What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningVaccinium Myrtillus Fruit/Leaf Extract
AstringentHibiscus Sabdariffa Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Saccharum Officinarum Extract
MoisturisingHydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Citrus Limon Fruit Extract
Masking
Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Acer Saccharum Extract
Skin ConditioningTetrasodium EDTA
Parfum
Masking
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantBenzoic Acid
Masking
Dehydroacetic Acid
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningWater, Vaccinium Myrtillus Fruit/Leaf Extract, Hibiscus Sabdariffa Flower Extract, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Saccharum Officinarum Extract, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Phenoxyethanol, Citrus Limon Fruit Extract, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Flower Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Benzoate, Acer Saccharum Extract, Tetrasodium EDTA, Parfum, Dipropylene Glycol, Benzoic Acid, Dehydroacetic Acid, Ethylhexylglycerin
Ingredients 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 GlycerinHydroxyethylcellulose is used to improve the texture of products. It is created from a chemical reaction involving ethylene oxide and alkali-cellulose. Cellulose is a sugar found in plant cell walls and help give plants structure.
This ingredient helps stabilize products by preventing ingredients from separating. It can also help thicken the texture of a product.
This ingredient can also be found in pill medicines to help our bodies digest other ingredients.
Learn more about HydroxyethylcellulosePhenoxyethanol is a preservative that has germicide, antimicrobial, and aromatic properties. Studies show that phenoxyethanol can prevent microbial growth. By itself, it has a scent that is similar to that of a rose.
It's often used in formulations along with Caprylyl Glycol to preserve the shelf life of products.
Sodium 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
