What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCoco-Caprylate/Caprate
Emollient
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Squalane
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil
Emollient
Ethyl Oleate
Emollient
Persea Gratissima Oil
Skin Conditioning
Polyglyceryl-4 Oleate
Emulsifying
Magnesium Sulfate
Oenothera Biennis Oil
Emollient
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Polyglyceryl-6 Oleate
Emulsifying
Zinc PCA
Humectant
Polyhydroxystearic Acid
Emulsifying
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Rice Protein
Skin ConditioningMaltodextrin
Absorbent
Citric Acid
Buffering
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingAlanyl Glutamine
HumectantArginine
Masking
Oligopeptide-177
Phenylalanine
Masking
Sisymbrium Irio Seed Oil
Masking
Sodium Chloride
MaskingDextran
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-8
Skin Conditioning
Water, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Squalane, Glycerin, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Ethyl Oleate, Persea Gratissima Oil, Polyglyceryl-4 Oleate, Magnesium Sulfate, Oenothera Biennis Oil, Panthenol, Polyglyceryl-6 Oleate, Zinc PCA, Polyhydroxystearic Acid, Butylene Glycol, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Tocopherol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Rice Protein, Maltodextrin, Citric Acid, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Tocopheryl Acetate, Xanthan Gum, Alanyl Glutamine, Arginine, Oligopeptide-177, Phenylalanine, Sisymbrium Irio Seed Oil, Sodium Chloride, Dextran, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-8
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialNiacinamide
Smoothing
Lactobacillus/Punica Granatum Fruit Ferment Extract
Antioxidant
Potassium Azeloyl Diglycinate
Skin Conditioning
Octadecenedioic Acid
Emulsifying
Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6
Emulsion StabilisingMaltodextrin
Absorbent
Rosa Canina Seed Oil
Emollient
Mel
EmollientSilver
Cosmetic ColorantTapioca Starch
Dimethyl Isosorbide
SolventDicaprylyl Ether
Emollient
Propanediol
Solvent
Caffeine
Skin Conditioning
Centella Asiatica Leaf Extract
Skin Conditioning
Ginkgo Biloba Leaf Extract
Skin Conditioning
Glycyrrhiza Inflata Root Extract
Skin Conditioning
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Pyruvic Acid
MaskingMandelic Acid
Antimicrobial
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Phospholipids
Skin Conditioning
Sphingolipids
Emollient
Syringa Vulgaris Leaf Cell Culture Extract
Skin ConditioningAscophyllum Nodosum Extract
Skin ConditioningMirabilis Jalapa Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract
Skin ConditioningRosmarinyl Glucoside
Antioxidant
Caffeyl Glucoside
Antioxidant
Gallyl Glucoside
Antioxidant
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-8
Skin Conditioning
Hydrolyzed Opuntia Ficus-Indica Flower Extract
Abrasive
Caprylhydroxamic Acid
Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate
Antimicrobial
T-Butyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningDextran
O-Cymen-5-Ol
Antimicrobial
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Sodium Gluconate
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Water, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Niacinamide, Lactobacillus/Punica Granatum Fruit Ferment Extract, Potassium Azeloyl Diglycinate, Octadecenedioic Acid, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Maltodextrin, Rosa Canina Seed Oil, Mel, Silver, Tapioca Starch, Dimethyl Isosorbide, Dicaprylyl Ether, Propanediol, Caffeine, Centella Asiatica Leaf Extract, Ginkgo Biloba Leaf Extract, Glycyrrhiza Inflata Root Extract, Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate, Pyruvic Acid, Mandelic Acid, Lactic Acid, Phospholipids, Sphingolipids, Syringa Vulgaris Leaf Cell Culture Extract, Ascophyllum Nodosum Extract, Mirabilis Jalapa Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract, Rosmarinyl Glucoside, Caffeyl Glucoside, Gallyl Glucoside, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-8, Hydrolyzed Opuntia Ficus-Indica Flower Extract, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, T-Butyl Alcohol, Tocopherol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Dextran, O-Cymen-5-Ol, Benzyl Alcohol, Sodium Gluconate, Phenoxyethanol
Reviews
Alternatives
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
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 GlycolDextran is a sugar (polysaccharide) with skin hydrating properties.
Fun fact: Louis Pasteur first discovered this ingredient as a microbial product in wine.
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 GlycerinMaltodextrin is a plant-derived carbohydrate made by breaking down starch (usually from corn, potato, or rice). In cosmetic formulas, it's a multitasking absorbent, emulsion stabilizer, and skin conditioner.
This ingredient is mostly used to stabilize emulsions and improve the powdery, non-greasy feel of products (like dry shampoos).
Safety-wise, this ingredient is pretty solid; it's even recognized as a food additive. Both animal and clinical studies found no adverse effects at the levels used in cosmetics.
Industry data shows this ingredient is used up to 45.7% in spray products and up to 33% in powder products.
Learn more about MaltodextrinThis synthetic peptide is created from palmitic acid, arginine, histidine, and phenylalanine.
According to the manufacturer, this peptide is great at soothing skin inflammation.
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 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
