What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningAluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate
Absorbent
Glycerin
Humectant
Isodecyl Neopentanoate
EmollientPPG-15 Stearyl Ether
EmollientCetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
PEG-100 Stearate
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Dimethicone
Emollient
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Ascophyllum Nodosum Extract
Skin ConditioningBHT
Antioxidant
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Ceteareth-33
CleansingDisodium EDTA
Retinal
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Dextran Sulfate
Gel Forming
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingTocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingWater, Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate, Glycerin, Isodecyl Neopentanoate, PPG-15 Stearyl Ether, Cetyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Dimethicone, 1,2-Hexanediol, Ascophyllum Nodosum Extract, BHT, Caprylyl Glycol, Ceteareth-33, Disodium EDTA, Retinal, Sodium Dextran Sulfate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Hydroxide, Tocopheryl Acetate, Xanthan Gum
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Alcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Isononyl Isononanoate
EmollientPentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Dicaprylyl Ether
Emollient
Glycine Soja Oil
Emollient
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
PEG-6 Caprylic/Capric Glycerides
EmulsifyingCitric Acid
Buffering
Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
Antioxidant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Retinol
Skin Conditioning
Dicaprylyl Carbonate
EmollientAmmonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate
Emulsion StabilisingButylene Glycol
Humectant
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Glyceryl Isostearate
Emollient
PPG-6-Decyltetradeceth-30
EmulsifyingTocopherol
Antioxidant
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingBenzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Citronellol
Perfuming
Isoeugenol
Perfuming
Limonene
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Parfum
Masking
Water, Glycerin, Alcohol Denat., Isononyl Isononanoate, Pentylene Glycol, Dicaprylyl Ether, Glycine Soja Oil, Propylene Glycol, PEG-6 Caprylic/Capric Glycerides, Citric Acid, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Retinol, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Butylene Glycol, Caprylyl Glycol, Glyceryl Isostearate, PPG-6-Decyltetradeceth-30, Tocopherol, Xanthan Gum, Benzyl Alcohol, Citronellol, Isoeugenol, Limonene, Linalool, Phenoxyethanol, Parfum
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Caprylyl 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 or alcohol, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl 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 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 WaterXanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.
On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.
Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.
Learn more about Xanthan Gum
