What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Propanediol
Solvent
Ethoxydiglycol
HumectantCaprylyl/Capryl Glucoside
CleansingGlycerin
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Curcuma Longa Root Oil
Perfuming
Carica Papaya Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningCucumis Sativus Fruit Extract
Emollient
Laminaria Digitata Extract
Skin Protecting
Citrullus Lanatus Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Lens Esculenta Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningAzelaic Acid
Buffering
Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
Masking
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Sodium PCA
Humectant
Ubiquinone
Antioxidant
Superoxide Dismutase
Antioxidant
Glyceryl Caprylate
EmollientSodium Cocoyl Glutamate
Cleansing
Sodium Phytate
Polyglyceryl-6 Oleate
Emulsifying
Salvia Sclarea Oil
Masking
Sodium Lactate
Buffering
Potassium Hydroxide
BufferingSodium Surfactin
CleansingCitric Acid
Buffering
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Water, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Propanediol, Ethoxydiglycol, Caprylyl/Capryl Glucoside, Glycerin, Sodium Hyaluronate, Curcuma Longa Root Oil, Carica Papaya Fruit Extract, Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract, Laminaria Digitata Extract, Citrullus Lanatus Fruit Extract, Lens Esculenta Fruit Extract, Azelaic Acid, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract, Sodium PCA, Ubiquinone, Superoxide Dismutase, Glyceryl Caprylate, Sodium Cocoyl Glutamate, Sodium Phytate, Polyglyceryl-6 Oleate, Salvia Sclarea Oil, Sodium Lactate, Potassium Hydroxide, Sodium Surfactin, Citric Acid, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate
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 GlycerinSodium 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
