What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantAcrylates Copolymer
Niacinamide
SmoothingCeratonia Siliqua Gum
EmollientChondrus Crispus Extract
Skin ConditioningDipropylene Glycol
HumectantBetaine
HumectantAlgin
Masking1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningHydroxyacetophenone
AntioxidantButylene Glycol
HumectantPotassium Chloride
Agar
MaskingCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientSucrose
HumectantAllantoin
Skin ConditioningPolyglyceryl-10 Laurate
Skin ConditioningEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningGalactomyces Ferment Filtrate
HumectantAdenosine
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
Pyrus Communis Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningRosa Damascena Flower Water
MaskingCollagen Extract
Skin ConditioningIris Florentina Root Extract
MaskingCucumis Melo Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningHedera Helix Leaf/Stem Extract
AntimicrobialDipotassium Glycyrrhizate
HumectantHydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
HumectantLactobacillus Ferment
Skin ConditioningBifida Ferment Filtrate
Skin ConditioningLactobacillus Ferment Lysate
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
AntioxidantWater, Glycerin, Acrylates Copolymer, Niacinamide, Ceratonia Siliqua Gum, Chondrus Crispus Extract, Dipropylene Glycol, Betaine, Algin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Hydroxyacetophenone, Butylene Glycol, Potassium Chloride, Agar, Caprylyl Glycol, Sucrose, Allantoin, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Galactomyces Ferment Filtrate, Adenosine, Disodium EDTA, Pyrus Communis Fruit Extract, Rosa Damascena Flower Water, Collagen Extract, Iris Florentina Root Extract, Cucumis Melo Fruit Extract, Hedera Helix Leaf/Stem Extract, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Lactobacillus Ferment, Bifida Ferment Filtrate, Lactobacillus Ferment Lysate, Tocopherol
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantPropanediol
SolventDiglycerin
HumectantPPG-14 Polyglyceryl-2 Ether
EmulsifyingAscorbyl Glucoside
AntioxidantRosa Roxburghii Fruit Extract
TonicCitrus Aurantium Dulcis Oil
MaskingChamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
MaskingDipotassium Glycyrrhizate
HumectantSphingomonas Ferment Extract
Skin ConditioningMentha Piperita Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningHoney
HumectantSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantBetaine
HumectantSimmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
EmollientPolyquaternium-61
Skin ConditioningOenothera Biennis Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract
Skin ConditioningLavandula Angustifolia Flower Extract
CleansingThymus Serpyllum Extract
Skin ConditioningSoluble Collagen
HumectantPeat Extract
Skin ConditioningPolyglyceryl-10 Eicosanedioate/Tetradecanedioate
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
HumectantPEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
EmulsifyingAlcohol
AntimicrobialXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCitric Acid
BufferingSodium Citrate
BufferingBis-Ethoxydiglycol Cyclohexane 1,4-Dicarboxylate
EmollientMenthol
MaskingMalic Acid
BufferingTocopherol
AntioxidantPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeEthylparaben
PreservativeMethylparaben
PreservativeParfum
MaskingWater, Glycerin, Propanediol, Diglycerin, PPG-14 Polyglyceryl-2 Ether, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Rosa Roxburghii Fruit Extract, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Oil, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Sphingomonas Ferment Extract, Mentha Piperita Leaf Extract, Honey, Sodium Hyaluronate, Betaine, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Polyquaternium-61, Oenothera Biennis Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract, Lavandula Angustifolia Flower Extract, Thymus Serpyllum Extract, Soluble Collagen, Peat Extract, Polyglyceryl-10 Eicosanedioate/Tetradecanedioate, Butylene Glycol, PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Alcohol, Xanthan Gum, Citric Acid, Sodium Citrate, Bis-Ethoxydiglycol Cyclohexane 1,4-Dicarboxylate, Menthol, Malic Acid, Tocopherol, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylparaben, Methylparaben, Parfum
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Betaine is a humectant. Like hyaluronic acid, it helps attract and retain moisture in the skin. It’s known for being gentle and for helping the skin maintain balanced hydration.
Betaine is mainly used to improve hydration and support calmer skin. It helps skin cells regulate water balance because it functions as an osmolyte.
Some studies suggest betaine may support making skin tone more even.
Fun fact: Betaine naturally exists in the skin and the body. In cosmetic products, it can be either plant-derived (most commonly from sugar beets) or synthetically produced for consistency and stability.
Betaine is also known as trimethylglycine.
Learn more about BetaineButylene 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 GlycolDipotassium Glycyrrhizate comes from licorice root.
Extracts of licorice have demonstrated to have antibacterial, anti‐inflammatory, antiviral, antioxidant properties.
One component, glabridin, has extra potent antioxidant and soothing properties. It has also been found to block pigmentation from UVB rays in guinea pigs.
Licorice Root also contains a flavonoid. Flavonoids are a natural substance from in plants. Flavonoids also have antioxidant properties.
Another component, glycyrrhizin, has been found to have anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial benefits. This may make licorice root extract effective at treating acne. However, more research is needed to support this.
Liquiritin is one of the flavone compounds found in licorice. It has been found to help lighten skin by preventing tyrosinase from reacting with tyrosine. When the two react, protein is converted to melanin. Melanin is the substance in your body that gives your features pigmentation.
Licorice root is native to Southern Europe and Asia. It has been used in traditional Chinese medicine to help with respiratory issues.
Learn more about Dipotassium GlycyrrhizateGlycerin (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 GlycerinTocopherol is a fat-soluble antioxidant known as Vitamin E.
You'll find this ingredient in the vast majority of skincare (for good reason). It works to neutralize free radicals, or unstable molecules generated by UV exposure, pollution, and other environmental stressors, before they can cause oxidative damage to your skin cells.
Topically applied tocopherol has been shown to protect against UV damage by ramping up the skin's own natural defense enzymes.
It also acts as a skin conditioning agent; some studies show that regular topical use can improve the skin's water-binding capacity over 2-4 weeks.
This ingredient is especially loved for being a team player. When combined with Vitamin C, the photoprotective effect of both ingredients roughly doubles and the combo also helps reduce UV-induced DNA damage.
This ingredient has some brightening potential but it's more of a prevention ingredient than spot-fader. Cell studies show it can slow down melanin production but it's worth noting that it's not the most powerful brightener out there.
In formulations, it also serves as a stabilizer that helps protect other oxidation-prone ingredients from degrading.
Concentrations usually range from 0.1-1% in most leave-on products.
Learn more about TocopherolWater. 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