What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningDipropylene Glycol
HumectantPropanediol
Solvent
Ascorbic Acid 5.2%
Antioxidant
Glycerin
Humectant
2,3-Butanediol
HumectantPanthenol 2.7%
Skin Conditioning
Betaine
Humectant
Alcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid 1.8%
Skin Conditioning
Sorbitol
Humectant
Polyglyceryl-10 Stearate
Skin Conditioning
Tromethamine
BufferingPolyglyceryl-10 Oleate
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Phloretin
Antioxidant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Dextrin
AbsorbentDisodium EDTA
Carthamus Tinctorius Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningTheobroma Cacao Seed Extract
Antioxidant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Madecassoside
Antioxidant
Vitis Vinifera Vine Sap
Skin ConditioningFicus Carica Fruit Extract
Humectant
Bambusa Arundinacea Juice
Abrasive
Betula Platyphylla Japonica Juice
Skin Conditioning
Trichosanthes Kirilowii Root Extract
Skin ProtectingSerine
Masking
Arginine
Masking
Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
Skin Conditioning
Ferulic Acid
Antimicrobial
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Citric Acid
Buffering
Glycine Soja Oil
Emollient
Citrus Junos Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningAnthriscus Sylvestris Extract
Skin ConditioningHippophae Rhamnoides Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Artemisia Annua Extract
Masking
Azadirachta Indica Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
Humectant
Soluble Proteoglycan
Skin ConditioningParfum
Masking
Limonene
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Citral
Perfuming
Citronellol
Perfuming
Water, Dipropylene Glycol, Propanediol, Ascorbic Acid 5.2%, Glycerin, 2,3-Butanediol, Panthenol 2.7%, Betaine, Alcohol Denat., 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid 1.8%, Sorbitol, Polyglyceryl-10 Stearate, Tromethamine, Polyglyceryl-10 Oleate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Allantoin, Phloretin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Dextrin, Disodium EDTA, Carthamus Tinctorius Flower Extract, Theobroma Cacao Seed Extract, Butylene Glycol, Madecassoside, Vitis Vinifera Vine Sap, Ficus Carica Fruit Extract, Bambusa Arundinacea Juice, Betula Platyphylla Japonica Juice, Trichosanthes Kirilowii Root Extract, Serine, Arginine, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Ferulic Acid, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate, Tocopherol, Citric Acid, Glycine Soja Oil, Citrus Junos Fruit Extract, Anthriscus Sylvestris Extract, Hippophae Rhamnoides Fruit Extract, Pentylene Glycol, Artemisia Annua Extract, Azadirachta Indica Leaf Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Soluble Proteoglycan, Parfum, Limonene, Linalool, Citral, Citronellol
Water
Skin ConditioningHippophae Rhamnoides Fruit Water
SolventNiacinamide
Smoothing
Propanediol
Solvent
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Water
Masking
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Castor Oil/Ipdi Copolymer
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingTromethamine
BufferingXanthan Gum
Emulsifying3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Adenosine
Skin Conditioning
Disodium EDTA
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Bifida Ferment Filtrate
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Extract
Perfuming
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Water, Hippophae Rhamnoides Fruit Water, Niacinamide, Propanediol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Water, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Castor Oil/Ipdi Copolymer, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Tromethamine, Xanthan Gum, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Adenosine, Disodium EDTA, Allantoin, Bifida Ferment Filtrate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Butylene Glycol, Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Extract, Caprylyl Glycol
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
3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid is one of the most popular "stable" vitamin C derivatives in skincare.
Plain ascorbic acid is fantastic but notoriously fragile; it browns, oxidizes, and loses potency fast. So attaching an ethyl group to the third carbon of the molecule gives it some cool perks:
In a formula, it does the 3 classic vitamin C jobs: it acts as an antioxidant, helps brighten skin tone by inhibiting tyrosinase, and supports collagen.
The evidence is reasonably solid for a cosmetic ingredient; Liao and colleagues (2018) showed it's significantly more stable than ascorbic acid while still being effective.
A 2021 study by Zerbinati and colleagues tested a serum with 30% 3-O-ethyl-l-ascorbic acid and 1% lactic acid significantly increased collagen production, reduced UVB-induced DNA damage, and decreased melanin on a reconstructed pigmented skin model.
Typical real world usage sits around 0.5-5% (and 1-2% is common for daily serums).
Amounts up to 30% have been shown to be non-irritating on human skin samples, but two isolated cases reported allergic contact dermatitis so a patch test is sensible if you have reactive skin.
Learn more about 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic AcidAllantoin 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 AllantoinButylene 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 GlycolDisodium EDTA is a chelating agent. It grabs onto and deactivates metal ions that sneak into your products from water, packaging, or air.
This ingredient mainly works behind the scenes and helps with:
On top of that, this ingredient can counteract the effects of hard water by binding to the minerals in it.
One thing worth knowing is that Disodium EDTA has been shown to be a mild penetration enhancer. It can help other ingredients absorb into skin more effectively which can be a double-edged sword (great for actives, but can also make the active too strong if you have sensitive skin).
Clinical patch testing showed no significant skin irritation at typical use concentrations and minimal dermal absorption.
You'll most likely see this ingredient near the end of an ingredient list. It's typically found in concentrations less than 1%.
Learn more about Disodium EDTAEthylhexylglycerin 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 EthylhexylglycerinPropanediol is an all-star ingredient. It softens, hydrates, and smooths the skin.
It’s often used to:
Propanediol is not likely to cause sensitivity and considered safe to use. It is derived from corn or petroleum with a clear color and no scent.
Learn more about PropanediolTromethamine (aka THAM) is a synthetic amino acid that shows up in skincare as a helper ingredient.
It functions as a pH adjuster to help neutralize acidic ingredients and set a formula's pH to the right spot.
This matters a lot because a lot of actives (like vitamin C) needs a specific pH to work well and feel comfortable on skin.
Concentration use ranges from 0.1-1.0% depending on the formula.
Learn more about TromethamineWater. 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
