What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Glycerin
Humectant
Polyglyceryl-3 Polyricinoleate
Emulsifying
Brassica Campestris Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Tapioca Starch
Hydrogenated Rapeseed Oil
Emollient
Xylose
HumectantPolyglyceryl-3 Diisostearate
Emulsifying
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Magnesium Sulfate
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Squalane
Emollient
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Sodium Polyglutamate
HumectantSodium Citrate
BufferingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Mannitol
Humectant
Rhamnose
HumectantXylitol
Humectant
Acetyl Dipeptide-1 Cetyl Ester
Skin Conditioning
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Citric Acid
Buffering
Fructooligosaccharides
Humectant
Water, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glycerin, Polyglyceryl-3 Polyricinoleate, Brassica Campestris Seed Oil, Butylene Glycol, Tapioca Starch, Hydrogenated Rapeseed Oil, Xylose, Polyglyceryl-3 Diisostearate, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Magnesium Sulfate, Pentylene Glycol, Squalane, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Sodium Polyglutamate, Sodium Citrate, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Hyaluronate, Tocopherol, Mannitol, Rhamnose, Xylitol, Acetyl Dipeptide-1 Cetyl Ester, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Citric Acid, Fructooligosaccharides
Water
Skin ConditioningParaffinum Liquidum
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Hydrogenated Polydecene
EmollientPolyglyceryl-3 Diisostearate
Emulsifying
Talc
Abrasive
Cera Alba
Emollient
Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emollient
Glyceryl Behenate
Emollient
Copper Gluconate
Skin Conditioning
Zinc Gluconate
Skin Conditioning
Manganese Gluconate
Skin ConditioningBisabolol
Antioxidant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Magnesium Sulfate
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingIngredients 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 GlycerinMagnesium Sulfate is a salt. More specifically, it is an epsom salt, or the bath salt used to help relieve muscle aches.
Despite having ‘sulfate’ in the name, it isn’t a surfactant or cleansing agent like sodium lauryl sulfate. Unlike those sulfates, magnesium sulfate doesn’t have the same cleansing or foaming properties (it's simply a type of salt).
In cosmetics, Magnesium Sulfate is used to thicken a product or help dilute other solids. It is a non-reactive and non-irritating ingredient.
One study shows magnesium deficiency may lead to inflammation of the skin. Applying magnesium topically may help reduce inflammation.
You can find this ingredient in sea water or mineral deposits.
Learn more about Magnesium SulfatePolyglyceryl-3 Diisostearate is a plant-derived, oil-soluble emulsifier. It keeps water-in-oil emulsions stable to prevent the ingredients from separating.
On the safety front, it's considered non-irritating and well-tolerated (it can even be found in formulations for baby skin).
This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe because research has shown that the Malassezia species can grow in the presence of fatty acid esters with chain lengths above C12 (and this one is C18).
While it does have a comedogenic rating of 4, the comedogenic rating scale was developed from rabbit ear models which has limited clinical relevance to human skin. Studies also show that comedogenic ingredients cannot predict how the overall formula will behave on human skin.
Learn more about Polyglyceryl-3 DiisostearateSodium Hyaluronate is the salt form of hyaluronic acid. It is a long sugar chain that is naturally found in your skin, joints, and connective tissue that maintains hydration and elasticity.
In skincare, it works as a humectant. It pulls water from the environment and deeper layers of skin and binds it to the surface.
Interestingly, the size of the molecule affects its behavior:
Some clinical evidence links low molecular weight versions to improved wrinkle depth, elasticity, anti-inflammatory effects, and barrier repair.
Many serums use a blend of both weights so you can get surface hydration plus longer-lasting and deeper effects.
You'll typically see concentrations between 0.1-2% for this ingredient.
Learn more about Sodium HyaluronateWater. 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
