What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Octyldodecyl Myristate
EmollientDimethicone
Emollient
Di-C12-15 Alkyl Fumarate
EmollientIsopropyl Isostearate
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Diisostearyl Malate
EmollientPEG-100 Stearate
Surfactant
PEG-8
HumectantGlycerin
Humectant
Ascorbyl Glucoside
Antioxidant
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Tribehenin
Emollient
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Acetyl Glucosamine
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Humectant
Sucrose
Humectant
Caffeine
Skin Conditioning
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract
Emollient
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Saccharomyces Lysate Extract
Humectant
Aspergillus Ferment
Skin ConditioningAlgae Extract
EmollientHelianthus Annuus Seed Extract
Skin Conditioning
Hordeum Vulgare Extract
EmollientFaex Extract
Skin ConditioningTrametes Versicolor Extract
Salicylic Acid
Masking
Cholesterol
Emollient
Propylene Glycol Dicaprate
EmollientCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Behenyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cetearyl Glucoside
Emulsifying
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPotassium Hydroxide
BufferingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingDisodium Phosphate
BufferingSodium Phosphate
BufferingCitric Acid
Buffering
Dimethoxytolyl Propylresorcinol
Antioxidant
Sorbitan Oleate
Emulsifying
Polysilicone-11
Dicetyldimonium Chloride
EmulsifyingHexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingPolysorbate 80
Emulsifying
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Acrylamide/Sodium Acryloyldimethyltaurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingIsohexadecane
EmollientPhosphatidylcholine
EmulsifyingDisodium EDTA
BHT
Antioxidant
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Water, Butylene Glycol, Octyldodecyl Myristate, Dimethicone, Di-C12-15 Alkyl Fumarate, Isopropyl Isostearate, Glyceryl Stearate, Diisostearyl Malate, PEG-100 Stearate, PEG-8, Glycerin, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Tribehenin, Cetyl Alcohol, Acetyl Glucosamine, Sodium Hyaluronate, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Sucrose, Caffeine, Tocopheryl Acetate, Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Saccharomyces Lysate Extract, Aspergillus Ferment, Algae Extract, Helianthus Annuus Seed Extract, Hordeum Vulgare Extract, Faex Extract, Trametes Versicolor Extract, Salicylic Acid, Cholesterol, Propylene Glycol Dicaprate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Behenyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Glucoside, Xanthan Gum, Potassium Hydroxide, Sodium Hydroxide, Disodium Phosphate, Sodium Phosphate, Citric Acid, Dimethoxytolyl Propylresorcinol, Sorbitan Oleate, Polysilicone-11, Dicetyldimonium Chloride, Hexylene Glycol, Polysorbate 80, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Caprylyl Glycol, Acrylamide/Sodium Acryloyldimethyltaurate Copolymer, Isohexadecane, Phosphatidylcholine, Disodium EDTA, BHT, Chlorphenesin, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Propanediol
Solvent
Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
Humectant
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Ahnfeltia Concinna Extract
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Citric Acid
Buffering
Isoceteth-20
EmulsifyingEthoxydiglycol
HumectantEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningHexylene Glycol
Emulsifying1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Water, Sodium Hyaluronate, Pentylene Glycol, Propanediol, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Panthenol, Ahnfeltia Concinna Extract, Glycerin, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Citric Acid, Isoceteth-20, Ethoxydiglycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Hexylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol
Reviews
Alternatives
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
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 GlycolCitric Acid is an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) naturally found in citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, and limes.
Like other AHAs, citric acid can exfoliate skin by breaking down the bonds that hold dead skin cells together. This helps reveal smoother and brighter skin underneath.
However, this exfoliating effect only happens at high concentrations (20%) which can be hard to find in cosmetic products.
Due to this, citric acid is usually included in small amounts as a pH adjuster. This helps keep products slightly more acidic and compatible with skin's natural pH.
In skincare formulas, citric acid can:
While it can provide some skin benefits, research shows lactic acid and glycolic acid are generally more effective and less irritating exfoliants.
Most citric acid used in skincare today is made by fermenting sugars (usually from molasses). This synthetic version is identical to the natural citrus form but easier to stabilize and use in formulations.
Read more about some other popular AHA's here:
Learn more about Citric AcidGlycerin (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 GlycerinHexylene Glycol is a multitasker ingredient that works as a solvent, humectant, emulsifier, viscosity reducer, and preservative booster.
It is able to dissolve both water and oil-soluble ingredients to stabilize tricky actives and make products spread more easily.
As a humectant, it pulls water into the skin. But it's a pretty minor moisturizing ingredient compared to other humectants, like glycerin.
Interestingly, it can act as a mild penetration enhancer. One in vitro study on human skin found a 12% concentration upped the absorption of mometasone furoate (a medicinal ingredient used to treat inflammatory skin conditions) up to 7%.
This ingredient is typically used at levels of 0.1-10% depending on the role it's playing.
A patch test study on eczema patients didn't find a significant increase in irritation versus the control group, but the potential for irritation rises at higher concentrations.
Learn more about Hexylene GlycolPhenoxyethanol 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
