What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Ethylhexanoate
Emollient
Octyldodecanol
Emollient
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate
Absorbent
Cetearyl Glucoside
Emulsifying
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Dimethicone
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane
UV Absorber
Ethylhexyl Triazone
UV Absorber
Hydrogenated Coco-Glycerides
Emollient
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Elaeis Guineensis Oil
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate Citrate
Emollient
Methylene Bis-Benzotriazolyl Tetramethylbutylphenol
UV Filter
Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingIsohexadecane
EmollientPolysorbate 80
Emulsifying
Troxerutin
Skin Conditioning
Saccharomyces/Zinc Ferment
Skin Conditioning
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Escin
TonicSodium Polyacrylate
Absorbent
PEG-8
HumectantTocopherol
Antioxidant
Ascorbyl Palmitate
Antioxidant
Ascorbic Acid
Antioxidant
Citric Acid
Buffering
Methylparaben
Preservative
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Water, Cetearyl Ethylhexanoate, Octyldodecanol, Propylene Glycol, Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate, Cetearyl Glucoside, Cetearyl Alcohol, Dimethicone, Glycerin, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, Ethylhexyl Triazone, Hydrogenated Coco-Glycerides, Panthenol, Elaeis Guineensis Oil, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Methylene Bis-Benzotriazolyl Tetramethylbutylphenol, Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Isohexadecane, Polysorbate 80, Troxerutin, Saccharomyces/Zinc Ferment, Butylene Glycol, Allantoin, Escin, Sodium Polyacrylate, PEG-8, Tocopherol, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Ascorbic Acid, Citric Acid, Methylparaben, Hydroxyacetophenone
Water
Skin ConditioningEthylhexyl Methoxycinnamate
UV Absorber
Glycerin
Humectant
Octocrylene
UV Absorber
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Dimethicone
Emollient
Potassium Cetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingTitanium Dioxide
Cosmetic Colorant
Paraffinum Liquidum
Emollient
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane
UV Absorber
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialEthylhexyl Triazone
UV Absorber
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Ascorbyl Tetraisopalmitate
Antioxidant
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Rumex Occidentalis Extract
Skin ConditioningNonapeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
BHA
Antioxidant
Simethicone
Emollient
Methylene Bis-Benzotriazolyl Tetramethylbutylphenol
UV Filter
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingTriethanolamine
BufferingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingAlumina
Abrasive
Decyl Glucoside
Cleansing
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Palmitic Acid
Emollient
Dextran
Diazolidinyl Urea
Preservative
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Parfum
Masking
Water, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Glycerin, Octocrylene, Butylene Glycol, Propylene Glycol, Cetyl Alcohol, Dimethicone, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Titanium Dioxide, Paraffinum Liquidum, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, 1,2-Hexanediol, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Ethylhexyl Triazone, Tocopheryl Acetate, Ascorbyl Tetraisopalmitate, Niacinamide, Allantoin, Rumex Occidentalis Extract, Nonapeptide-1, BHA, Simethicone, Methylene Bis-Benzotriazolyl Tetramethylbutylphenol, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Triethanolamine, Xanthan Gum, Alumina, Decyl Glucoside, Stearic Acid, Palmitic Acid, Dextran, Diazolidinyl Urea, Phenoxyethanol, Parfum
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 AllantoinAlso known as Avobenzone, this ingredient is a chemical sunscreen filter that provides protection in the UV-A range.
Avobenzone is globally approved and is the most commonly used UV-A filter in the world.
Studies have found that avobenzone becomes ineffective when exposed to UV light (it is not photostable; meaning that it breaks down in sunlight). Because of this, formulations that include avobenzone will usually contain stabilizers such as octocrylene.
However, some modern formulations (looking at you, EU!) are able to stabilize avobenzone by coating the molecules.
Avobenzone does not protect against the UV-B range, so it's important to check that the sunscreen you're using contains other UV filters that do!
The highest concentration of avobenzone permitted is 3% in the US, and 5% in the EU.
Learn more about Butyl MethoxydibenzoylmethaneButylene 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 GlycolDimethicone is a type of synthetic silicone created from natural materials such as quartz. It is also known as polydimethylsiloxane.
What it does:
Dimethicone comes in different viscosities:
Depending on the viscosity, dimethicone has different properties.
Ingredients lists don't always show which type is used, so we recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about the viscosity.
This ingredient is unlikely to cause irritation because it does not get absorbed into skin. However, people with silicone allergies should be careful about using this ingredient.
Note: Dimethicone may contribute to pilling. This is because it is not oil or water soluble, so pilling may occur when layered with products. When mixed with heavy oils in a formula, the outcome is also quite greasy.
Learn more about DimethiconeEthylhexyl Triazone is a modern chemical sunscreen that protects from UV-B radiation.
It is the most effective of existing UV-B filters, as it provides the highest level of photo-stable absorption. It protects from the entire UV-B range (280 to 320nm), with it's highest level of protection at 314nm.
Ethylhexyl Triazone is oil soluble, oderless and colorless, which mean it is able to be incorporated into a variety of different formulations.
It is not currently available within the United States due to slow changing FDA regulations. Outside of the US, it is used in formulations at concentrations up to 5%.
Learn more about Ethylhexyl TriazoneGlycerin (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 GlycerinMethylene Bis-Benzotriazolyl Tetramethylbutylphenol (Tinosorb M) is a hybrid and broad-spectrum UV ingredient. It is both a UV absorber and filter.
UV absorbers are an agent that absorbs UV rays. They protect your skin by using chemical reactions to convert UV rays into heat and energy. UV filters physically reduce the amount of UV rays from reaching your skin.
Tinosorb M covers a range of 280-400 nm and is photostable. This ingredient is neither oil or water soluble.
Tinosorb M is not available in the US. However, it is available in the EU and Asia.
It's sister, Tinosorb S, is set to be approved in the US by late 2025 (fingers crossed!).
Learn more about Methylene Bis-Benzotriazolyl TetramethylbutylphenolPropylene 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
