What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningHexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingPEG-7 Glyceryl Cocoate
EmulsifyingNiacinamide
SmoothingDecyl Glucoside
CleansingButylene Glycol
HumectantPropanediol
SolventPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeMannitol
HumectantGlycerin
HumectantXylitol
HumectantAllantoin
Skin ConditioningCetrimonium Bromide
AntimicrobialPanthenol
Skin ConditioningPropylene Glycol
HumectantSalicylic Acid
MaskingCucumis Sativus Fruit Extract
EmollientEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPotassium Hydroxide
BufferingCentella Asiatica Extract
CleansingBiosaccharide Gum-2
Skin ConditioningTetrasodium EDTA
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingPotassium Azeloyl Diglycinate
Skin ConditioningDeoxyphytantriyl Palmitamide Mea
Skin ConditioningHydrogenated Lecithin
EmulsifyingCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningCholesterol
EmollientPotassium Chloride
Caprylyl Glycol
EmollientChlorphenesin
AntimicrobialWater, Hexylene Glycol, PEG-7 Glyceryl Cocoate, Niacinamide, Decyl Glucoside, Butylene Glycol, Propanediol, Phenoxyethanol, Mannitol, Glycerin, Xylitol, Allantoin, Cetrimonium Bromide, Panthenol, Propylene Glycol, Salicylic Acid, Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract, Ethylhexylglycerin, Potassium Hydroxide, Centella Asiatica Extract, Biosaccharide Gum-2, Tetrasodium EDTA, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Potassium Azeloyl Diglycinate, Deoxyphytantriyl Palmitamide Mea, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Ceramide NP, Cholesterol, Potassium Chloride, Caprylyl Glycol, Chlorphenesin
Water
Skin ConditioningPoloxamer 184
EmulsifyingNiacinamide
SmoothingPotassium Laureth Phosphate
EmulsifyingSodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate
CleansingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativePEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
EmulsifyingLactic Acid
BufferingChlorphenesin
AntimicrobialTetrasodium EDTA
Panthenol
Skin ConditioningParfum
MaskingPropylene Glycol
HumectantGlycerin
HumectantRosa Alba Flower Extract
EmollientRosa Hybrid Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningDMDM Hydantoin
PreservativeWater, Poloxamer 184, Niacinamide, Potassium Laureth Phosphate, Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate, Phenoxyethanol, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Lactic Acid, Chlorphenesin, Tetrasodium EDTA, Panthenol, Parfum, Propylene Glycol, Glycerin, Rosa Alba Flower Extract, Rosa Hybrid Flower Extract, DMDM Hydantoin
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Chlorphenesin is a synthetic preservative. It helps protect a product against bacteria in order to extend shelf life. In most cases, Chlorphenesin is paired with other preservatives such as phenoxyethanol and caprylyl glycol.
Chlorphenesin is a biocide. This means it is able to help fight the microorganisms on our skin. It is also able to fight odor-releasing bacteria.
Chlorphenesin is soluble in both water and glycerin.
Studies show Chlorphenesin is easily absorbed by our skin. You should speak with a skincare professional if you have concerns about using Chlorphenesin.
Learn more about ChlorphenesinGlycerin (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 GlycerinNiacinamide is a multitasking form of vitamin B3 that strengthens the skin barrier, reduces pores and dark spots, regulates oil, and improves signs of aging.
And the best part? It's gentle and well-tolerated by most skin types, including sensitive and reactive skin.
You might have heard of "niacin flush", or the reddening of skin that causes itchiness. Niacinamide has not been found to cause this.
In very rare cases, some individuals may not be able to tolerate niacinamide at all or experience an allergic reaction to it.
If you are experiencing flaking, irritation, and dryness with this ingredient, be sure to double check all your products as this ingredient can be found in all categories of skincare.
When incorporating niacinamide into your routine, look out for concentration amounts. Typically, 5% niacinamide provides benefits such as fading dark spots. However, if you have sensitive skin, it is better to begin with a smaller concentration.
When you apply niacinamide to your skin, your body converts it into nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD). NAD is an essential coenzyme that is already found in your cells as "fuel" and powers countless biological processes.
In your skin, NAD helps repair cell damage, produce new healthy cells, support collagen production, strengthen the skin barrier, and fight environmental stressors (like UV and pollution).
Our natural NAD levels start to decline with age, leading to slower skin repair, visible aging, and a weaker skin barrier. By providing your skin niacinamide, you're recharging your skin's NAD levels. This leads to stronger, healthier, and younger looking skin.
Another name for vitamin B3 is nicotinamide. This vitamin is water-soluble and our bodies don't store it. We obtain Vitamin B3 from either food or skincare. Meat, fish, wheat, yeast, and leafy greens contain vitamin B3.
The type of niacinamide used in skincare is synthetically created.
Learn more about NiacinamidePanthenol 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 PanthenolPhenoxyethanol 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.
Propylene 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 GlycolTetrasodium EDTA is the salt formed from neutralizing ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid with sodium hydroxide. It is a chelating agent and used to prevent metal ions from binding to other ingredients. This helps keep the product and ingredients stable.
Tetrasodium EDTA comes as a white solid and is soluble in water.
Water. 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