What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCollagen Water
HumectantButylene Glycol
Humectant1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningPolyglyceryl-10 Laurate
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningArginine
MaskingAllantoin
Skin ConditioningCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingDisodium EDTA
Sodium Polyacrylate
AbsorbentCyanocobalamin
Skin ConditioningPalmitoyl Tripeptide-5
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
HumectantCollagen Extract
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Elastin
EmollientGalactomyces Ferment Filtrate
HumectantHyaluronic Acid
HumectantSh-Polypeptide-22
Skin ConditioningSh-Oligopeptide-1
Skin ConditioningSh-Polypeptide-1
Skin ConditioningSh-Oligopeptide-2
Skin ConditioningSh-Polypeptide-3
Skin ConditioningWater, Collagen Water, Butylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Glycerin, Ethylhexylglycerin, Arginine, Allantoin, Carbomer, Xanthan Gum, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Polyacrylate, Cyanocobalamin, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Collagen Extract, Hydrolyzed Elastin, Galactomyces Ferment Filtrate, Hyaluronic Acid, Sh-Polypeptide-22, Sh-Oligopeptide-1, Sh-Polypeptide-1, Sh-Oligopeptide-2, Sh-Polypeptide-3
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
HumectantDipropylene Glycol
HumectantNiacinamide
SmoothingPropanediol
SolventGlycerin
HumectantCollagen Extract
Skin ConditioningAnastatica Hierochuntica Extract
Astringent1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningErythritol
HumectantPolyglyceryl-10 Laurate
Skin ConditioningHydroxyacetophenone
AntioxidantAdenosine
Skin ConditioningAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingDipotassium Glycyrrhizate
HumectantXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningAllantoin
Skin ConditioningButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingDisodium EDTA
Olea Europaea Fruit Oil
MaskingHydrogenated Lecithin
EmulsifyingSqualane
EmollientArginine
MaskingPanthenol
Skin ConditioningTrehalose
HumectantBifida Ferment Lysate
Skin ConditioningGlyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer
HumectantCichorium Intybus Root Extract
MaskingTaraxacum Officinale Rhizome/Root Extract
Skin ConditioningCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningCholesterol
EmollientSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantPhytosphingosine
Skin ConditioningHydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate
Acetyl Hexapeptide-8
HumectantHydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
HumectantHexapeptide-9
Skin ConditioningNonapeptide-1
Skin ConditioningPalmitoyl Pentapeptide-4
Skin ConditioningPalmitoyl Tripeptide-1
Skin ConditioningPalmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Skin ConditioningSodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
HumectantHyaluronic Acid
HumectantHydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
HumectantPotassium Hyaluronate
Skin ConditioningWater, Butylene Glycol, Dipropylene Glycol, Niacinamide, Propanediol, Glycerin, Collagen Extract, Anastatica Hierochuntica Extract, 1,2-Hexanediol, Erythritol, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Hydroxyacetophenone, Adenosine, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Xanthan Gum, Ethylhexylglycerin, Allantoin, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Disodium EDTA, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Squalane, Arginine, Panthenol, Trehalose, Bifida Ferment Lysate, Glyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer, Cichorium Intybus Root Extract, Taraxacum Officinale Rhizome/Root Extract, Ceramide NP, Cholesterol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Phytosphingosine, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Hexapeptide-9, Nonapeptide-1, Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Hyaluronic Acid, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Potassium Hyaluronate
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.Â
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 preservativesÂ
Allantoin 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 AllantoinArginine is a semi-essential amino acid. This just means our bodies can product a bit on its own, but sometimes needs a little boost from food sources.
It is a part of your skin's natural moisturizing factor (NMF), or the water-loving molecules in your outermost layer of skin (stratum corneum) that keeps everything hydrated and happy.
Here's an interesting thing about Arginine: your skin converts it into urea through the Krebs-Henseleit urea cycle. Urea is one of the most effective humectants your skin naturally produces.
A clinical study showed applying 2.5% arginine hydrochloride to atopic dermatitis skin showed significant urea levels in the stratum corneum and improved moisture in just four weeks.
Arginine is also a precursor to nitric oxide; nitric oxide improves microcirculation and supports wound healing and collagen synthesis.
One study found that an amino acid complex containing Arginine reduced skin irritation, improved hydration, and accelerated skin repair in clinical / in-vivo studies.
Arginine itself is an amino acid and not a fatty acid, oil, or ester. On its own, it's not a direct food source for Malassezia, or the yeast that causes fungal acne.
Learn more about ArginineButylene 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 GlycolCollagen extract is derived from parts of animals. It has skin conditioning properties and is mostly comprised of glycine, proline, and hydroxypoline. These are amino acids.
While our skin does have collagen, this ingredient is not used by the skin for anti-aging. Applying collagen topically has not been linked to helping with collagen loss in skin. All the benefits of collagen are related to hydration.
This ingredient will not increase sun sensitivity, but you should always wear sunscreen during the day.
Learn more about Collagen ExtractDisodium 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 EthylhexylglycerinGlycerin (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 AcidHydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid is hyaluronic acid (HA) that is broken down into lower molecular weight fragments.
It's a humectant that pulls and holds water in the skin to help with hydration, plumpness, and reduce transepidermal water loss.
Because hydrolyzed hyaluronic acid is smaller in size, it can slip past your outermost layer of skin more easily than full-sized HA.
Most formulations will combine all sizes to get the best of both worlds.
Typical usage levels range from 0.01-1%. Any percentage higher than 2% might become goopy and tacky.
Learn more about Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic AcidPolyglyceryl-10 Laurate is a cleansing agent and emulsifier.
It rounds up dirt, oil, and grime, so they can be rinsed off easily as a cleanser.
On the emulsifier side, it keeps your formula smooth and well-mixed by playing peacekeeper for ingredients that don't naturally get along (like oil and water).
Because it has a C12 (lauric acid) fatty acid chain, this ingredient can potentially feed the Malassezia yeast that causes fungal acne. The Malassezia yeast prefers esters with C11-C24 fatty acids.
This ingredient is an ester of lauric acid and Polyglycerin-10.
Learn more about Polyglyceryl-10 LaurateWater. 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