What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningNiacinamide
SmoothingGlycerin
HumectantMandelic Acid
AntimicrobialLactobionic Acid
BufferingSodium Lactate
BufferingLactic Acid
BufferingHyaluronic Acid
HumectantHydrolyzed Glycosaminoglycans
HumectantPolysorbate 20
EmulsifyingDisodium EDTA
Phenoxyethanol
PreservativeEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningDMDM Hydantoin
PreservativeParfum
MaskingButylphenyl Methylpropional
PerfumingHydroxycitronellal
PerfumingLimonene
PerfumingWater
Skin ConditioningPEG-6 Caprylic/Capric Glycerides
EmulsifyingPropanediol
SolventHyaluronic Acid
HumectantAllantoin
Skin ConditioningPanthenol
Skin ConditioningCucumis Sativus Fruit Extract
EmollientHydrolyzed Glycosaminoglycans
HumectantXylitol
HumectantGlucose
HumectantXylitylglucoside
HumectantAnhydroxylitol
HumectantCetrimonium Bromide
AntimicrobialHydroxyacetophenone
AntioxidantLevulinic Acid
PerfumingSodium Levulinate
Skin ConditioningTetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate
Glycerin
HumectantPropylene Glycol
HumectantCitric Acid
BufferingWater, PEG-6 Caprylic/Capric Glycerides, Propanediol, Hyaluronic Acid, Allantoin, Panthenol, Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract, Hydrolyzed Glycosaminoglycans, Xylitol, Glucose, Xylitylglucoside, Anhydroxylitol, Cetrimonium Bromide, Hydroxyacetophenone, Levulinic Acid, Sodium Levulinate, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Glycerin, Propylene Glycol, Citric Acid
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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 GlycerinHyaluronic acid (HA) is a glycosaminoglycan (basically a long sugar chain) that your skin already makes on its own. In your skin, HA lives in the extracellular matrix and acts as the body's moisture reservoir.
Topically, HA is a humectant that binds water and helps skin look more plump, smooth, and hydrated.
The only catch is that HA isn't a single thing; it actually comes in a wide range of molecular weights (~50 - 2,000+ kDA) and size matters.
Some clinical evidence links low molecular weight versions to improved wrinkle depth, elasticity, anti-inflammatory effects, and barrier repair.
This is why the best HA serums blend the two sizes together so you get the best of both worlds.
The majority of cosmetic HA is produced by bacterial fermentation, typically using Streptococcus or Bacillus strains. Typical use levels in skincare sit around 0.1-2%.
A clinical study using a 0.2% low-molecular weight HA gel showed improvement in facial seborrheic dermatitis with excellent tolerance.
These are some other common types of Hyaluronic Acid:
Learn more about Hyaluronic AcidWe don't have a description for Hydrolyzed Glycosaminoglycans yet.
Water. 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