What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
Solvent
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Dibutyl Adipate
EmollientPentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Bifida Ferment Lysate
Skin Conditioning
Epigallocatechin Gallatyl Glucoside
Antioxidant
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Sodium Citrate
BufferingCitric Acid
Buffering
Centella Asiatica Leaf Extract
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Gluconate
Skin ConditioningAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingSphingomonas Ferment Extract
Skin Conditioning
Pantolactone
Humectant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Water, Propanediol, Panthenol, Dibutyl Adipate, Pentylene Glycol, Bifida Ferment Lysate, Epigallocatechin Gallatyl Glucoside, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Caprylyl Glycol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Tocopherol, Sodium Citrate, Citric Acid, Centella Asiatica Leaf Extract, Sodium Gluconate, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Sphingomonas Ferment Extract, Pantolactone, 1,2-Hexanediol, Hydroxyacetophenone
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
PEG/PPG-8/3 Laurate
EmulsifyingPentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Polyglyceryl-4 Caprate
Emulsifying1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Epigallocatechin Gallatyl Glucoside
Antioxidant
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Sodium Gluconate
Skin ConditioningCitric Acid
Buffering
Water, Butylene Glycol, PEG/PPG-8/3 Laurate, Pentylene Glycol, Polyglyceryl-4 Caprate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Niacinamide, Epigallocatechin Gallatyl Glucoside, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Allantoin, Tocopheryl Acetate, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Sodium Hyaluronate, Tocopherol, Sodium Gluconate, Citric Acid
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
1,2-Hexanediol is a synthetic liquid and another multi-functional powerhouse.Â
It is a:
- Humectant, drawing moisture into the skin
- Emollient, helping to soften skin
- Solvent, dispersing and stabilizing formulas
- Preservative booster, enhancing the antimicrobial activity of other preservativesÂ
Citric Acid is an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) naturally found in citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, and limes.
Like other AHAs, citric acid can exfoliate skin by breaking down the bonds that hold dead skin cells together. This helps reveal smoother and brighter skin underneath.
However, this exfoliating effect only happens at high concentrations (20%) which can be hard to find in cosmetic products.
Due to this, citric acid is usually included in small amounts as a pH adjuster. This helps keep products slightly more acidic and compatible with skin's natural pH.
In skincare formulas, citric acid can:
While it can provide some skin benefits, research shows lactic acid and glycolic acid are generally more effective and less irritating exfoliants.
Most citric acid used in skincare today is made by fermenting sugars (usually from molasses). This synthetic version is identical to the natural citrus form but easier to stabilize and use in formulations.
Read more about some other popular AHA's here:
Learn more about Citric AcidThis ingredient is a modified version of the famous antioxidant found in green tea, EGCG.
EGCG has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. It has been shown to protect skin from UV-induced damage.
Since this ingredient is modified to attach to a glucose molecule, it also has great hydrating properties.
Learn more about Epigallocatechin Gallatyl GlucosideHydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid is hyaluronic acid (HA) that is broken down into lower molecular weight fragments.
It's a humectant that pulls and holds water in the skin to help with hydration, plumpness, and reduce transepidermal water loss.
Because hydrolyzed hyaluronic acid is smaller in size, it can slip past your outermost layer of skin more easily than full-sized HA.
Most formulations will combine all sizes to get the best of both worlds.
Typical usage levels range from 0.01-1%. Any percentage higher than 2% might become goopy and tacky.
Learn more about Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic AcidPentylene glycol is typically used within a product to thicken it. It also adds a smooth, soft, and moisturizing feel to the product. It is naturally found in plants such as sugar beets.
The hydrophilic trait of Pentylene Glycol makes it a humectant. As a humectant, Pentylene Glycol helps draw moisture from the air to your skin. This can help keep your skin hydrated.
This property also makes Pentylene Glycol a great texture enhancer. It can also help thicken or stabilize a product.
Pentylene Glycol also acts as a mild preservative and helps to keep a product microbe-free.
Some people may experience mild eye and skin irritation from Pentylene Glycol. We always recommend speaking with a professional about using this ingredient in your routine.
Pentylene Glycol has a low molecular weight and is part of the 1,2-glycol family.
Learn more about Pentylene GlycolThis is the synthetic salt of gluconic acid, a form of PHA and mild exfoliant.
It is mainly used to stabilize oil and butter formulations from going bad. Sodium gluconate is a humectant, pH regulator, and chelating agent.
Chelating agents help neutralize unwanted metals from affecting the formulation.
Sodium gluconate is water-soluble.
Learn more about Sodium GluconateSodium 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 HyaluronateTocopherol (also known as Vitamin E) is a common antioxidant used to help protect the skin from free-radicals and strengthen the skin barrier. It's also fat soluble - this means our skin is great at absorbing it.
Vitamin E also helps keep your natural skin lipids healthy. Your lipid skin barrier naturally consists of lipids, ceramides, and fatty acids. Vitamin E offers extra protection for your skin’s lipid barrier, keeping your skin healthy and nourished.
Another benefit is a bit of UV protection. Vitamin E helps reduce the damage caused by UVB rays. (It should not replace your sunscreen). Combining it with Vitamin C can decrease sunburned cells and hyperpigmentation after UV exposure.
You might have noticed Vitamin E + C often paired together. This is because it is great at stabilizing Vitamin C. Using the two together helps increase the effectiveness of both ingredients.
There are often claims that Vitamin E can reduce/prevent scarring, but these claims haven't been confirmed by scientific research.
Learn more about TocopherolWater. 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
