This hydrating serum is formulated around Hyaluronic Acid to hydrate skin and strengthen the skin barrier.
This hydrating serum is formulated around Sodium Hyaluronate and Colloidal Oatmeal to hydrate skin and calm redness.
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningVitis Vinifera Fruit Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantButylene Glycol
HumectantEthylhexyl Palmitate
EmollientPalmitoyl Grape Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningPolyacrylate Crosspolymer-6
Emulsion StabilisingCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientSqualane
EmollientVitis Vinifera Juice
AntioxidantXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSorbitan Oleate
EmulsifyingSodium Carboxymethyl Beta-Glucan
CleansingCitric Acid
BufferingHyaluronic Acid
HumectantSorbitan Laurate
EmulsifyingSodium Phytate
ChelatingSodium Benzoate
MaskingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingDisodium Acetyl Glucosamine Phosphate
Skin ConditioningPotassium Sorbate
PreservativeMyristyl Malate Phosphonic Acid
Skin ConditioningParfum
MaskingWater, Vitis Vinifera Fruit Water, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Palmitoyl Grape Seed Extract, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Caprylyl Glycol, Squalane, Vitis Vinifera Juice, Xanthan Gum, Sorbitan Oleate, Sodium Carboxymethyl Beta-Glucan, Citric Acid, Hyaluronic Acid, Sorbitan Laurate, Sodium Phytate, Sodium Benzoate, Sodium Hydroxide, Disodium Acetyl Glucosamine Phosphate, Potassium Sorbate, Myristyl Malate Phosphonic Acid, Parfum
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantGlycereth-26
HumectantSqualane
EmollientSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantSoluble Collagen
HumectantColloidal Oatmeal
AbsorbentPanthenol
Skin ConditioningChrysanthemum Parthenium Extract
Skin ConditioningCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialGlycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
BleachingAllantoin
Skin ConditioningEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningSorbitan Oleate
EmulsifyingAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingSodium PCA
HumectantPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeSodium Hydroxide
BufferingPotassium Sorbate
PreservativeSodium Benzoate
MaskingTetrasodium EDTA
ChelatingWater, Glycerin, Glycereth-26, Squalane, Sodium Hyaluronate, Soluble Collagen, Colloidal Oatmeal, Panthenol, Chrysanthemum Parthenium Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Allantoin, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sorbitan Oleate, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Sodium PCA, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Hydroxide, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Tetrasodium EDTA
Reviews
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 GlycerinPotassium Sorbate is a preservative used to prevent yeast and mold in products. It is commonly found in both cosmetic and food products.
This ingredient comes from potassium salt derived from sorbic acid. Sorbic acid is a natural antibiotic and effective against fungus.
Both potassium sorbate and sorbic acid can be found in baked goods, cheeses, dried meats, dried fruit, ice cream, pickles, wine, yogurt, and more.
You'll often find this ingredient used with other preservatives.
Learn more about Potassium SorbateSodium Benzoate is a preservative. It's used in both cosmetic and food products to inhibit the growth of mold and bacteria. It is typically produced synthetically.
Both the US FDA and EU Health Committee have approved the use of sodium benzoate. In the US, levels of 0.1% (of the total product) are allowed.
Sodium benzoate works as a preservative by inhibiting the growth of bacteria inside of cells. It prevents the cell from fermenting a type of sugar using an enzyme called phosphofructokinase.
It is the salt of benzoic acid. Foods containing sodium benzoate include soda, salad dressings, condiments, fruit juices, wines, and snack foods.
Studies for using ascorbic acid and sodium benzoate in cosmetics are lacking, especially in skincare routines with multiple steps.
We always recommend speaking with a professional, such as a dermatologist, if you have any concerns.
Learn more about Sodium BenzoateSodium 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 HydroxideSorbitan Oleate is a PEG-free emulsifier made by esterifying sorbitol with oleic acid.
You'll likely see it paired with Polysorbate 80 to create the right emulsification balance.
Typical use levels in formulas range from 2-10%.
The CIR Expert Panel has concluded this ingredient to be safe as a cosmetic ingredient.
Since this ingredient is an ester of oleic acid, it may not be fungal acne safe. Oleic acid is a fatty acid that falls into the C11-24 range that Malassezia can metabolize.
Learn more about Sorbitan OleateSqualane is the hydrogenated and shelf-stable form of squalene (a lipid that naturally occurs in human sebum).
It is an emollient and skin conditioning agent that is able to integrate seamlessly into the skin's lipid barrier without clogging pores.
This is due to how structurally similar it is to what your skin already produces.
Though it is mostly an emollient that helps soften and hydrate skin, it also has some humectant and occlusive action. Humectants help the skin retain moisture while occlusives seal it in, making squalane a triple-threat moisturizer.
Research shows it has antioxidant capabilities that help protect against stressors like UV exposure, specifically UVA induced oxidative stress. This study also found that it supports collagen biosynthesis in human dermal fibroblasts.
No clinical study has reported significant adverse effects and irritation reactions are very rare from this ingredient (even at 100% concentration).
Overall, it's a fantastic ingredient for hydration and is suitable for all skin types.
This depends on the source. Squalane can be derived from both plants and animals. Most squalane used in skincare comes from plants.
Please note: the source of squalane is only known if disclosed by the brand. We recommend reaching out to the brand if you have any questions about their squalane.
Read more about squalene with an "e".
Though squalane is often called an oil, it’s technically not one. It is a hydrocarbon, meaning it is only made of carbon and hydrogen. True oils are triglycerides and made of fatty acids and glycerol.
The term “oil-free” isn’t regulated so companies can define it however they want. Some exclude all oils, while others just avoid mineral oil or comedogenic oils.
Squalane has a comedogenic rating of 1 from the original 1972 study that tested raw ingredients under occlusion on rabbit ears. This system is not standardized or peer-reviewed, and using the raw ingredients is very different from how diluted cosmetic formulations are used on human skin.
A comedogenic rating of 1 means it is "unlikely to clog pores" according to the original rating system.
The overall formula of a product matters more than the individual ingredients on whether or not it will cause clogged pores.
Learn more about SqualaneWater. 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