What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingGlycolic Acid
Buffering
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Salicylic Acid
Masking
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide AP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide EOP
Skin Conditioning
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Behentrimonium Methosulfate
Surfactant
Triethyl Citrate
Masking
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate
EmulsifyingCholesterol
Emollient
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Disodium EDTA
Hydroxypropyl Guar
Emulsion StabilisingCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPhytosphingosine
Skin Conditioning
Benzoic Acid
Masking
Water, Glycerin, Sodium Hydroxide, Glycolic Acid, Lactic Acid, Salicylic Acid, Niacinamide, Ceramide NP, Ceramide AP, Ceramide EOP, Carbomer, Cetearyl Alcohol, Behentrimonium Methosulfate, Triethyl Citrate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Cholesterol, Chlorphenesin, Disodium EDTA, Hydroxypropyl Guar, Caprylyl Glycol, Xanthan Gum, Phytosphingosine, Benzoic Acid
Water
Skin ConditioningDimethicone
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Octyldodecanol
Emollient
Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate
Absorbent
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Emulsion Stabilising
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Alcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Ophiopogon Japonicus Root Extract
Skin ConditioningBisabolol
Antioxidant
Ascorbyl Glucoside
Antioxidant
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Parfum
Masking
Dimethiconol
Emollient
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Sphinganine
Skin ConditioningSodium Benzoate
Masking
Citric Acid
Buffering
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningTetrasodium EDTA
Potassium Hydroxide
BufferingT-Butyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Dimethylmethoxy Chromanol
Antioxidant
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Water, Dimethicone, Glycerin, Octyldodecanol, Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate, Butylene Glycol, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Tocopheryl Acetate, Alcohol Denat., Phenoxyethanol, Panthenol, Ophiopogon Japonicus Root Extract, Bisabolol, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Hyaluronate, Polysorbate 20, Parfum, Dimethiconol, Caprylyl Glycol, Sphinganine, Sodium Benzoate, Citric Acid, Dipropylene Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Tetrasodium EDTA, Potassium Hydroxide, T-Butyl Alcohol, Dimethylmethoxy Chromanol, Camellia Sinensis Leaf 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, 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 GlycerinSodium 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 WaterXanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.
On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.
Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.
Learn more about Xanthan Gum
