What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantHydrogenated Palm Acid
Potassium Hydroxide
BufferingPotassium Cocoyl Glycinate
SurfactantSedum Sarmentosum Extract
HumectantSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantHydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate
Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
HumectantHydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
HumectantHyaluronic Acid
HumectantGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientPolyquaternium-7
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Phytate
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningAllantoin
Skin ConditioningPanthenol
Skin ConditioningSodium Bicarbonate
AbrasiveButylene Glycol
HumectantGlycine
BufferingSerine
MaskingGlutamic Acid
HumectantAspartic Acid
MaskingLeucine
Skin ConditioningAlanine
MaskingLysine
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
HumectantArginine
MaskingTyrosine
MaskingPhenylalanine
MaskingProline
Skin ConditioningThreonine
Valine
MaskingIsoleucine
Skin ConditioningHistidine
HumectantCysteine
AntioxidantMethionine
Skin ConditioningPotassium Hyaluronate
Skin ConditioningSodium Benzoate
MaskingWater, Glycerin, Hydrogenated Palm Acid, Potassium Hydroxide, Potassium Cocoyl Glycinate, Sedum Sarmentosum Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Hyaluronic Acid, Glyceryl Stearate, Polyquaternium-7, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Sodium Phytate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Allantoin, Panthenol, Sodium Bicarbonate, Butylene Glycol, Glycine, Serine, Glutamic Acid, Aspartic Acid, Leucine, Alanine, Lysine, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Arginine, Tyrosine, Phenylalanine, Proline, Threonine, Valine, Isoleucine, Histidine, Cysteine, Methionine, Potassium Hyaluronate, Sodium Benzoate
Glycerin
HumectantWater
Skin ConditioningSodium Cocoyl Isethionate
CleansingSodium Cocoyl Glycinate
CleansingPrunus Amygdalus Dulcis Seed Meal
Abrasive1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningCoconut Acid
CleansingSodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate
CleansingCellulose
AbsorbentOryza Sativa Powder
Sodium Isethionate
CleansingHamamelis Virginiana Extract
AntiseborrhoeicGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientHydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate
Propanediol
SolventSodium Chloride
MaskingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingArtemisia Caruifolia Powder
AbrasiveParfum
MaskingCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientDextrin
AbsorbentGardenia Florida Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningHexyl Cinnamal
PerfumingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningDipropylene Glycol
HumectantDisodium EDTA
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
EmollientButylene Glycol
HumectantCamellia Sinensis Leaf Powder
Olea Europaea Fruit Oil
MaskingSimmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
EmollientSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantLupinus Albus Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningPortulaca Oleracea Extract
Skin ConditioningAdansonia Digitata Fruit Extract
EmollientAnthemis Nobilis Flower Extract
MaskingCentella Asiatica Extract
CleansingChamaecyparis Obtusa Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningMelaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Extract
PerfumingOriganum Vulgare Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningSalix Alba Bark Extract
AstringentRosa Canina Fruit Extract
AstringentCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialCinnamomum Cassia Bark Extract
MaskingLactobacillus/Soybean Ferment Extract
Skin ConditioningNelumbo Nucifera Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningSaururus Chinensis Extract
Skin ConditioningScutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract
AstringentOryza Sativa Extract
AbsorbentFicus Carica Fruit Extract
HumectantLycium Chinense Fruit Extract
AntioxidantTocopherol
AntioxidantVigna Radiata Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningGlycerin, Water, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Sodium Cocoyl Glycinate, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Seed Meal, 1,2-Hexanediol, Coconut Acid, Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate, Cellulose, Oryza Sativa Powder, Sodium Isethionate, Hamamelis Virginiana Extract, Glyceryl Stearate, Hydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate, Propanediol, Sodium Chloride, Xanthan Gum, Artemisia Caruifolia Powder, Parfum, Caprylyl Glycol, Dextrin, Gardenia Florida Fruit Extract, Hexyl Cinnamal, Ethylhexylglycerin, Dipropylene Glycol, Disodium EDTA, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Butylene Glycol, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Powder, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Sodium Hyaluronate, Lupinus Albus Seed Extract, Portulaca Oleracea Extract, Adansonia Digitata Fruit Extract, Anthemis Nobilis Flower Extract, Centella Asiatica Extract, Chamaecyparis Obtusa Leaf Extract, Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Extract, Origanum Vulgare Leaf Extract, Salix Alba Bark Extract, Rosa Canina Fruit Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Cinnamomum Cassia Bark Extract, Lactobacillus/Soybean Ferment Extract, Nelumbo Nucifera Leaf Extract, Saururus Chinensis Extract, Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract, Oryza Sativa Extract, Ficus Carica Fruit Extract, Lycium Chinense Fruit Extract, Tocopherol, Vigna Radiata Seed Extract
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
1,2-Hexanediol is a synthetic liquid and another multi-functional powerhouse.
It is a:
- Humectant, drawing moisture into the skin
- Emollient, helping to soften skin
- Solvent, dispersing and stabilizing formulas
- Preservative booster, enhancing the antimicrobial activity of other preservatives
Butylene 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 GlycolGlycerin (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 GlycerinGlyceryl Stearate is made by reacting glycerin with stearic acid (typically sourced from plant oils like palm or coconut). It's an emulsifier, emollient, and mild occlusive.
Emulsifiers help ingredients like oil and water stay mixed so your formula stays nicely blended and uniform in texture.
This ingredient is typically used in concentrations between 1-10%. Studies have found it to be non-sensitizing, non-phototoxic, and non-photoallergenic.
A close cousin of this ingredient is Glyceryl Stearate SE ("self-emulsifying"). This just has a small amount of sodium or potassium stearate added so it can emulsify without a co-emulsifier.
Since this ingredient is an ester of a C18 fatty acid, it may not be fungal acne safe. The Malassezia yeast can potentially metabolize within the C11-C24 range.
Fun fact: The human body also creates Glyceryl Stearate naturally.
Learn more about Glyceryl StearateSodium Hyaluronate is the salt form of hyaluronic acid. It is a long sugar chain that is naturally found in your skin, joints, and connective tissue that maintains hydration and elasticity.
In skincare, it works as a humectant. It pulls water from the environment and deeper layers of skin and binds it to the surface.
Interestingly, the size of the molecule affects its behavior:
Some clinical evidence links low molecular weight versions to improved wrinkle depth, elasticity, anti-inflammatory effects, and barrier repair.
Many serums use a blend of both weights so you can get surface hydration plus longer-lasting and deeper effects.
You'll typically see concentrations between 0.1-2% for this ingredient.
Learn more about Sodium HyaluronateWater. 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