What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningDipropylene Glycol
HumectantCellulose
Absorbent
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Houttuynia Cordata Flower/Leaf/Stem Water
Antimicrobial
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingTromethamine
BufferingAllantoin
Skin Conditioning
Carthamus Tinctorius Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
Solvent
Dextrin
AbsorbentGardenia Florida Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
Theobroma Cacao Extract
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Aloe Ferox Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningBioflavonoids
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Capryloyl Salicylic Acid
Exfoliating
Brassica Oleracea Italica Extract
AstringentEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningWater, Dipropylene Glycol, Cellulose, 1,2-Hexanediol, Houttuynia Cordata Flower/Leaf/Stem Water, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Tromethamine, Allantoin, Carthamus Tinctorius Flower Extract, Propanediol, Dextrin, Gardenia Florida Fruit Extract, Disodium EDTA, Theobroma Cacao Extract, Glycerin, Aloe Ferox Leaf Extract, Bioflavonoids, Sodium Hyaluronate, Caprylyl Glycol, Capryloyl Salicylic Acid, Brassica Oleracea Italica Extract, Ethylhexylglycerin
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Sodium Cocoyl Alaninate
Surfactant
Lauryl Hydroxysultaine
CleansingDisodium Cocoamphodiacetate
CleansingSodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate
Cleansing
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingButylene Glycol
Humectant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Chloride
MaskingCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Coco-Glucoside
Cleansing
Artemisia Annua Extract
MaskingCitric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate
Cleansing
Betula Platyphylla Japonica Juice
Skin Conditioning
Anthemis Nobilis Flower Oil
Masking
Disodium EDTA
Pinus Sylvestris Leaf Oil
Masking
Hexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingQuillaja Saponaria Bark Extract
CleansingGlyceryl Caprylate
EmollientGlyceryl Glucoside
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Ascorbic Acid
Antioxidant
Water, Glycerin, Sodium Cocoyl Alaninate, Lauryl Hydroxysultaine, Disodium Cocoamphodiacetate, Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Butylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Sodium Chloride, Caprylyl Glycol, Coco-Glucoside, Artemisia Annua Extract, Citric Acid, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Betula Platyphylla Japonica Juice, Anthemis Nobilis Flower Oil, Disodium EDTA, Pinus Sylvestris Leaf Oil, Hexylene Glycol, Quillaja Saponaria Bark Extract, Glyceryl Caprylate, Glyceryl Glucoside, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hyaluronic Acid, Ascorbic Acid
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
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer is a synthetic polymer. It is used to thicken, emulsify, and improve the texture of products.
As an emulsifier, it helps stabilize oil-in-water emulsions to give products an elegant feel when applied.
It can also form a thin protective film on skin. One study found that a formula using this polymer helped slow down how quickly other ingredients (like DEET) were absorbed through skin.
A 2024 study of over 1,300 patients confirmed that sensitization to this ingredient is rare. It is also non-mutagenic and has a clean track record.
Learn more about Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate CrosspolymerCaprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.
Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.
Because it is not a free-fatty acid, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolDisodium 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 GlycerinSodium 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
