What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantEthylhexyl Salicylate
UV AbsorberC12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialButyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane
UV AbsorberDibutyl Adipate
EmollientPolyglyceryl-6 Stearate
EmollientTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantCetearyl Isononanoate
EmollientCetyl Alcohol
EmollientMyristyl Myristate
EmollientSodium Phenylbenzimidazole Sulfonate
UV AbsorberGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientPolyglyceryl-6 Behenate
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantHydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
Skin ConditioningXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingDisodium EDTA
Ethylhexyl Triazone
UV AbsorberBis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine
Skin ConditioningParfum
MaskingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeHydroxyacetophenone
AntioxidantLinalool
PerfumingGeraniol
PerfumingBenzyl Alcohol
PerfumingCitronellol
PerfumingWater, Glycerin, Ethylhexyl Salicylate, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, Dibutyl Adipate, Polyglyceryl-6 Stearate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Cetearyl Isononanoate, Cetyl Alcohol, Myristyl Myristate, Sodium Phenylbenzimidazole Sulfonate, Glyceryl Stearate, Polyglyceryl-6 Behenate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Xanthan Gum, Disodium EDTA, Ethylhexyl Triazone, Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine, Parfum, Phenoxyethanol, Hydroxyacetophenone, Linalool, Geraniol, Benzyl Alcohol, Citronellol
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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 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