What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningCetyl Alcohol
EmollientSimmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
EmollientC10-18 Triglycerides
EmollientGlyceryl Stearate Citrate
EmollientC15-19 Alkane
SolventSalvia Hispanica Seed Oil
EmollientSambucus Nigra Fruit Juice
AstringentSodium PCA
HumectantSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantSimmondsia Chinensis Seed Extract
AbrasiveEpilobium Angustifolium Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract
Skin Conditioning1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientHydroxyacetophenone
AntioxidantHydrogenated Lecithin
EmulsifyingLecithin
EmollientButylene Glycol
HumectantXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingAlcohol
AntimicrobialPolyglyceryl-3 Stearate
EmulsifyingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingWater, Glycerin, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Cetyl Alcohol, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, C10-18 Triglycerides, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, C15-19 Alkane, Salvia Hispanica Seed Oil, Sambucus Nigra Fruit Juice, Sodium PCA, Sodium Hyaluronate, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Extract, Epilobium Angustifolium Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Hydroxyacetophenone, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Lecithin, Butylene Glycol, Xanthan Gum, Carbomer, Alcohol, Polyglyceryl-3 Stearate, Sodium Hydroxide
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantSqualane
EmollientPropanediol
SolventXylitylglucoside
HumectantSaccharide Isomerate
HumectantBisabolol
AntioxidantPropylene Glycol Dibenzoate
Skin ConditioningIsostearyl Alcohol
EmollientPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingAnhydroxylitol
HumectantSodium Acrylates Copolymer
Beta-Glucan
Skin ConditioningCalendula Officinalis Flower Oil
MaskingXylitol
HumectantLecithin
EmollientSodium Hydroxide
BufferingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningAvena Sativa Kernel Extract
AbrasiveCitric Acid
BufferingHumulus Lupulus Extract
AntimicrobialHydrolyzed Glycosaminoglycans
HumectantCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantSodium Citrate
BufferingHydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
HumectantHyaluronic Acid
HumectantSodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
HumectantTerminalia Chebula Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningWater, Glycerin, Squalane, Propanediol, Xylitylglucoside, Saccharide Isomerate, Bisabolol, Propylene Glycol Dibenzoate, Isostearyl Alcohol, Pentylene Glycol, Caprylyl Glycol, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Anhydroxylitol, Sodium Acrylates Copolymer, Beta-Glucan, Calendula Officinalis Flower Oil, Xylitol, Lecithin, Sodium Hydroxide, Ethylhexylglycerin, Avena Sativa Kernel Extract, Citric Acid, Humulus Lupulus Extract, Hydrolyzed Glycosaminoglycans, Ceramide NP, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Citrate, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Terminalia Chebula Fruit Extract
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
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 GlycerinLecithin is a term for a group of substances found in the cell membranes of plants, animals, and humans. They are made up of phospholipids.
Thanks to its amphiphilic structure (water-loving head and oil-loving tail), it is a true multitasker:
It plays well with most ingredients and is typically used at 0.1-1%. However, concentrations up to 50% have been reported in moisturizers.
Depending on the source of this ingredient, lecithin may not be fungal acne safe. This is because some sources of lecithin come from soybean oil, which may feed the malassezia yeast that causes fungal acne.
We recommend reaching out to the brand you are purchasing from to inquire about the source of their lecithin.
Learn more about LecithinSodium 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