What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin Conditioning
Potassium Cetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingLactococcus Ferment Lysate
Skin Conditioning
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cocoglycerides
Emollient
Hydrogenated Palm Glycerides
Emollient
Hydrolyzed Yeast Protein
Skin ConditioningBeta Vulgaris Root Extract
Skin ConditioningFructooligosaccharides
Humectant
Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil
Emollient
Coco-Caprylate
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Mica
Cosmetic ColorantButylene Glycol
Humectant
Parfum
Masking
Potassium Lactate
BufferingPentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningLactic Acid
Buffering
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Linalool
Perfuming
Biosaccharide Gum-1
Humectant
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingBenzyl Salicylate
Perfuming
Sodium Chloride
MaskingAcer Rubrum Bark Extract
Skin ConditioningSodium Benzoate
Masking
Geraniol
Perfuming
CI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Glycerin, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Lactococcus Ferment Lysate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cocoglycerides, Hydrogenated Palm Glycerides, Hydrolyzed Yeast Protein, Beta Vulgaris Root Extract, Fructooligosaccharides, Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil, Coco-Caprylate, Phenoxyethanol, Mica, Butylene Glycol, Parfum, Potassium Lactate, Pentylene Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Lactic Acid, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Sodium Hyaluronate, Tocopherol, Linalool, Biosaccharide Gum-1, Benzyl Alcohol, Sodium Hydroxide, Benzyl Salicylate, Sodium Chloride, Acer Rubrum Bark Extract, Sodium Benzoate, Geraniol, CI 77891
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Carrageenan
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningSodium Chloride
MaskingPentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
Humectant
Citric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
Skin Conditioning
Tetradecyl Aminobutyroylvalylaminobutyric Urea Trifluoroacetate
Skin ConditioningMagnesium Chloride
Water, Glycerin, Phenoxyethanol, Carrageenan, Sodium Hyaluronate, Xanthan Gum, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Chloride, Pentylene Glycol, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Citric Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Tetradecyl Aminobutyroylvalylaminobutyric Urea Trifluoroacetate, Magnesium Chloride
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Ethylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:
The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure.
Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.
Learn more about EthylhexylglycerinGlycerin (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 GlycerinPentylene 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 GlycolPhenoxyethanol is a preservative that has germicide, antimicrobial, and aromatic properties. Studies show that phenoxyethanol can prevent microbial growth. By itself, it has a scent that is similar to that of a rose.
It's often used in formulations along with Caprylyl Glycol to preserve the shelf life of products.
Chances are, you eat sodium chloride every day. Sodium Chloride is also known as table salt. This ingredient has many purposes in skincare: thickener, emulsifier, and exfoliator.
You'll most likely find this ingredient in cleansers where it is used to create a gel-like texture. As an emulsifier, it also prevents ingredients from separating.
You might see people debate whether Sodium Chloride is comedogenic, but there actually haven't been any comedogenic tests done on it. Either way, the overall formulation of a product matters a lot more than any single ingredient.
You might see this ingredient used in scrubs as a primary exfoliating ingredient.
Learn more about Sodium ChlorideSodium 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
