glycerin, Cocamide Methyl Mea, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Sodium Lauroyl Methylalanine, Hydrolyzed Keratin, Hydrolyzed Silk, Propolis Extract, Taurine, Lysine Hcl, Alanine, Lecithin, Histidine, Arginine, Glutamic Acid, Serine, Proline, Threonine, Valine, Leucine, Glycine, Isoleucine, Phenylalanine, Allantoin, Zinc, Citrus Nobilis Peel Extract, Olea Europaea Leaf Extract, Melissa Officinalis Leaf Extract, Thymus Vulgaris Extract, Gamma-Docosalactone, Hematin, Ceramide Ns, Ceramide NP, Ceramide AP, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Sodium Bicarbonate, Quaternium-18, Quaternium-33, Cholesterol, Phenoxyethanol, Polyquaternium-10, Citric Acid, Disodium EDTA, Butylene Glycol, Alcohol, Propylene Glycol, Methylparaben, Parfum
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Alanine is an amino acid and is already found in the human body. Our skin uses alanine to build collagen, elastin, and keratin.
Arginine 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 GlycolWe don't have a description for Cocamide Methyl Mea yet.
Cocamidopropyl Betaine is a fatty acid created by mixing similar compounds in coconut oil and dimethylaminopropylamine, a compound with two amino groups.
This ingredient is a surfactant and cleanser. It helps gather the dirt, pollutants, and other impurities in your skin to be washed away. It also helps thicken a product and make the texture more creamy.
Being created from coconut oil means Cocamidopropyl Betaine is hydrating for the skin.
While Cocamidopropyl Betaine was believed to be an allergen, a study from 2012 disproved this. It found two compounds in unpure Cocamidopropyl Betaine to be the irritants: aminoamide and 3-dimethylaminopropylamine. High-grade and pure Cocamidopropyl Betaine did not induce allergic reactions during this study.
Learn more about Cocamidopropyl BetaineGlycerin (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 GlycerinGlycine is the smallest amino acid and a key building block of collagen. It's part if 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.
A study from 2022 found that an amino acid complex featuring taurine, arginine, and glycine significantly reduced skin irritation, improved redness, and accelerated the skin repair process.
Histidine is a semi-essential amino acid used by our bodies to create protein. It has humectant and skin conditioning properties.
Our bodies use histidine to create filaggrin - filaggrin is a structural protein that the skin uses in maintaining skin barrier.
One study found histidine and carnosine to be a dynamic duo for your skin:
Oral histidine has also been found to help with filaggrin-deficit skin disorders such as atopic dermatitis.
Why is it considered a semi-essential amino acid? This is because adults are able to create it but children must get it from their diet.
Learn more about HistidineIsoleucine is an amino acid that helps reinforce our skin barrier. This amino acid plays a role in creating protein for the body.
Fun fact: Isoleucine is found in meat, fish, dairy, legumes, and nuts.
Lecithin is a term for a group of substances found in the cell membranes of plants, animals, and humans. They are made up of phospholipids.
Thanks to its amphiphilic structure (water-loving head and oil-loving tail), it is a true multitasker:
It plays well with most ingredients and is typically used at 0.1-1%. However, concentrations up to 50% have been reported in moisturizers.
Depending on the source of this ingredient, lecithin may not be fungal acne safe. This is because some sources of lecithin come from soybean oil, which may feed the malassezia yeast that causes fungal acne.
We recommend reaching out to the brand you are purchasing from to inquire about the source of their lecithin.
Learn more about LecithinParfum is a catch-all term for an ingredient or more that is used to give a scent to products.
Also called "fragrance", this ingredient can be a blend of hundreds of chemicals or plant oils. This means every product with "fragrance" or "parfum" in the ingredients list is a different mixture.
For instance, Habanolide is a proprietary trade name for a specific aroma chemical. When used as a fragrance ingredient in cosmetics, most aroma chemicals fall under the broad labeling category of āFRAGRANCEā or āPARFUMā according to EU and US regulations.
