What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantButylene Glycol
HumectantCoix Lacryma-Jobi Ma-Yuen Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningCeramide AP
Skin ConditioningCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningCeramide EOP
Skin ConditioningCitrus Junos Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningPhytosphingosine
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantSodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
HumectantHydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
HumectantSuccinoyl Atelocollagen
Skin ConditioningGlycine Max Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningGlutamic Acid
HumectantAloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
EmollientCitrus Limon Fruit Extract
MaskingRosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialHumulus Lupulus Extract
AntimicrobialPinus Sylvestris Bark Extract
PerfumingEquisetum Arvense Extract
AstringentSodium PCA
HumectantSerine
MaskingLysine
Skin ConditioningGlycine
BufferingAlanine
MaskingArginine
MaskingThreonine
Proline
Skin ConditioningCholesterol
EmollientBetaine
HumectantAllantoin
Skin ConditioningSorbitol
HumectantDisodium EDTA
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSodium Lauroyl Lactylate
EmulsifyingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingPolystyrene
Sodium Benzoate
MaskingMethylparaben
PreservativePropylparaben
PreservativeWater, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Coix Lacryma-Jobi Ma-Yuen Seed Extract, Ceramide AP, Ceramide NP, Ceramide EOP, Citrus Junos Fruit Extract, Phytosphingosine, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Succinoyl Atelocollagen, Glycine Max Seed Extract, Glutamic Acid, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Citrus Limon Fruit Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Humulus Lupulus Extract, Pinus Sylvestris Bark Extract, Equisetum Arvense Extract, Sodium PCA, Serine, Lysine, Glycine, Alanine, Arginine, Threonine, Proline, Cholesterol, Betaine, Allantoin, Sorbitol, Disodium EDTA, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Carbomer, Polystyrene, Sodium Benzoate, Methylparaben, Propylparaben
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
HumectantGlycerin
HumectantBetaine
HumectantOryza Sativa Extract
AbsorbentRetinyl Palmitate
Skin ConditioningPanthenol
Skin ConditioningAscorbyl Tetraisopalmitate
AntioxidantTocopherol
AntioxidantArginine
MaskingArginine Glutamate
Skin ConditioningLeucine
Skin ConditioningArgania Spinosa Kernel Oil
EmollientHydrolyzed Collagen
EmollientHydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
HumectantLactobacillus/Rice Ferment Filtrate
Skin ConditioningOryza Sativa Bran Extract
Skin ConditioningGlucosyl Ceramide
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Yeast Extract
Skin ConditioningArbutin
AntioxidantDipotassium Glycyrrhizate
HumectantSqualane
EmollientArachis Hypogaea Oil
Skin ConditioningGlycosyl Trehalose
Emulsion StabilisingHydrogenated Starch Hydrolysate
HumectantBeta-Glucan
Skin ConditioningSorbitol
HumectantBis-Ethoxydiglycol Cyclohexane 1,4-Dicarboxylate
EmollientPentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningHydrogenated Lecithin
EmulsifyingPolyglyceryl-10 Stearate
Skin ConditioningPEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
EmulsifyingPhytic Acid
Citric Acid
BufferingSodium Citrate
BufferingSilver Oxide
AntimicrobialPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeWater, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Betaine, Oryza Sativa Extract, Retinyl Palmitate, Panthenol, Ascorbyl Tetraisopalmitate, Tocopherol, Arginine, Arginine Glutamate, Leucine, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Hydrolyzed Collagen, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Lactobacillus/Rice Ferment Filtrate, Oryza Sativa Bran Extract, Glucosyl Ceramide, Hydrolyzed Yeast Extract, Arbutin, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Squalane, Arachis Hypogaea Oil, Glycosyl Trehalose, Hydrogenated Starch Hydrolysate, Beta-Glucan, Sorbitol, Bis-Ethoxydiglycol Cyclohexane 1,4-Dicarboxylate, Pentylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Polyglyceryl-10 Stearate, PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Phytic Acid, Citric Acid, Sodium Citrate, Silver Oxide, Phenoxyethanol
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Arginine is a semi-essential amino acid. This just means our bodies can product a bit on its own, but sometimes needs a little boost from food sources.
It is a part of your skin's natural moisturizing factor (NMF), or the water-loving molecules in your outermost layer of skin (stratum corneum) that keeps everything hydrated and happy.
Here's an interesting thing about Arginine: your skin converts it into urea through the Krebs-Henseleit urea cycle. Urea is one of the most effective humectants your skin naturally produces.
A clinical study showed applying 2.5% arginine hydrochloride to atopic dermatitis skin showed significant urea levels in the stratum corneum and improved moisture in just four weeks.
Arginine is also a precursor to nitric oxide; nitric oxide improves microcirculation and supports wound healing and collagen synthesis.
One study found that an amino acid complex containing Arginine reduced skin irritation, improved hydration, and accelerated skin repair in clinical / in-vivo studies.
Arginine itself is an amino acid and not a fatty acid, oil, or ester. On its own, it's not a direct food source for Malassezia, or the yeast that causes fungal acne.
Learn more about ArginineBetaine is a humectant. Like hyaluronic acid, it helps attract and retain moisture in the skin. Itβs known for being gentle and for helping the skin maintain balanced hydration.
Betaine is mainly used to improve hydration and support calmer skin. It helps skin cells regulate water balance because it functions as an osmolyte.
Some studies suggest betaine may support making skin tone more even.
Fun fact: Betaine naturally exists in the skin and the body. In cosmetic products, it can be either plant-derived (most commonly from sugar beets) or synthetically produced for consistency and stability.
Betaine is also known as trimethylglycine.
Learn more about BetaineButylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:
Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient that works well with other ingredients.
Though this ingredient works well with most skin types, some people with sensitive skin may experience a reaction such as allergic rashes, closed comedones, or itchiness.
Learn more about Butylene 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 GlycerinHydrolyzed 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 AcidSorbitol is a sugar alcohol. It is a hydrating and moisturizing agent created from the reduction process of glucose.
Most sorbitol is usually made from potato starch. It is also found in fruits such as apples and pears.
As a humectant, Sorbitol helps draw water to the skin. This helps keep the skin hydrated. Sorbitol also helps create a thicker texture in products. You might find sorbitol in your toothpaste and other gels.
It is a non-irritating ingredient that is great for those with dry skin.
Sorbitol is a prebiotic. It helps promote the growth of healthy bacteria on your skin. The bacteria on your skin form a microbiome. This microbiome helps protect your skin from infection and harmful bacteria.
Learn more about SorbitolWater. 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