What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
Solvent
Glycerin
Humectant
Squalane
Emollient
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Prunus Domestica Seed Extract
EmollientPolyglyceryl-10 Dioleate
Emulsifying
Polyglyceryl-3 Caprate
EmulsifyingMaltodextrin
Absorbent
Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingGlyceryl Oleate
Emollient
Sorbitan Caprylate
EmulsifyingHydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
Skin Conditioning
Cellulose
Absorbent
Biosaccharide Gum-1
Humectant
Cellulose Gum
Emulsion StabilisingCystoseira Tamariscifolia Extract
Skin ConditioningPhytic Acid
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Citric Acid
Buffering
Benzaldehyde
Masking
Water, Propanediol, Glycerin, Squalane, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Prunus Domestica Seed Extract, Polyglyceryl-10 Dioleate, Polyglyceryl-3 Caprate, Maltodextrin, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Glyceryl Oleate, Sorbitan Caprylate, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Cellulose, Biosaccharide Gum-1, Cellulose Gum, Cystoseira Tamariscifolia Extract, Phytic Acid, Hydroxyacetophenone, Sodium Benzoate, Citric Acid, Benzaldehyde
Water
Skin ConditioningDipropylene Glycol
HumectantGlycerin
Humectant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Squalane
Emollient
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Cellulose Gum
Emulsion StabilisingPullulan
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Trehalose
Humectant
Ectoin
Skin Conditioning
Cetearyl Olivate
Sorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
Skin Conditioning
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate
Potassium Hyaluronate
Skin ConditioningPentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
Humectant
Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
Humectant
Xylitylglucoside
Humectant
Anhydroxylitol
Humectant
Xylitol
Humectant
Sodium Phytate
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningWater, Dipropylene Glycol, Glycerin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Panthenol, Squalane, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Cellulose Gum, Pullulan, Allantoin, Trehalose, Ectoin, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, Ceramide NP, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Hyaluronic Acid, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate, Potassium Hyaluronate, Pentylene Glycol, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Xylitylglucoside, Anhydroxylitol, Xylitol, Sodium Phytate, Ethylhexylglycerin
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Cellulose Gum is a water-soluble polymer that comes from cellulose. It is used to change the texture of a product and to help stabilize emulsions.
As an emulsifier, cellulose gum specifically thicken the texture of water-based products.
This ingredient is considered hypoallergenic and non-toxic. Cellulose Gum can be found in cosmetics, food, and other household goods such as paper products.
Learn more about Cellulose GumGlycerin (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 GlycerinThis ingredient is created by putting sodium hyaluronate through hydrolysis.
You might know this as 'mini' or 'ultra low-molecular weight' hyaluronic acid. The small molecule size means it is able to travel deeper in the skin.
According to studies, low molecular-weight hyaluronic acid can:
One study from 2011 found ultra-low weight HA to show pro-inflammatory properties. Another study from 2022 found it to downregulate UV-B induced inflammation.
Hydrolysis is a process of changing a molecule using water or enzymes.
This ingredient is water-soluble.
Learn more about Hydrolyzed Sodium HyaluronateSqualane is the hydrogenated and shelf-stable form of squalene (a lipid that naturally occurs in human sebum).
It is an emollient and skin conditioning agent that is able to integrate seamlessly into the skin's lipid barrier without clogging pores.
This is due to how structurally similar it is to what your skin already produces.
Though it is mostly an emollient that helps soften and hydrate skin, it also has some humectant and occlusive action. Humectants help the skin retain moisture while occlusives seal it in, making squalane a triple-threat moisturizer.
Research shows it has antioxidant capabilities that help protect against stressors like UV exposure, specifically UVA induced oxidative stress. This study also found that it supports collagen biosynthesis in human dermal fibroblasts.
No clinical study has reported significant adverse effects and irritation reactions are very rare from this ingredient (even at 100% concentration).
Overall, it's a fantastic ingredient for hydration and is suitable for all skin types.
This depends on the source. Squalane can be derived from both plants and animals. Most squalane used in skincare comes from plants.
Please note: the source of squalane is only known if disclosed by the brand. We recommend reaching out to the brand if you have any questions about their squalane.
Read more about squalene with an "e".
Though squalane is often called an oil, it’s technically not one. It is a hydrocarbon, meaning it is only made of carbon and hydrogen. True oils are triglycerides and made of fatty acids and glycerol.
The term “oil-free” isn’t regulated so companies can define it however they want. Some exclude all oils, while others just avoid mineral oil or comedogenic oils.
Squalane has a comedogenic rating of 1 from the original 1972 study that tested raw ingredients under occlusion on rabbit ears. This system is not standardized or peer-reviewed, and using the raw ingredients is very different from how diluted cosmetic formulations are used on human skin.
A comedogenic rating of 1 means it is "unlikely to clog pores" according to the original rating system.
The overall formula of a product matters more than the individual ingredients on whether or not it will cause clogged pores.
Learn more about SqualaneWater. 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
