What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningAscorbyl Glucoside 10%
Antioxidant
Glycerin
Humectant
Salix Nigra Bark Extract
Skin ProtectingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingSodium Levulinate
Skin ConditioningHaematococcus Pluvialis Extract
Antioxidant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Astragalus Gummifer Gum
Emulsion StabilisingLevulinic Acid
Perfuming
Sodium Anisate
AntimicrobialPhytic Acid
Polyepsilon-Lysine
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
Antioxidant
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Water, Ascorbyl Glucoside 10%, Glycerin, Salix Nigra Bark Extract, Sodium Hydroxide, Sodium Levulinate, Haematococcus Pluvialis Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Astragalus Gummifer Gum, Levulinic Acid, Sodium Anisate, Phytic Acid, Polyepsilon-Lysine, Tocopherol, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Water
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
Solvent
Glycerin
Humectant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Betaine
Humectant
Erythritol
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Lactobacillus Ferment Lysate
Skin Conditioning
Squalane
Emollient
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingDextrin
AbsorbentXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingTromethamine
BufferingGluconolactone
Skin Conditioning
Pyrus Malus Peel Extract
Antioxidant
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Carnosine
Skin Conditioning
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Hydrolyzed Carrot Extract
Skin ConditioningPentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Metaphosphate
BufferingSilica Dimethyl Silylate
EmollientTocopherol
Antioxidant
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCyclodextrin
AbsorbentMadecassoside
Antioxidant
Ascorbyl Tetraisopalmitate
Antioxidant
Salix Alba Bark Extract
Astringent
Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Humectant
Protease
Exfoliating
Tranexamic Acid
Astringent
Glutathione
Achillea Millefolium Extract
CleansingSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Beta-Carotene
Skin ConditioningFerulic Acid
Antimicrobial
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
Humectant
Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
Humectant
Water, Propanediol, Glycerin, 1,2-Hexanediol, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Betaine, Erythritol, Butylene Glycol, Lactobacillus Ferment Lysate, Squalane, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Dextrin, Xanthan Gum, Tromethamine, Gluconolactone, Pyrus Malus Peel Extract, Panthenol, Carnosine, Niacinamide, Allantoin, Hyaluronic Acid, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Hydrolyzed Carrot Extract, Pentylene Glycol, Sodium Metaphosphate, Silica Dimethyl Silylate, Tocopherol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Cyclodextrin, Madecassoside, Ascorbyl Tetraisopalmitate, Salix Alba Bark Extract, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Protease, Tranexamic Acid, Glutathione, Achillea Millefolium Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Beta-Carotene, Ferulic Acid, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
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 GlycerinHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil is a plant oil derived from the seeds of a sunflower.
It is rich in fatty acids, primarily linoleic acid and oleic acid. This gives it emollient and skin conditioning properties.
The reason this ingredient is so effective is because it forms a thin film on the skin that reduces transepidermal water loss (TEWL) while supplying linoleic acid to the stratum corneum to improve barrier strength.
The high linoleic acid content is particularly noteworthy for acne-prone skin.
Research suggests that acne-prone skin tends to be deficient in linoleic acid in sebum. Topical application may help replenish this to support a healthier follicular environment and less comedone-promoting sebum.
One randomized study found sunflower seed oil preserved skin barrier integrity in adult volunteers with and without atopic dermatitis (outperforming olive oil).
This ingredient is well-studied, gentle, and an effective emollient suitable for most skin types.
On fungal acne: This ingredient may not be Fungal acne (Malassezia folliculitis) safe. This is because it contains fatty acids with carbon chain lengths in the C11-C24 range.
Learn more about Helianthus Annuus Seed OilSodium 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 HyaluronateTocopherol is a fat-soluble antioxidant known as Vitamin E.
You'll find this ingredient in the vast majority of skincare (for good reason). It works to neutralize free radicals, or unstable molecules generated by UV exposure, pollution, and other environmental stressors, before they can cause oxidative damage to your skin cells.
Topically applied tocopherol has been shown to protect against UV damage by ramping up the skin's own natural defense enzymes.
It also acts as a skin conditioning agent; some studies show that regular topical use can improve the skin's water-binding capacity over 2-4 weeks.
This ingredient is especially loved for being a team player. When combined with Vitamin C, the photoprotective effect of both ingredients roughly doubles and the combo also helps reduce UV-induced DNA damage.
This ingredient has some brightening potential but it's more of a prevention ingredient than spot-fader. Cell studies show it can slow down melanin production but it's worth noting that it's not the most powerful brightener out there.
In formulations, it also serves as a stabilizer that helps protect other oxidation-prone ingredients from degrading.
Concentrations usually range from 0.1-1% in most leave-on products.
Learn more about TocopherolWater. 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