The term 'parfum' or 'fragrance' is not regulated in many countries. In many cases, it is up to the brand to define this term.
For instance, many brands choose to label themselves as "fragrance-free" because they are not using synthetic fragrances. However, their products may still contain ingredients such as essential oils that are considered a fragrance by INCI standards.
One example is Calendula flower extract. Calendula is an essential oil that still imparts a scent or 'fragrance'.
Depending on the blend, the ingredients in the mixture can cause allergies and sensitivities on the skin. Some ingredients that are known EU allergens include linalool and citronellol.
Parfum can also be used to mask or cover an unpleasant scent.
The bottom line is: not all fragrances/parfum/ingredients are created equally. If you are worried about fragrances, we recommend taking a closer look at an ingredient. And of course, we always recommend speaking with a professional.
Learn more about ParfumPhenoxyethanol is a preservative that has germicide, antimicrobial, and aromatic properties. Studies show that phenoxyethanol can prevent microbial growth. By itself, it has a scent that is similar to that of a rose.
It's often used in formulations along with Caprylyl Glycol to preserve the shelf life of products.
Phenylalanine is an amino acid. It is a skin soothing and hydrating ingredient. Amino acids play a crucial role in wound healing and skin hydration.
This ingredient is also used to help even out skin tone due to its ability to disrupt the melanin production process.
Two structures of phenylalanine exist: L-phenylalanine and D-phenylalanine. L-phenylalanine is essential, this means our bodies cannot produce it naturally and we must get it from foods. Our bodies convert D-phenylalanine to neurotransmitters, and D-phenylalanine is found in our bodies naturally.
Some foods that contain L-phenylalanine include eggs, soybeans, beef, milk.
Learn more about PhenylalaninePolyquaternium-10 is an ammonium salt of hydroxyethylcellulose. It is a white and granular powder used as a film-former and anti-static agent.
This ingredient is commonly found in hair conditioning products. According to a manufacturer, its positive charge makes it great for absorbing hair proteins. The manufacturer also states this ingredient helps with curl retention.
For haircare friends: this ingredient is not a silicone.
Learn more about Polyquaternium-10Proline is a non-essential amino acid, meaning your body can make it on its own. In skincare, it is a skin conditioning ingredient that keeps skin soft and hydrated.
It makes up about 23% of the collagen molecule (collagen is the protein responsible for keeping your skin firm) and is involved in your skin's natural hyaluronic acid production. When applied topically, proline can penetrate the skin fairly well due to its small molecular size.
Reviews of this ingredient have found it to be neither a dermal irritant nor a sensitizer.
Fun fact: Proline can be found in protein-rich foods like meat, fish, eggs, and dairy.
Learn more about ProlineSerine is a non-essential amino acid (your body makes it on its own!). It is a major player in 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.
Serine is one of your NMF's most abundant components that works as a skin-identical humectant. Its hydroxyl group grabs onto water molecules to boost hydration without any heaviness or occlusion.
Research on a hydrogel with serine confirmed this serine got delivered to your stratum corneum and demonstrated enhanced skin moisturization.
Interestingly serine also helps your skin produce filaggrin, a protein that keeps your skin barrier strong and used to create collagen.
Learn more about SerineThreonine is an amino-acid. It helps hydrate the skin and has antioxidant benefits.
Our skin uses threonine for creating collagen and elastin. Humans are not able to create threonine and must get it through eating foods such as fish, lentils, poultry, sesame seeds, and more.
Valine is an essential amino acid. It is used by our bodies for tissue repair and muscle growth.
An essential amino acid is one in which our bodies cannot naturally produce so we must get them through diet. Foods such as eggs, dairy, red meat, and fish contain valine.
This ingredient can either be derived from an animal product or be synthetically created.
Learn more about ValineWater. 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 WaterWe don't have a description for Sodium Lauroyl Methylalanine yet.