What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingGlycerin
Humectant
Trehalose
Humectant
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Polyquaternium-51
Skin Conditioning
Sodium PCA
Humectant
Sorbitol
Humectant
Urea
Buffering
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Methylpropanediol
SolventEuglena Gracilis Polysaccharide
Gel FormingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
CI 45410
Cosmetic ColorantCI 19140
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Cyclopentasiloxane, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Glycerin, Trehalose, Panthenol, Polyquaternium-51, Sodium PCA, Sorbitol, Urea, Pentylene Glycol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Methylpropanediol, Euglena Gracilis Polysaccharide, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenoxyethanol, CI 45410, CI 19140
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Cyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Hydrogenated Polyisobutene
EmollientAmmonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Glycerin
Humectant
Trehalose
Humectant
Rosa Damascena Flower Water
Masking
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Dimethicone
Emollient
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Biosaccharide Gum-1
Humectant
Urea
Buffering
Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Skin Conditioning
Sodium PCA
Humectant
Sodium Lactate
Buffering
Sodium Gluconate
Skin ConditioningRose Extract
Skin ConditioningLonicera Japonica Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningSmilacina Japonica Extract
Antioxidant
Syringa Vulgaris Extract
Skin ConditioningIpomoea Purpurea Extract
Skin ConditioningCentaurea Cyanus Flower Extract
Astringent
Borago Officinalis Extract
Emollient
Velvet Extract
HumectantAloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
Emollient
Salvia Officinalis Extract
Antimicrobial
Camellia Sinensis Flower Extract
Perfuming
Chrysanthemum Indicum Flower Extract
Skin Conditioning
Cosmos Bipinnatus Flower Extract
Skin ProtectingHelianthus Annuus Extract
Emollient
Freesia Refracta Extract
Skin ConditioningSnail Extract
Emollient
Prunus Serotina Fruit Extract
MaskingPyrus Malus Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Nelumbo Nucifera Extract
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Disodium EDTA
Parfum
Masking
Water, Butylene Glycol, Cyclopentasiloxane, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Glycerin, Trehalose, Rosa Damascena Flower Water, Sodium Hyaluronate, Dimethicone, Tocopheryl Acetate, Biosaccharide Gum-1, Urea, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Sodium PCA, Sodium Lactate, Sodium Gluconate, Rose Extract, Lonicera Japonica Flower Extract, Smilacina Japonica Extract, Syringa Vulgaris Extract, Ipomoea Purpurea Extract, Centaurea Cyanus Flower Extract, Borago Officinalis Extract, Velvet Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Salvia Officinalis Extract, Camellia Sinensis Flower Extract, Chrysanthemum Indicum Flower Extract, Cosmos Bipinnatus Flower Extract, Helianthus Annuus Extract, Freesia Refracta Extract, Snail Extract, Prunus Serotina Fruit Extract, Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract, Nelumbo Nucifera Extract, Phenoxyethanol, Disodium EDTA, Parfum
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Cyclopentasiloxane, or D5, is a silicone used to improve texture of products and trap moisture.
D5 is considered lightweight and volatile. Volatile means it evaporates quickly after application. Once evaporated, D5 leaves a thin barrier that helps keep skin hydrated.
It is also an emollient. Emollients help soften the skin and prevent water loss. Silicones create a silky texture in products. D5 helps other ingredients become more spreadable.
Studies show D5 is safe to use in skincare products. We recommend speaking with a skincare professional if you have concerns.
Learn more about CyclopentasiloxaneGlycerin (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 GlycerinPhenoxyethanol 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 HyaluronateSodium PCA is the sodium salt of pyroglutamic acid. It is naturally occurring in our skin's natural moisturizing factors where it works to maintain hydration.
The PCA stands for pyrrolidone carboxylic acid, a natural amino acid derivative.
This ingredient has skin conditioning, anti-inflammatory, and humectant properties. Humectants help hydrate your skin by drawing moisture from the air. This helps keep your skin moisturized.
Learn more about Sodium PCATrehalose is a disaccharide made of two glucose molecules (glucose is sugar!). Trehalose is used to help moisturize skin. It also has antioxidant properties.
As a humectant, trehalose helps draw moisture from the air to your skin. This helps keep your skin hydrated.
Due to its antioxidant properties, trehalose may help with signs of aging. Antioxidants help fight free-radical molecules, unstable molecules that may damage your skin.
In medicine, trehalose and hyaluronic acid are used to help treat dry eyes.
Some animals, plants, and bacteria create trehalose as a source of energy to survive freeze or lack of water.
Learn more about TrehaloseUrea is also called carbamide and is the diamide of carbonic acid. In cosmetics, urea is used to hydrate the skin. It also provides exfoliation in higher concentrations.
As a humectant, urea helps draw moisture from the air and from deep within the skin. This helps hydrate your skin. Studies show urea is an effective moisturizer for dry skin conditions. 40% urea is typical in medications for treating eczema and other skin conditions.
Urea has the strongest exfoliation effect in concentrations higher than 10%. It is a keratolytic agent, meaning it breaks down the keratin protein in the top layer of skin. This helps remove dead skin cells and flaking skin.
In medicine, urea has been shown to help increase the potency of other ingredients, such as fungal treatments.
Humans and animals use urea to metabolize nitrogen-containing compounds. Urea is highly soluble in water. Once dissolved, it is neither acidic nor alkaline.
Urea is actually one of the more well-studied and well-supported ingredients out there if you have eczema.
Clinical trials have shown that urea creams in the 5 - 10% range can:
Higher concentrations (20 -30%) can also help with thickened, scaly patches but is also more likely to sting on active flares.
Skip urea if you have rosacea. The AAD (American Academy of Dermatology) lists it alongside alcohol, menthol, and fragrance as a potential irritant for rosacea-prone skin. Urea's keratolytic and penetration-enhancing properties can trigger stinging, burning, and redness.
As always, your skin is unique, so definitely check in with your dermatologist.
Learn more about UreaWater. 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
