What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningEthylhexyl Methoxycinnamate
UV Absorber
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane
UV Absorber
Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate
Absorbent
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Cetearyl Olivate
Propanediol
Solvent
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Octocrylene
UV Absorber
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingSorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Polymethyl Methacrylate
Aminomethyl Propanol
BufferingAllantoin
Skin Conditioning
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Salicylic Acid
Masking
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingTriethylene Glycol
Masking
Ethylhexyl Triazone
UV Absorber
Tetrasodium EDTA
Lecithin
Emollient
BHT
Antioxidant
Water, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Niacinamide, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate, Phenoxyethanol, Cetearyl Olivate, Propanediol, Butylene Glycol, Octocrylene, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Sorbitan Olivate, Polymethyl Methacrylate, Aminomethyl Propanol, Allantoin, Panthenol, Salicylic Acid, Xanthan Gum, Triethylene Glycol, Ethylhexyl Triazone, Tetrasodium EDTA, Lecithin, BHT
Water
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Hydroxyethyl Urea
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Dimethicone
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Stearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Urea
Buffering
BHT
Antioxidant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Palmitic Acid
Emollient
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingStearic Acid
Cleansing
Aminomethyl Propanol
BufferingDisodium EDTA
Titanium Dioxide
Cosmetic Colorant
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingEthanolamine
BufferingOleth-10
EmulsifyingPolysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Aluminum Hydroxide
EmollientMethyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer
Triethoxycaprylylsilane
Simethicone
Emollient
Water, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Hydroxyethyl Urea, Butylene Glycol, Dimethicone, Glycerin, Stearyl Alcohol, Allantoin, Panthenol, Urea, BHT, Phenoxyethanol, Cetyl Alcohol, Palmitic Acid, Carbomer, Stearic Acid, Aminomethyl Propanol, Disodium EDTA, Titanium Dioxide, Ethylhexylglycerin, Xanthan Gum, Ethanolamine, Oleth-10, Polysorbate 60, Aluminum Hydroxide, Methyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Simethicone
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
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 AllantoinAminomethyl Propanol is used to adjust the pH of products. It is also used as a base to create other organic compounds. Having a balanced pH is important for protecting your skin.
Aminomethyl propanol is safe to use in cosmetics up to 1%. It is soluble in water.
BHT is a synthetic antioxidant and preservative.
As an antioxidant, it helps your body fight off free-radicals. Free-radicals are molecules that may damage your skin cells.
As a preservative, it is used to stabilize products and prevent them from degrading. Specifically, BHT prevents degradation from oxidation.
The concerns related to BHT come from oral studies; this ingredient is currently allowed for use by both the FDA and EU.
However, it was recently restricted for use in the UK as of April 2024.
Learn more about BHTButylene 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 GlycolPanthenol 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 one of the most widely used preservatives in skincare (and for good reason!).
It has a large spectrum of antimicrobial activity and especially effective bacteria, yeast, and mold while only having a weak effect on your skin's natural microbiome.
On a cellular level, it disrupts the cell membranes of microbes by poking holes that make the cell leak. This shuts down the chemical reactions the microbe needs to make energy so it can no longer survive.
Another perk of this ingredient is that it stays functional across a wide pH range (3-10).
You'll often see it paired with boosters like Ethylhexylglycerin; one study showed that a 1:9 ratio of Ethylhexylglycerin to Phenoxyethanol damages bacterial membranes as effectively as doubling the Phenoxyethanol concentration on its own.
Typical use concentrations range from 0.3-1% depending on the formula, and this ingredient is capped at 1% int the EU.
Safety-wise, the fear mongering does not hold up to the evidence. The EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety and FDA consider it safe as a preservative at up to 1%, including for children of all ages.
Adverse systemic effects only showed up in animal studies at exposures roughly 200x higher than what people get from cosmetics. And despite its very widespread use, this ingredient is a rare sensitizer and allergic reactions are uncommon.
Learn more about PhenoxyethanolWater. 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
