What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Propanediol
Solvent
Coco-Caprylate/Caprate
Emollient
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Sodium Acrylates Copolymer
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Lecithin
Emollient
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningZinc PCA
Humectant
Sodium PCA
Humectant
Magnesium PCA
Humectant
Manganese PCA
HumectantXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingMaltodextrin
Absorbent
Hydrolyzed Glycosaminoglycans
HumectantSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Polyglutamic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Beta-Glucan
Skin Conditioning
Tremella Fuciformis Polysaccharide
Emulsion Stabilising
Pullulan
Sclerotium Gum
Emulsion StabilisingSilica
Abrasive
Glyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer
HumectantChlamydomonas Extract
Skin ConditioningWater, Glycerin, Propanediol, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Sodium Acrylates Copolymer, Pentylene Glycol, Lecithin, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Zinc PCA, Sodium PCA, Magnesium PCA, Manganese PCA, Xanthan Gum, Maltodextrin, Hydrolyzed Glycosaminoglycans, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hyaluronic Acid, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Polyglutamic Acid, Beta-Glucan, Tremella Fuciformis Polysaccharide, Pullulan, Sclerotium Gum, Silica, Glyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer, Chlamydomonas Extract
Water
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
Solvent
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Niacinamide
Smoothing
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Dna
Skin Conditioning
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningAdenosine
Skin Conditioning
Citric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Phytate
Cyanocobalamin
Skin ConditioningLeontopodium Alpinum Callus Culture Extract
Antioxidant
Fish Extract
Lecithin
Emollient
Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Humectant
Salmon Egg Extract
Arginine
Masking
Cholesterol
Emollient
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Copper Tripeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Pearl Extract
Antioxidant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Dipeptide-2
Skin Conditioning
Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate
Oligopeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4
Skin Conditioning
Tripeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Hydrolyzed Collagen
Emollient
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
Humectant
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
Humectant
Potassium Hyaluronate
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Conchiolin Protein
Skin ConditioningPearl Powder
Succinoyl Atelocollagen
Skin Conditioning
Water, Propanediol, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Niacinamide, 1,2-Hexanediol, Sodium Dna, Xanthan Gum, Ethylhexylglycerin, Adenosine, Citric Acid, Sodium Phytate, Cyanocobalamin, Leontopodium Alpinum Callus Culture Extract, Fish Extract, Lecithin, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Salmon Egg Extract, Arginine, Cholesterol, Ceramide NP, Copper Tripeptide-1, Pearl Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Dipeptide-2, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate, Oligopeptide-1, Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4, Tripeptide-1, Hydrolyzed Collagen, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Hyaluronic Acid, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Potassium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Conchiolin Protein, Pearl Powder, Succinoyl Atelocollagen
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Ethylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:
The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure.
Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.
Learn more about EthylhexylglycerinGlycerin (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 GlycerinHyaluronic acid (HA) is a glycosaminoglycan (basically a long sugar chain) that your skin already makes on its own. In your skin, HA lives in the extracellular matrix and acts as the body's moisture reservoir.
Topically, HA is a humectant that binds water and helps skin look more plump, smooth, and hydrated.
The only catch is that HA isn't a single thing; it actually comes in a wide range of molecular weights (~50 - 2,000+ kDA) and size matters.
Some clinical evidence links low molecular weight versions to improved wrinkle depth, elasticity, anti-inflammatory effects, and barrier repair.
This is why the best HA serums blend the two sizes together so you get the best of both worlds.
The majority of cosmetic HA is produced by bacterial fermentation, typically using Streptococcus or Bacillus strains. Typical use levels in skincare sit around 0.1-2%.
A clinical study using a 0.2% low-molecular weight HA gel showed improvement in facial seborrheic dermatitis with excellent tolerance.
These are some other common types of Hyaluronic Acid:
Learn more about Hyaluronic AcidHydrolyzed 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 AcidLecithin is a term for a group of substances found in the cell membranes of plants, animals, and humans. They are made up of phospholipids.
Thanks to its amphiphilic structure (water-loving head and oil-loving tail), it is a true multitasker:
It plays well with most ingredients and is typically used at 0.1-1%. However, concentrations up to 50% have been reported in moisturizers.
Learn more about LecithinPropanediol is an all-star ingredient. It softens, hydrates, and smooths the skin.Â
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 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 WaterXanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.
On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.
Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.
Learn more about Xanthan Gum
