What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Glycerin
Humectant
Water
Skin ConditioningPrunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Cocoyl Glycinate
Cleansing
Coconut Acid
Cleansing
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingHydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate
Polyquaternium-67
Houttuynia Cordata Powder
Skin ConditioningGardenia Florida Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningDextrin
AbsorbentButylene Glycol
Humectant
Citrus Aurantium Amara Flower Oil
Masking
Disodium EDTA
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Squalane
Emollient
Punica Granatum Fruit Extract
Antioxidant
Oryza Sativa Lees Extract
Skin ConditioningOryza Sativa Extract
Absorbent
Avena Sativa Kernel Extract
Abrasive
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Glycosphingolipids
EmollientPotassium Hyaluronate
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
Humectant
Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
Skin Conditioning
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
Humectant
Glycerin, Water, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Sodium Cocoyl Glycinate, Coconut Acid, Xanthan Gum, Hydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate, Polyquaternium-67, Houttuynia Cordata Powder, Gardenia Florida Fruit Extract, Dextrin, Butylene Glycol, Citrus Aurantium Amara Flower Oil, Disodium EDTA, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Squalane, Punica Granatum Fruit Extract, Oryza Sativa Lees Extract, Oryza Sativa Extract, Avena Sativa Kernel Extract, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Sodium Hyaluronate, Ceramide NP, Glycosphingolipids, Potassium Hyaluronate, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Hyaluronic Acid, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Pentylene Glycol, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Sodium Cocoyl Glycinate
Cleansing
Lauryl Hydroxysultaine
CleansingCoco-Glucoside
Cleansing
Sodium Lauroyl Glutamate
Quillaja Saponaria Bark Extract
CleansingHydrolyzed Vegetable Protein
Skin ConditioningHydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
Humectant
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
Humectant
Potassium Hyaluronate
Skin ConditioningPanthenol
Skin Conditioning
Zinc PCA
Humectant
Decyl Glucoside
Cleansing
Hectorite
AbsorbentPentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Hydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Betaine
Humectant
Polyquaternium-67
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingCitric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Chloride
MaskingSodium Phytate
Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate
Cleansing
Maltodextrin
Absorbent
Water, Glycerin, Sodium Cocoyl Glycinate, Lauryl Hydroxysultaine, Coco-Glucoside, Sodium Lauroyl Glutamate, Quillaja Saponaria Bark Extract, Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Hyaluronic Acid, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Potassium Hyaluronate, Panthenol, Zinc PCA, Decyl Glucoside, Hectorite, Pentylene Glycol, Caprylyl Glycol, Hydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Betaine, Polyquaternium-67, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Citric Acid, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Phytate, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Maltodextrin
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Glycerin (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 GlycerinHyaluronic acid (HA) is a glycosaminoglycan (basically a long sugar chain) that your skin already makes on its own. In your skin, HA lives in the extracellular matrix and acts as the body's moisture reservoir.
Topically, HA is a humectant that binds water and helps skin look more plump, smooth, and hydrated.
The only catch is that HA isn't a single thing; it actually comes in a wide range of molecular weights (~50 - 2,000+ kDA) and size matters.
Some clinical evidence links low molecular weight versions to improved wrinkle depth, elasticity, anti-inflammatory effects, and barrier repair.
This is why the best HA serums blend the two sizes together so you get the best of both worlds.
The majority of cosmetic HA is produced by bacterial fermentation, typically using Streptococcus or Bacillus strains. Typical use levels in skincare sit around 0.1-2%.
A clinical study using a 0.2% low-molecular weight HA gel showed improvement in facial seborrheic dermatitis with excellent tolerance.
These are some other common types of Hyaluronic Acid:
Learn more about Hyaluronic AcidHydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid is hyaluronic acid (HA) that is broken down into lower molecular weight fragments.
It's a humectant that pulls and holds water in the skin to help with hydration, plumpness, and reduce transepidermal water loss.
Because hydrolyzed hyaluronic acid is smaller in size, it can slip past your outermost layer of skin more easily than full-sized HA.
Most formulations will combine all sizes to get the best of both worlds.
Typical usage levels range from 0.01-1%. Any percentage higher than 2% might become goopy and tacky.
Learn more about Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic AcidThis ingredient is created by putting sodium hyaluronate through hydrolysis.
You might know this as 'mini' or 'ultra low-molecular weight' hyaluronic acid. The small molecule size means it is able to travel deeper in the skin.
According to studies, low molecular-weight hyaluronic acid can:
One study from 2011 found ultra-low weight HA to show pro-inflammatory properties. Another study from 2022 found it to downregulate UV-B induced inflammation.
Hydrolysis is a process of changing a molecule using water or enzymes.
This ingredient is water-soluble.
Learn more about Hydrolyzed Sodium HyaluronateHydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate is a modified starch used to help thicken a product.
It is also used in foods.
This form of hyaluronic acid is produced through fermentation.
According to a manufacturer, it has a positive charge by ionic binding to help moisturize and give hair a smooth feel. This is why you'll find this ingredient in shampoos and body washes.
Pentylene 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 GlycolWe don't have a description for Polyquaternium-67 yet.
Potassium hyaluronate (PH) is a salt form of hyaluronic acid and has similar skin hydrating benefits.
Similar to hyaluronic acid, PH is able to draw and hold moisture to your skin. This helps keep skin soft and hydrated.
Fun fact: PH is used in eye drops and injectable treatments for joint disorders. It has lubricating and tissue-repair properties.
Learn more about Potassium HyaluronateSodium Acetylated Hyaluronate is a type of Hyaluronic Acid.
Hyaluronic Acids help moisturize, soothe, and protect the skin.
Read about common types of Hyaluronic Acid here:
Learn more about Sodium Acetylated HyaluronateSodium Cocoyl Glycinate is a cleansing agent. It can be naturally derived or synthetically-created.
As a surfactant, it helps clean your skin by gathering dirt, oil, and other pollutants to be rinsed away more easily.
Sodium 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 HyaluronateSodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer is a crosslinked version of sodium hyaluronate. This just means it's linked into a 3D mesh network that lets it be more stable and sit on skin as a cohesive, gel-like film rather than sinking into skin.
A 2016 human skin study found crosslinked HA increased epidermal water content by 7.6% over the control group and reduced transepidermal water loss by 27.8%.
A follow-up clinical trial found that a topical crosslinked HA serum applied after fillers, microneedling, or chemical peels was well-tolerated and enhanced skin quality at 14 / 28 days.
More recent research suggests that concentrations as low as 0.03% can act as a penetration enhancer for other skincare actives.
Learn more about Sodium Hyaluronate CrosspolymerWater. 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
