What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Squalane
Emollient
Propanediol
Solvent
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Glyceryl Glucoside
Humectant
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Mannitol
Humectant
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingCamellia Oleifera Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Rosa Canina Fruit Oil
Emollient
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Sodium Gluconate
Skin ConditioningSodium Hydroxide
BufferingTocopherol
Antioxidant
Beta-Glucan
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Backhousia Citriodora Leaf Extract
AstringentVaccinium Macrocarpon Fruit Extract
AstringentPlumeria Rubra Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningAscorbyl Palmitate
Antioxidant
Acetyl Tetrapeptide-11
Skin Conditioning
Citric Acid
Buffering
Acetyl Tetrapeptide-9
Skin Conditioning
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Water, Glycerin, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Squalane, Propanediol, Pentylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Glyceryl Glucoside, Niacinamide, Mannitol, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Carbomer, Camellia Oleifera Seed Oil, Rosa Canina Fruit Oil, Caprylyl Glycol, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Sodium Gluconate, Sodium Hydroxide, Tocopherol, Beta-Glucan, Sodium Hyaluronate, Backhousia Citriodora Leaf Extract, Vaccinium Macrocarpon Fruit Extract, Plumeria Rubra Flower Extract, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Acetyl Tetrapeptide-11, Citric Acid, Acetyl Tetrapeptide-9, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate
Water
Skin ConditioningDimethicone
Emollient
Propanediol
Solvent
Cocos Nucifera Fruit Juice
Emollient
Acrylamide/Sodium Acryloyldimethyltaurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingAmmonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Emulsion Stabilising
Kappaphycus Alvarezii Extract
Skin ConditioningAlteromonas Ferment Extract
Skin Conditioning
Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningMelia Azadirachta Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningCorallina Officinalis Extract
Skin Conditioning
Coccinia Indica Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Sea Water
HumectantIsohexadecane
EmollientGlucose
Humectant
Aloe Barbadensis Flower Extract
EmollientSolanum Melongena Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Curcuma Longa Root Extract
Masking
Ocimum Basilicum Flower/Leaf Extract
TonicOcimum Sanctum Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Cetyl Diglyceryl Tris(Trimethylsiloxy)Silylethyl Dimethicone
Emulsion Stabilising
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Polysorbate 80
Emulsifying
Maltodextrin
Absorbent
Hexadecene
SolventSodium Hydroxide
BufferingTocopherol
Antioxidant
Water, Dimethicone, Propanediol, Cocos Nucifera Fruit Juice, Acrylamide/Sodium Acryloyldimethyltaurate Copolymer, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Kappaphycus Alvarezii Extract, Alteromonas Ferment Extract, Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract, Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract, Corallina Officinalis Extract, Coccinia Indica Fruit Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sea Water, Isohexadecane, Glucose, Aloe Barbadensis Flower Extract, Solanum Melongena Fruit Extract, Glycerin, Curcuma Longa Root Extract, Ocimum Basilicum Flower/Leaf Extract, Ocimum Sanctum Leaf Extract, Phenoxyethanol, Butylene Glycol, Cetyl Diglyceryl Tris(Trimethylsiloxy)Silylethyl Dimethicone, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Polysorbate 80, Maltodextrin, Hexadecene, Sodium Hydroxide, Tocopherol
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.
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 preservatives
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 GlycerinPropanediol is an all-star ingredient. It softens, hydrates, and smooths the skin.
It’s often used to:
Propanediol is not likely to cause sensitivity and considered safe to use. It is derived from corn or petroleum with a clear color and no scent.
Learn more about PropanediolSodium 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 HyaluronateSodium 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 HydroxideTocopherol is a fat-soluble antioxidant known as Vitamin E.
You'll find this ingredient in the vast majority of skincare (for good reason). It works to neutralize free radicals, or unstable molecules generated by UV exposure, pollution, and other environmental stressors, before they can cause oxidative damage to your skin cells.
Topically applied tocopherol has been shown to protect against UV damage by ramping up the skin's own natural defense enzymes.
It also acts as a skin conditioning agent; some studies show that regular topical use can improve the skin's water-binding capacity over 2-4 weeks.
This ingredient is especially loved for being a team player. When combined with Vitamin C, the photoprotective effect of both ingredients roughly doubles and the combo also helps reduce UV-induced DNA damage.
This ingredient has some brightening potential but it's more of a prevention ingredient than spot-fader. Cell studies show it can slow down melanin production but it's worth noting that it's not the most powerful brightener out there.
In formulations, it also serves as a stabilizer that helps protect other oxidation-prone ingredients from degrading.
Concentrations usually range from 0.1-1% in most leave-on products.
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
