What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningPanthenol
Skin Conditioning
Methylpropanediol
SolventNiacinamide
Smoothing
Glycerin
Humectant
Thiamine Hcl
MaskingRiboflavin
Cosmetic ColorantNiacin
SmoothingCarnitine Hcl
HumectantPantothenic Acid
Skin ConditioningBiotin
AntiseborrhoeicFolic Acid
Skin ConditioningAscorbic Acid
Antioxidant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Cyanocobalamin
Skin ConditioningGlyceryl Linoleate
Emollient
Glyceryl Linolenate
Emollient
Glyceryl Arachidonate
Emollient
Opuntia Ficus-Indica Stem Extract
Skin Conditioning
Trehalose
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingArginine
Masking
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingAdenosine
Skin Conditioning
Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Humectant
Disodium EDTA
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Water, Panthenol, Methylpropanediol, Niacinamide, Glycerin, Thiamine Hcl, Riboflavin, Niacin, Carnitine Hcl, Pantothenic Acid, Biotin, Folic Acid, Ascorbic Acid, Tocopherol, Cyanocobalamin, Glyceryl Linoleate, Glyceryl Linolenate, Glyceryl Arachidonate, Opuntia Ficus-Indica Stem Extract, Trehalose, Sodium Hyaluronate, Allantoin, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Arginine, Xanthan Gum, Adenosine, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Disodium EDTA, 1,2-Hexanediol, Hydroxyacetophenone
Water
Skin ConditioningMethylpropanediol
SolventGlycerin
Humectant
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingArctium Lappa Root Extract
Skin Conditioning
Silybum Marianum Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningTromethamine
BufferingAdenosine
Skin Conditioning
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Centella Asiatica Root Extract
Skin Conditioning
Centella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Centella Asiatica Leaf Extract
Skin Conditioning
Madecassoside
Antioxidant
Asiaticoside
Antioxidant
Asiatic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Madecassic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
Skin Conditioning
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate
Potassium Hyaluronate
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
Humectant
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
Emollient
Laminaria Japonica Extract
Skin Protecting
Dioscorea Japonica Root Extract
Skin Conditioning
Ulmus Davidiana Root Extract
Skin Conditioning
Viola Mandshurica Flower Extract
Antioxidant
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Water, Methylpropanediol, Glycerin, Carbomer, Arctium Lappa Root Extract, Silybum Marianum Seed Extract, Tromethamine, Adenosine, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Hyaluronate, Allantoin, Panthenol, Centella Asiatica Root Extract, Centella Asiatica Extract, Centella Asiatica Leaf Extract, Madecassoside, Asiaticoside, Asiatic Acid, Madecassic Acid, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Hyaluronic Acid, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate, Potassium Hyaluronate, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Laminaria Japonica Extract, Dioscorea Japonica Root Extract, Ulmus Davidiana Root Extract, Viola Mandshurica Flower Extract, Hydroxyacetophenone, 1,2-Hexanediol
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
Adenosine is in every living organism. It is one of four components in nucleic acids that helps store our DNA.
Adenosine has many benefits when used. These benefits include hydrating the skin, smoothing skin, and reducing wrinkles. Once applied, adenosine increases collagen production. It also helps with improving firmness and tissue repair.
Studies have found adenosine may also help with wound healing.
In skincare products, Adenosine is usually derived from yeast.
Learn more about AdenosineAllantoin is a soothing ingredient known for its protective and moisturizing properties; it's basically a quiet workhorse ingredient you can find in a huge range of cosmetics.
Though it can be derived from the comfrey plant, allantoin is produced synthetically for cosmetic products to ensure purity.
Research shows it can encourage your skin cells to turn over and renew by stimulating keratinocyte and fibroblast proliferation.
It also has mild keratolytic properties to help loosen and shed dead skin cells without being harsh.
Studies also suggest allantoin can help calm inflammation by dialing down some of the chemical signals your skin sends out when it is irritated.
This ingredient is typically used in the 0.1-0.5% range, and the FDA recognizes it as a skin protectant in OTC products up to 2%.
Overall, allantoin is a wonderful addition to most routines; it is stable across a wide pH range (~4-8), works well with other ingredients, and is considered non-sensitizing/non-irritating.
Fun fact: Allantoin is naturally occurring in comfrey root, beets, chamomile, and wheat sprouts. Our bodies even produce it as a byproduct of uric acid metabolism.
Learn more about AllantoinGlycerin (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 GlycerinHydroxyacetophenone is antioxidant with skin conditioning and soothing properties. It also boosts the efficiency of preservatives.
Though naturally occuring in Norwegian spruce needles, this ingredient is usually synthetically created.
This ingredient is not irritating or sensitizing. Recent research also suggests it may have skin-brightening effects through tyrosinase inhibition.
Learn more about HydroxyacetophenoneMethylpropanediol is a synthetic solvent and humectant.
As a solvent, it helps dissolve other ingredients, helping to evenly distribute ingredients throughout the product. This ingredient has also been shown to have antimicrobial properties which makes it a preservative booster.
Methylpropanediol is able to add a bit of moisture to the skin. It also helps other ingredients be better absorbed into the skin, such as salicylic acid.
Learn more about MethylpropanediolPanthenol is a common ingredient that helps hydrate and soothe the skin. It is found naturally in our skin and hair.
There are two forms of panthenol: D and L.
D-panthenol is also known as dexpanthenol. Most cosmetics use dexpanthenol or a mixture of D and L-panthenol.
Panthenol is famous due to its ability to go deeper into the skin's layers. Using this ingredient has numerous pros (and no cons):
Like hyaluronic acid, panthenol is a humectant. Humectants are able to bind and hold large amounts of water to keep skin hydrated.
This ingredient works well for wound healing. It works by increasing tissue in the wound and helps close open wounds.
Once oxidized, panthenol converts to pantothenic acid. Panthothenic acid is found in all living cells.
This ingredient is also referred to as pro-vitamin B5.
Learn more about PanthenolSodium 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
