What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
C9-12 Alkane
SolventCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Pentaerythrityl Tetracaprylate/Tetracaprate
EmollientAscorbyl Glucoside
Antioxidant
Bakuchiol
Antimicrobial
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Acacia Senegal Gum
MaskingButylene Glycol
Humectant
Citric Acid
Buffering
Coco-Caprylate/Caprate
Emollient
Parfum
Masking
Glyceryl Behenate
Emollient
Glyceryl Dibehenate
Emollient
Sodium Citrate
BufferingSodium Dilauramidoglutamide Lysine
HumectantSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingTocopheryl Glucoside
EmollientTribehenin
Emollient
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingWater, Glycerin, Niacinamide, Pentylene Glycol, C9-12 Alkane, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Pentaerythrityl Tetracaprylate/Tetracaprate, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Bakuchiol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Acacia Senegal Gum, Butylene Glycol, Citric Acid, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Parfum, Glyceryl Behenate, Glyceryl Dibehenate, Sodium Citrate, Sodium Dilauramidoglutamide Lysine, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Hydroxide, Tocopheryl Glucoside, Tribehenin, Xanthan Gum
Water
Skin ConditioningDipropylene Glycol
HumectantPropanediol
Solvent
Ascorbic Acid
Antioxidant
2,3-Butanediol
HumectantGlycerin
Humectant
Alcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Glycosyl Trehalose
Emulsion StabilisingHydrogenated Starch Hydrolysate
Humectant1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Sorbitol
Humectant
Polyglyceryl-10 Stearate
Skin Conditioning
Polyglyceryl-10 Oleate
Skin Conditioning
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Madecassoside
Antioxidant
Trehalose
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Vetiveria Zizanoides Root Oil
Masking
Dextrin
AbsorbentSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Carthamus Tinctorius Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningTheobroma Cacao Seed Extract
Antioxidant
Ganoderma Lucidum Mycelium/Panax Ginseng Root Ferment Extract Filtrate
HumectantFerulic Acid
Antimicrobial
Squalane
Emollient
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Cinnamomum Cassia Leaf Oil
Masking
Rosa Damascena Flower Oil
Masking
Glycine Soja Oil
Emollient
Disodium EDTA
Tromethamine
BufferingWater, Dipropylene Glycol, Propanediol, Ascorbic Acid, 2,3-Butanediol, Glycerin, Alcohol Denat., Panthenol, Glycosyl Trehalose, Hydrogenated Starch Hydrolysate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Sorbitol, Polyglyceryl-10 Stearate, Polyglyceryl-10 Oleate, Allantoin, Madecassoside, Trehalose, Butylene Glycol, Vetiveria Zizanoides Root Oil, Dextrin, Sodium Hyaluronate, Carthamus Tinctorius Flower Extract, Theobroma Cacao Seed Extract, Ganoderma Lucidum Mycelium/Panax Ginseng Root Ferment Extract Filtrate, Ferulic Acid, Squalane, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Ceramide NP, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Cinnamomum Cassia Leaf Oil, Rosa Damascena Flower Oil, Glycine Soja Oil, Disodium EDTA, Tromethamine
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
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 GlycolThis ingredient is a lightweight emollient, solvent, and texture enhancer. It is considered a skin-softener by helping the skin prevent moisture loss.
It helps thicken a product's formula and makes it easier to spread by dissolving clumping compounds.
Caprylic Triglyceride is made by combining glycerin with coconut oil, forming a clear liquid. Though it behaves like an oil, it is not technically one due to its chemical composition. It is very stable, resistant to oxidation, and unlikely to go rancid. In practice, that translates to a long shelf life and a consistently elegant skin feel.
While there is an assumption Caprylic Triglyceride can clog pores due to it being derived from coconut oil, there is no research supporting this. Be sure to patch test if you have concerns.
Fractionated coconut oil and MCT Oil are both listed as Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride according to INCI. This is because INCI names are based on the ingredient’s final chemical composition and not its marketing name or source.
Learn more about Caprylic/Capric TriglycerideGlycerin (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
