What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Dimethicone
Emollient
Polyethylene
Abrasive
Tridecyl Trimellitate
EmollientCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Isostearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Butylene Glycol Cocoate
Emulsifying
Fructooligosaccharides
Humectant
Mannitol
Humectant
Xylitol
Humectant
Caffeine
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Glycyrrhetinic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Rhamnose
HumectantLaminaria Ochroleuca Extract
Skin Conditioning
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingPentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Disodium EDTA
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingEthylcellulose
Water, Glycerin, Dimethicone, Polyethylene, Tridecyl Trimellitate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Isostearyl Alcohol, Butylene Glycol Cocoate, Fructooligosaccharides, Mannitol, Xylitol, Caffeine, Sodium Hyaluronate, Glycyrrhetinic Acid, Rhamnose, Laminaria Ochroleuca Extract, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Pentylene Glycol, Caprylyl Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Hydroxide, Ethylcellulose
Water
Skin ConditioningDicaprylyl Ether
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Ethylhexyl Palmitate
Emollient
Silica
Abrasive
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
C20-22 Alkyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingPentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
C20-22 Alcohols
Emulsion Stabilising
Polyacrylamide
CI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Acrylates/Vinyl Isodecanoate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingC13-14 Isoparaffin
Emollient
Avena Sativa Kernel Extract
Abrasive
Creatine
Skin ConditioningSodium Citrate
BufferingCaesalpinia Spinosa Fruit Extract
Skin ProtectingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingPropylene Glycol
Humectant
Laureth-7
EmulsifyingPentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
Antioxidant
Silica Dimethyl Silylate
EmollientKappaphycus Alvarezii Extract
Skin ConditioningAdenosine
Skin Conditioning
Asiaticoside
Antioxidant
CI 77491
Cosmetic ColorantMadecassic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Asiatic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Lactate
Buffering
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Carnosine
Skin Conditioning
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Disodium Adenosine Triphosphate
Skin ConditioningLaminaria Digitata Extract
Skin Protecting
Hexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingTocopherol
Antioxidant
Alcohol
Antimicrobial
Tris(Tetramethylhydroxypiperidinol)Citrate
StabilisingPalmitoyl Tripeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Skin Conditioning
Superoxide Dismutase
Antioxidant
Tromethamine
BufferingWater, Dicaprylyl Ether, Glycerin, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Silica, Butylene Glycol, C20-22 Alkyl Phosphate, Pentylene Glycol, Tocopheryl Acetate, C20-22 Alcohols, Polyacrylamide, CI 77891, Caprylyl Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Acrylates/Vinyl Isodecanoate Crosspolymer, C13-14 Isoparaffin, Avena Sativa Kernel Extract, Creatine, Sodium Citrate, Caesalpinia Spinosa Fruit Extract, Sodium Hydroxide, Propylene Glycol, Laureth-7, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Silica Dimethyl Silylate, Kappaphycus Alvarezii Extract, Adenosine, Asiaticoside, CI 77491, Madecassic Acid, Asiatic Acid, Carbomer, Sodium Lactate, Sodium Benzoate, Phenoxyethanol, Carnosine, Polysorbate 20, Sodium Hyaluronate, Disodium Adenosine Triphosphate, Laminaria Digitata Extract, Hexylene Glycol, Tocopherol, Alcohol, Tris(Tetramethylhydroxypiperidinol)Citrate, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Superoxide Dismutase, Tromethamine
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
Caprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.
Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.
Because it is not a free-fatty acid or alcohol, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolGlycerin (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 GlycerinPentylene glycol is typically used within a product to thicken it. It also adds a smooth, soft, and moisturizing feel to the product. It is naturally found in plants such as sugar beets.
The hydrophilic trait of Pentylene Glycol makes it a humectant. As a humectant, Pentylene Glycol helps draw moisture from the air to your skin. This can help keep your skin hydrated.
This property also makes Pentylene Glycol a great texture enhancer. It can also help thicken or stabilize a product.
Pentylene Glycol also acts as a mild preservative and helps to keep a product microbe-free.
Some people may experience mild eye and skin irritation from Pentylene Glycol. We always recommend speaking with a professional about using this ingredient in your routine.
Pentylene Glycol has a low molecular weight and is part of the 1,2-glycol family.
Learn more about Pentylene GlycolSodium 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 HyaluronateSodium Hydroxide is also known as lye or caustic soda. It is used to adjust the pH of products; many ingredients require a specific pH to be effective.
In small amounts, sodium hydroxide is considered safe to use. However, large amounts may cause chemical burns due to its high alkaline.
Your skin has a natural pH and acid mantle. This acid mantle helps prevent harmful bacteria from breaking through. The acid mantle also helps keep your skin hydrated.
"Alkaline" refers to a high pH level. A low pH level would be considered acidic.
Learn more about Sodium HydroxideWater. 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
