What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
Solvent
Glycerin
Humectant
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Cetearyl Olivate
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide AP
Skin Conditioning
Phytosphingosine
Skin Conditioning
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide EOP
Skin Conditioning
Squalane
Emollient
Cholesterol
Emollient
C13-14 Isoparaffin
Emollient
Cetyl Palmitate
Emollient
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
Skin Conditioning
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
Humectant
Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Extract
Perfuming
Hamamelis Virginiana Leaf Extract
Skin Conditioning
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Potassium Hydroxide
Buffering1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil
Emollient
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningTocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Polyacrylamide
Laureth-7
EmulsifyingCeteareth-12
EmulsifyingSorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Glucose
Humectant
Disodium EDTA
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate
Potassium Cetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingSodium Lauroyl Lactylate
EmulsifyingAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingMyristyl Myristate
Emollient
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingGlyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Ceteareth-20
CleansingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
Humectant
Potassium Hyaluronate
Skin ConditioningChondrus Crispus Extract
Skin Conditioning
Sophora Japonica Flower Extract
Skin ProtectingWater, Propanediol, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cetearyl Olivate, Niacinamide, Caprylyl Glycol, Ceramide NP, Ceramide AP, Phytosphingosine, Panthenol, Ceramide EOP, Squalane, Cholesterol, C13-14 Isoparaffin, Cetyl Palmitate, Propylene Glycol, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Extract, Hamamelis Virginiana Leaf Extract, Hyaluronic Acid, Potassium Hydroxide, 1,2-Hexanediol, Lactic Acid, Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil, Ethylhexylglycerin, Tocopheryl Acetate, Polyacrylamide, Laureth-7, Ceteareth-12, Sorbitan Olivate, Butylene Glycol, Glucose, Disodium EDTA, Cetearyl Alcohol, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Myristyl Myristate, Xanthan Gum, Glyceryl Stearate, Ceteareth-20, Carbomer, Phenoxyethanol, Chlorphenesin, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Potassium Hyaluronate, Chondrus Crispus Extract, Sophora Japonica Flower Extract
Lactococcus/Hyaluronic Acid Ferment Filtrate
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
Humectant
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
PPG-10 Methyl Glucose Ether
Skin ConditioningDisodium Succinate
MaskingHydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingSuccinic Acid
BufferingPentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantDiglycerin
Humectant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Disodium EDTA
Lactococcus/Hyaluronic Acid Ferment Filtrate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Water, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, PPG-10 Methyl Glucose Ether, Disodium Succinate, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Succinic Acid, Pentylene Glycol, Dipropylene Glycol, Diglycerin, Phenoxyethanol, Disodium EDTA
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Butylene 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 GlycolDisodium EDTA is a chelating agent. It grabs onto and deactivates metal ions that sneak into your products from water, packaging, or air.
This ingredient mainly works behind the scenes and helps with:
On top of that, this ingredient can counteract the effects of hard water by binding to the minerals in it.
One thing worth knowing is that Disodium EDTA has been shown to be a mild penetration enhancer. It can help other ingredients absorb into skin more effectively which can be a double-edged sword (great for actives, but can also make the active too strong if you have sensitive skin).
Clinical patch testing showed no significant skin irritation at typical use concentrations and minimal dermal absorption.
You'll most likely see this ingredient near the end of an ingredient list. It's typically found in concentrations less than 1%.
Learn more about Disodium EDTAGlycerin (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 AcidPhenoxyethanol is one of the most widely used preservatives in skincare (and for good reason!).
It has a large spectrum of antimicrobial activity and especially effective bacteria, yeast, and mold while only having a weak effect on your skin's natural microbiome.
On a cellular level, it disrupts the cell membranes of microbes by poking holes that make the cell leak. This shuts down the chemical reactions the microbe needs to make energy so it can no longer survive.
Another perk of this ingredient is that it stays functional across a wide pH range (3-10).
You'll often see it paired with boosters like Ethylhexylglycerin; one study showed that a 1:9 ratio of Ethylhexylglycerin to Phenoxyethanol damages bacterial membranes as effectively as doubling the Phenoxyethanol concentration on its own.
Typical use concentrations range from 0.3-1% depending on the formula, and this ingredient is capped at 1% int the EU.
Safety-wise, the fear mongering does not hold up to the evidence. The EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety and FDA consider it safe as a preservative at up to 1%, including for children of all ages.
Adverse systemic effects only showed up in animal studies at exposures roughly 200x higher than what people get from cosmetics. And despite its very widespread use, this ingredient is a rare sensitizer and allergic reactions are uncommon.
Learn more about PhenoxyethanolSodium Acetylated Hyaluronate is a type of Hyaluronic Acid.
Hyaluronic Acids help moisturize, soothe, and protect the skin.
Read about common types of Hyaluronic Acid here:
Learn more about Sodium Acetylated HyaluronateSodium 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
