What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
PEG/PPG/Polybutylene Glycol-8/5/3 Glycerin
HumectantBetaine
Humectant
Methyl Gluceth-20
Humectant
Sorbitol
Humectant
Camellia Japonica Flower Extract
EmollientZingiber Officinale Root Extract
Masking
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
PPG-13-Decyltetradeceth-24
EmulsifyingAmmonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Methylparaben
Preservative
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Sodium Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingParfum
Masking
Sodium Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Polyquaternium-51
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantPolianthes Tuberosa Polysaccharide
Skin ConditioningSphingomonas Ferment Extract
Skin Conditioning
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Water, Glycerin, PEG/PPG/Polybutylene Glycol-8/5/3 Glycerin, Betaine, Methyl Gluceth-20, Sorbitol, Camellia Japonica Flower Extract, Zingiber Officinale Root Extract, Phenoxyethanol, PPG-13-Decyltetradeceth-24, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Methylparaben, Propylene Glycol, Sodium Carbomer, Parfum, Sodium Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Butylene Glycol, Polyquaternium-51, Sodium Hyaluronate, Dipropylene Glycol, Polianthes Tuberosa Polysaccharide, Sphingomonas Ferment Extract, Tocopherol
Water
Skin ConditioningRosa Damascena Flower Water
Masking
Glycerin
Humectant
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Sesamum Indicum Seed Oil
Emollient
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingPrunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin Conditioning
Rosa Damascena Flower Oil
Masking
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil
Masking
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Hydroxyethyl Urea
Humectant
Disodium EDTA
Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate
Antioxidant
Beta-Carotene
Skin ConditioningWater, Rosa Damascena Flower Water, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Sesamum Indicum Seed Oil, Cetyl Alcohol, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Rosa Damascena Flower Oil, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydroxyacetophenone, Phenoxyethanol, Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Tocopheryl Acetate, Hydroxyethyl Urea, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Beta-Carotene
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 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 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 Water
