What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningNiacinamide
SmoothingGlycerin
HumectantPropanediol
SolventDimethicone
EmollientPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeAmmonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate
EmulsifyingPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningPEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
EmulsifyingTrideceth-9
EmulsifyingBisabolol
AntioxidantPolysorbate 20
EmulsifyingChlorphenesin
AntimicrobialDisodium EDTA
Phenylethyl Resorcinol
AntioxidantPropylene Glycol
HumectantSclareolide
MaskingButylene Glycol
HumectantDimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Skin ConditioningGlycereth-20
HumectantParfum
MaskingAmodimethicone
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantCitric Acid
BufferingSilica
AbrasiveWater, Niacinamide, Glycerin, Propanediol, Dimethicone, Phenoxyethanol, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate, Pentylene Glycol, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Trideceth-9, Bisabolol, Polysorbate 20, Chlorphenesin, Disodium EDTA, Phenylethyl Resorcinol, Propylene Glycol, Sclareolide, Butylene Glycol, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Glycereth-20, Parfum, Amodimethicone, Carbomer, Sodium Hydroxide, Sodium Hyaluronate, Citric Acid, Silica
Water
Skin ConditioningNiacinamide
SmoothingMethyl Gluceth-20
HumectantGlycerin
HumectantPEG/PPG-20/20 Phenylisopropyl Caprylyl Dimethicone
Emulsion StabilisingPropanediol
SolventLavandula Angustifolia Flower Water
Skin ConditioningDipropylene Glycol
HumectantLactobacillus Ferment Lysate
Skin ConditioningNicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide
Skin ConditioningXanthan Gum
Emulsifying1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningPropylene Glycol
HumectantBis-PEG-12 Dimethicone
EmollientChlorphenesin
AntimicrobialGlycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
BleachingPolyglyceryl-10 Laurate
Skin ConditioningAllantoin
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
Lecithin
EmollientMadecassoside
AntioxidantPalmaria Palmata Extract
Skin ProtectingCysteamine Hcl
AntioxidantLeuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate
AntimicrobialGlyceryl Polyacrylate
Dimethylmethoxy Chromanyl Palmitate
Skin ConditioningBeta-Glucan
Skin ConditioningEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningWater, Niacinamide, Methyl Gluceth-20, Glycerin, PEG/PPG-20/20 Phenylisopropyl Caprylyl Dimethicone, Propanediol, Lavandula Angustifolia Flower Water, Dipropylene Glycol, Lactobacillus Ferment Lysate, Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide, Xanthan Gum, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Pentylene Glycol, Propylene Glycol, Bis-PEG-12 Dimethicone, Chlorphenesin, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Allantoin, Disodium EDTA, Lecithin, Madecassoside, Palmaria Palmata Extract, Cysteamine Hcl, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Glyceryl Polyacrylate, Dimethylmethoxy Chromanyl Palmitate, Beta-Glucan, Ethylhexylglycerin
Reviews
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 ChlorphenesinDisodium EDTA is a chelating agent. It grabs onto and deactivates metal ions that sneak into your products from water, packaging, or air.
This ingredient mainly works behind the scenes and helps with:
On top of that, this ingredient can counteract the effects of hard water by binding to the minerals in it.
One thing worth knowing is that Disodium EDTA has been shown to be a mild penetration enhancer. It can help other ingredients absorb into skin more effectively which can be a double-edged sword (great for actives, but can also make the active too strong if you have sensitive skin).
Clinical patch testing showed no significant skin irritation at typical use concentrations and minimal dermal absorption.
You'll most likely see this ingredient near the end of an ingredient list. It's typically found in concentrations less than 1%.
Learn more about Disodium EDTAGlycerin (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 NiacinamidePentylene glycol is typically used within a product to thicken it. It also adds a smooth, soft, and moisturizing feel to the product. It is naturally found in plants such as sugar beets.
The hydrophilic trait of Pentylene Glycol makes it a humectant. As a humectant, Pentylene Glycol helps draw moisture from the air to your skin. This can help keep your skin hydrated.
This property also makes Pentylene Glycol a great texture enhancer. It can also help thicken or stabilize a product.
Pentylene Glycol also acts as a mild preservative and helps to keep a product microbe-free.
Some people may experience mild eye and skin irritation from Pentylene Glycol. We always recommend speaking with a professional about using this ingredient in your routine.
Pentylene Glycol has a low molecular weight and is part of the 1,2-glycol family.
Learn more about Pentylene GlycolPropanediol 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 PropanediolPropylene 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 GlycolWater. 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